The poker industry has seen a number of players ascend to the top of the rankings over time. Yet, some of them will remain as standout players, thanks to the fact that they have earned masses of money from the game. It is these players that we will look at, as we navigate our way through the top poker players of all time.
So, if you want to know which poker players have managed to secure themselves a spot as one of the top players and find out how much they have earned as well, then read on.
Fedor Holz
Born in Saarbrücken, Germany and only 25 years of age, Fedor Holz was already ranked as the best online MTT player in both 2014 and 2015 by Pocketfives. He took home his first WSOP bracelet in July of 2016, claiming a total amount of $4,981,775 in the process.
In fact, 2016 was a huge year for him, as he also claimed $3,500,000 from the Super High Roller Bowl and $3,463,500 from the WPT National in the Philippines.
His success saw him elevate to new heights in 2017 as well, where he was ranked as the number 7 player on a global scale. Today, his total winnings stand at $32,500,838.
Justin Bonomo
When you’ve scooped $43 million from your time playing poker, you can easily say that you’re sitting rightly at the top of the list of all-time money won. Justin Bonomo is that man, who claimed the position with his win in 2018’s WSOP Big One for One Drop. From this, he managed to secure himself a total of $10 million in winnings.
Yet, this wasn’t his only victory this year. He seems to have claimed high-paying wins all over the place, and has even secured three WSOP bracelets during his poker-playing tenure.
The 33-year-old is a former player of Magic: The Gathering, and he became the youngest player to feature at a televised final table in 2005. At the event – the French Open in Deauville – he finished in fourth position overall.
He also remains active in the poker scene, showing little sign of wanting to slow down and call it a day. Can anyone top Bonomo?
John Juanda
This Indonesian-born professional poker player has won five World Series of Poker bracelets during his time playing the game.
He arrived in the USA in 1990, where he became a high school track star. By 1997, he was playing poker and in 2001, he was named as Card Player Magazine’s tournament Player of the Year.
Over the course of his gameplay, Juanda has raked in $24.1 million in total, and in 2015 he found himself being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. His largest cash prize was won in 2017 when he participated in the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Main Event and won $2.9 million.
Bryn Kenney
With his total income from playing poker standing at $25.3 million, Kenney already stands out as being a superior player. The first time he played in a live tournament was back in 2007 and he has steadily increased his overall winnings as he’s gone.
Prior to entering poker tournaments, he was an avid player of the Magic: The Gathering card game.
It was in 2014 that he won his very first WSOP bracelet, earning $153,220 from competing in the $1,500 10-Game Mix Six Handed event. He would then go on to defeat the WSOP Main Event champion in 2016, Joe McKeehen, taking home $1,687,800 in prize funds.
He remains active on the poker scene today, with his largest win of almost $2 million occurring in April of 2017 at the PokerStars Championship.
Antonio Esfandiari
Antonio is a Tehran-born poker player who has often been referred to as “The Magician”, thanks to his former profession as such. He actually used to be the face of the former poker site known as Ultimate Poker.
Esfandiari has won two separate World Poker Tour (WPT) championships, as well as three of the WSOP bracelets, too. These wins have helped to elevate his total winnings so far to $27.7 million.
When Antonio won the 2012 WSOP $1 Million Big One for One Drop – claiming $18.35 million – in the process, he sat atop the all-time money list himself. He was, however, overtaken by Daniel Negreanu in 2014.
His personal life also has professional poker connections. He’s married to Amal Bounahra, who is the daughter of Badih “Bob” Bounahara – another pro.
Erik Seidel
Seidel may be the oldest player on this at 58, but he’s no stranger to being a big winner on the poker scene. He’s one of the original players coming from the Mayfair Club in New York City. He’s won a staggering eight WSOP bracelets, as well as a World Poker Tour title. He saw himself inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2010 and continues to actively participate in the game.
His first major tournament in 1988 saw him come in the runner-up position to Johnny Chan, but just four years later, he successfully won his first of those eight bracelets.
His largest cash pay-out came in 2011, when he entered the Australian Millions Poker Championship $250,000 and took home just under $2.5 million. This, amongst his other wins, has helped him to reach his current total winnings of $34.6 million.
Daniel Negreanu
As one of the best in the business, Negreanu has found himself riding the waves of fortune to the very top of the all-time money list on frequent occasions. The 44-year-old from Canada has taken home six WSOP bracelets and two WPT championship titles as well.
His total winnings currently stand at $39.8 million and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
One of his most impressive attributes is that he seems able to read his opponents very easily, and his gameplay reflects that.
Negreanu is also the first player to make a final table at each of the WSOP bracelet-awarding locations – Asia-Pacific, Las Vegas and Europe.
