James Thomas "T.J." Cloutier was born on 13 October 1939 in Albany, California, he is a professional poker player with six WSOP bracelets, and was included in the Courtyard of Fame Poker in 2006.

Cloutier attended the University of California, later because of financial hardship was for the army and abandoned his studies, he also played professional football league in Canada but had a short career due to injury. After his injury he tried to open a food industry but had been unsuccessful in bankruptcy and divorce. It was working for a Texas oil company and was there that he began playing poker, and resigned the job because he realized he could make more money playing poker. Their victories gave the WSOP in 1987, two in 1994, 1998, 2004 and 2005. In 2009 his live tournament winnings exceed $ 9,700,000 already.