Some of America’s Most Famous Poker Players
By
Jane Shaw
Senior Editor Updated: 09/18/2023
We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.
America’s Most Famous Poker Players
- Famous Poker Players: A Glimpse
- Our Comprehensive List of Famous Poker Players
- Top Tournament Players
- Top Cash Game Players
- Top Online Poker Players
- The Poker Hall of Fame
- Frequently Asked Questions
Poker has seen a surge in popularity in recent decades, with some of the game’s top players becoming household names here in the US. While many continue to believe the game relies on luck – in actuality, it involves a huge degree of skill, nerve, and dedication to be able to reach the highest levels.
In the US, poker’s fame has produced standout stars across different spheres, from high-stakes cash icons to internet geniuses. We’ll explore some of the country’s most famous poker players and how they’ve achieved success in today’s blog.
Famous Poker Players: An Introduction
In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at some of the country’s most famous poker players and how they’ve achieved success. As we dive in, we’ll look at four key categories – those who have dominated the tournament circuit, cash game specialists, online wizards’, and those who’ve achieved the highest achievement in the game: being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. Today’s blog will cover players who play multiple different online poker games and offline variations, so don’t assume they’re all playing Texas Hold ’em!
Our List of Famous Poker Players
In our upcoming list of famous poker players, we’ll explore four main categories that have produced legends in the world of poker. First, we’ll look at those who have found great success dominating the tournament circuit. Winning a World Series of Poker bracelet or making a deep run in the Main Event takes remarkable skill, stamina, and nerves of steel. These players thrive on the excitement of competition against huge fields and excel at adapting to changing dynamics over long tournament runs.
Next, we’ll examine big cash game winners who make their living grinding out profits against top competition day after day. Playing lengthy sessions against the world’s best poker rooms across the country requires extraordinary focus and patience.
Then there’s the new generation of online poker phenoms. With the ability to play dozens of tables at once, the game has fundamentally changed, and we’ll meet some young players who have harnessed advanced tech to rise to the top of the online poker sphere.
Finally, we’ll look at the true legends of the game whose influence spans decades. These ambassadors and hall of famers have achieved lasting fame through sheer consistency, longevity at the top levels, and by becoming cultural icons.
To give a quick overview of the all-time biggest earners in the US, here’s a list of the top ten:
| Player | Current Earnings |
|---|---|
| Bryan Kenney | $65,036,892 |
| Justin Bonomo | $61,956,383 |
| Jason Koon | $51,219,008 |
| Dan Smith | $45,325,216 |
| David Peters | $43,776,443 |
| Erik Seidel | $43,499,783 |
| Phil Ivey | $40,760,044 |
| Issac Haxton | $39,970,514 |
| Cary Katz | $39,795,198 |
| Jake Schindler | $36,817,582 |
Top Tournament Players
The World Series of Poker Main Event stands as one of the highest achievements in poker, and throughout the years, some legendary American players have won the WSOP Main Event – along with other significant poker tournaments in the US and around the world. Johnny Moss won the first WSOP in 1970 and went on to capture the Main Event title twice more in the 1970s, establishing himself as one of the early superstars of tournament poker.
Stu Ungar’s widely considered the greatest Texas hold’em player ever, thanks to winning the Main Event three times in three different decades. Doyle Brunson managed to scoop a staggering 10 WSOP bracelets, including back-to-back Main Event titles in the 1970s, before his unfortunate passing earlier this year.
Other American mainstays like Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, and Chris Moneymaker became household names in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s by achieving phenomenal WSOP success.
In the modern era, stars like Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, Jonathan Duhamel, and Ryan Reeves have become some of the legendary poker players in the tournament scene – and poker tournaments continue to be hugely popular, both online and offline.
Top Cash Game Players
Cash games have produced some of poker’s biggest winners and most famous players from the US. Legends like Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, and Chip Reese got their start in high stakes cash games before tournament poker exploded.
Brunson in particular was renowned as a cash game specialist, using aggressive style and well-timed bluffs to become one of the first true poker professionals. Reese honed his skills battling Brunson and Ungar in Vegas cash games, earning a reputation as one of the smoothest players in history.
In the 2000s, pros like Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, and Daniel Negreanu emerged online and transitioned to huge success in live cash games. Ivey’s incredible instincts and reading ability allowed him to take on pretty much anyone in the world – and crush them, with consistency that many say is unmatched. Dwan’s unrelenting aggression made him a cash game icon, and he’s easily one of the most famous poker players of all time thanks to his televised bluffs – one against Phil Ivey which was worth almost $1 million!
Negreanu – “Kid Poker” – is one of the most friendly and personable poker players in the world, and combined with his – almost scary – reading abilities, he’s also one of the highest-stakes cash game players in the world. Many gamblers like him have been playing at the top poker sites to improve their skills, but not many have managed to reach his success.
They’re joined regularly – both on and off TV – by other American legends like Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Harman, and Erik Seidel, all of whom have won millions in private games.
Top Online Poker Players
The online poker boom in the 2000s opened the doors for a new kind of poker stardom, as 18-year-olds (or 21-year-olds, in most states) could now battle it out on virtual felt. Chris Moneymaker qualified online in a $99 satellite tournament and ended up winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event, inspiring a generation of players – and essentially starting the online poker boom overnight.
Other American pros like Justin Bonomo and Doug Polk first made their marks through online play. Bonomo tried to play at as many different sites as possible to “diversify”, while Polk combined his gameplay with YouTube streaming to build a brand around his gameplay.
Other Americans like Tom Dwan, Phil Galfond, and Dan Cates became famed for their unorthodox, aggressive styles by battling online. For these players, the rapid pace and mass multi-tabling nature of online poker allowed them to make significantly more money than conventional land-based players would have been able to – and the online world really did change the face of poker – although it’s not always agreed to be in a good way.
If you’re looking for the next online poker sites make sure to check out our recommended sites. These poker sites have been hand-picked by our team of online gambling experts. They all offer a wide variety of games, buy-ins, and they offer great bonuses and promotions for you to claim.
The Poker Hall of Fame
The world of professional poker acknowledges its most influential figures like in many sports, and in poker, it’s by induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. Founded in 1979 by Horseshoe Casino’s owner, Benny Binion, in Las Vegas, this Hall of Fame serves as a place to memorialize the legendary names in poker.
Having a virtual presence, the Poker Hall of Fame is home to 61 people who have been inducted as of 2023, out of which 31 are alive today. When Caesars Entertainment took over the rights to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 2004, it also became the new owner of the Hall of Fame. Now, the WSOP directly oversees the Hall of Fame’s memberships. Nothing much changed until 2009, when the way in which players were inducted changed.
The Hall of Fame began taking nominations from the general public to boost its appeal; previously, it was done by internal voting. Criteria for being inducted include having competed against recognized top-tier players, playing at high stakes, maintaining consistent performance, earning the respect of others in the game, and being a good sportsman.
The year 2011 saw the implementation of a new age-related rule for induction, famously called the “Chip Reese Rule,” setting 40 as the minimum age for being considered. This addition followed the nomination of 23-year-old online poker pro Tom Dwan, who reached the finalist stage because of public voting – something many weren’t too happy about.
Among the eminent members of the Poker Hall of Fame, you’ll find figures such as Johnny Moss, also referred to as “The Grand Old Man of Poker,” Nick “The Greek” Dandolos, Phil Ivey, and Daniel Negreanu. The Hall is not exclusive to men; in 2007, Barbara Enright made history by becoming the first female inductee.
