Top Professional Poker Players
Casino games attract millions of players worldwide, and while some of them play just for fun, it can be a very lucrative venture. Some have taken it as a full time career, while others combine gambling with other jobs. Poker is one of the most popular casino games with a massive following across the globe, where professionals meet to outdo each other for the money. Over the years, we have seen big names in the game, and we’ll be looking at the best professional poker players of all time based on their earnings.
#1. Justin Bonomo – His career kicked off on a high, at a very tender age of 16. He turned his $500 deposit into a cool $10,000 at Paradise Poker, and followed that up with a remarkable feat of becoming the youngest player to appear on a televised final poker event where he won himself $40,815.
Bonomo has gone on to emerge tops in more than 20 events, including the 2018 WSOP Big One for One Drop.
#2. Daniel Negreanu – Probably the most popular name in poker, Negreanu has built a strong reputation for himself over the years. He was named the poker player of the decade by the Global Poker Index from 2004-2013, which is a big achievement in a pool of thousands of other players.
Negreanu holds a record 7 cashes for $1m+, but the $8.28 he won at the Big One for Drop at the 2014 WSOP remains his greatest achievement. To date, he remains the only player to win World Series bracelets in US, Australia, and Europe.
#3. Erik Siedel – Siedel’s career kicked off long before the internet boom, first emerging the first runners-up at the WSOP main Event in 1988. He was so influential that his knockout hand was immortalized in ‘Rounders’ the movie.
Erik Siedel’s career shone brightest in 2011 when he won double million-dollar prizes in different continents, marking a phenomenal year in which he won more than $6.5m.
#4. Fedor Holz – The young German has been on a steady rise since his famous first WSOP bracelet when he won in the $111,111 No Limit
Hold’em for One Drop, just a few weeks after emerging second in the Super High Roller Bowl.
Holz finished second in the 2018 WSOP, winning $6m.
#5. David Peters – Peters converted to online poker following Chris Moneymaker’s exploits in 2003, and has since created his own path. He has seen 9 cashes over $1m, which have pushed him to compete with the established names in the game.
Peters has won only one bracelet, but he has managed close to 50 cash finishes in WSOP alone, with 8 table final appearances.
Other top professionals in poker
#6. Daniel Colman – Big One for One Drop winner in 2014 WSOP, 2014 Card Player Magazine Player of the Year.
#7. Antonio Esfandiari – Won $1.3m at the LA Poker Classic, $18m winner in 2012 at the Big One for One Drop in 2012.
#8. Bryn Kenney – 2017 WSOP bracelet winner, 2020 Aussie Millions No Limit Hold’em Main Event.
#9. Steve O’Dwyer – 2014 Asia Championship of Poker Super High Roller winner, $1.3m winner in 2018 Caribbean Poker Party.
#10. Phil Ivey – 10-time WSOP bracelet winner since 2000, 7-time $1m+ cash winner.
