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Poker Expert Ed Miller '00 Made Over by Queer Eye

Ed Miller '00 served as host, emcee, and live commentator for a celebrity poker mini-tournament at Caesar's Palace in front of a live audience. From left: Susan Anton, Miller, and David Brenner during the episode. Bravo Photo: Martin LePire

Where's a poker expert to turn when he needs to polish his image? Ed Miller '00 bet on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in June 2006. The former professional card player turned poker how-to author received the royal treatment from the Fab 5, as the show's cohosts are known, at his home in Las Vegas. The episode aired just in time for the release of Miller's third book, No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice (Two Plus Two Publishing), coauthored with David Sklansky.

"The point of the makeover was to get me to a position where I would be more attractive to the general media," says Miller, who attended book signings and sought radio, TV, and print interviews. He hoped to gain poise and polish that would translate into a wider audience for his books, which are aimed at serious players looking to make a living off of poker. He currently enjoys a modest but devoted following of 50,000-100,000 fans due to the online community created by his publisher, Two Plus Two Publishing.

Queer Eye sweept into Miller's life and transformed him, his apartment, and his self-promotion skills. In return, Miller schooled cohost and interior decorator Thom Filicia in Texas hold 'em strategy for a celebrity poker mini-tournament at Caesar's Palace with Susan Anton, Penn Jillette, David Brenner, and George Wallace. The event, which Miller emceed and commentated, benefitted a hurricane Katrina-related charity—a cause significant to him. Both of Miller's now-divorced parents lost their New Orleans homes in the storm.

Miller's not one for trash-talking at the tables. "I just try to be friendly and make sure everyone who plays has a good time," he says. "If they're having a good time, they don't care so much about how well they play, and then I make money as a result. And everyone's happy."

During the episode, Miller's book-clogged, unfashionable living room was turned into a hip, comfortable space. "My favorite thing they did was that they turned our balcony, which we basically weren't using, into this retreat space. It's sort of an extension of the living room but it's outside," he says. "And hotter." Miller also received an hour-long shaving lesson, pointers for an interview with All In poker magazine arranged by the show, and instruction on how to pair wine with the spicy ethnic foods he and his wife, Elaine Vigneault, enjoy cooking.

Miller does confess to one funny moment involving a spray tan and an ill-placed shower cap that leaves a line across his forehead. "We fixed it a little bit with make-up to make it look not so horrible," he says. But his wife wasn't fooled. She later confessed to being fixated on his striped forehead, saying to herself, "I don't think I'm supposed to be talking about this make-up that you're wearing, so I won't, but that's all I can think about."

Buying into the Game

Miller, who earned degrees in physics and electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, worked for Microsoft after graduating from the Institute but quickly tired of corporate life and found solace in the challenge of teaching himself poker. He spent about six months learning—and losing—before it all clicked. He won around $6,000 two months in a row then promptly quit his job and moved to Sin City to pursue the game full time. After a year of professional play, Miller modified his career. "Once I saw how hot poker was getting, I decided to make the transition from professional player to poker business person," he says.

MIT helped him develop the analytical and communication skills needed to successfully write about the logic, math, and probability inherent in the game. "Most people who write poker books aren't as technically minded, so sometimes they have trouble expressing what they think about and what they do in a precise way," he says. "My MIT education has taught me to think logically about poker, it's taught me to think from a technical perspective, and it's much easier to communicate that way with other people."

Unlike many poker how-to books, which teach people how to respond in certain situations, Miller's books teach readers how to understand the game and think for themselves. His first book, Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big with Expert Play, coauthored with David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth (Two Plus Two Publishing) sold more than 100,000 copies. His second book, Getting Started in Hold 'em (Two Plus Two Publishing), preps new players for more advanced games. And his latest book seeks to theoretically and mathematically break down no-limit hold 'em (in which bets are not capped) in a way not yet seen since the game was almost non-existent five years ago. Miller has also authored four instructional DVDs.

Nowadays, Miller plays medium stakes games about five to ten hours a week. At his peak, when playing 40-60 hours a week, he could win (or lose) as much as $5,000 a day. His fourth book, Professional No-Limit Hold 'em: Volume 1 (Two Plus Two Publishing), coauthored with Matt Flynn and Sunny Mehta, was published in July 2007.

So what's this poker guru's best advice to beginners? Factor losing into your education. "Poker is a lot more complex than it looks, and it's going to take you a long time to become a winner," he says. "Play at stakes where you can lose for six months and not really worry too much about the money." Online games are available, he notes, for as low as one and two cents. "Then the winning will take care of itself."

Learn more about Ed Miller on his website.

By Amy Marcott

June 15, 2006; updated Sept. 2007