The Biggest Poker Pros

Poker is a game that has always had its stars. But there are a few names that occupy a level of their own. These are players who have won across generations, have changed the way the game is played, and have accumulated massive fortunes. Whatever the following poker players have done, they’ve done it big, becoming icons in the process.

When people talk about a great tournament player, they usually begin with Phil Hellmuth. He is the record holder for the number of World Series of Poker bracelets won with 17, and he has also cashed hundreds of times at the World Series of Poker.

Phil Ivey's reputation has built up over time to reflect his willingness to take risks and an incredible level of skill. He's a chameleon - comfortable switching between different styles of poker and winning bracelets in both mixed games and hold'em; a feat that's all but exclusively the preserve of the very best in the game. In 2024 he picked up his 11th WSOP bracelet with a win in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship - a pretty big deal.

Negreanu has been able to maintain his position at the very top of the game despite all the changes in the way the game is played. This could include changes in the way the game should be played optimally, the increasing numbers in the game, or the fact that some people are now utilizing a super-computer to get ready. In 2024, Negreanu won his seventh WSOP gold in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. This is considered the ultimate test because it tests a player in a variety of fields.

It's a truism to say that poker pros aren’t just defined by how long they’ve been playing – and Chris Moneymaker is a great example. He was the winner of the 2003 WSOP Main Event - even more impressively, he qualified to play in that using an online satellite. That really helped spark a wider interest in poker - and it also made a lot of people believe that even if they were just an average player they too could go on and make it big in the game. That story really helped to kick start the poker boom of the 2000s.

If you go off money that’s been won in elite fields, then the high-roller circuit has created plenty of its own legends. Bryn Kenney sits atop The Hendon Mob’s all-time live earnings lists thanks to the years of results he’s earned in some of the biggest buy-ins in the world.

If there are two players who can be described as modern templates for sustained excellence at the top more fitting than England’s Stephen Chidwick and America’s Jason Koon, then we’re all ears. They remain perennial threats in super high rollers and rank close to Kenney in the all-time live money list.

Tom Dwan, aka "durrrr," made a name for himself by playing at the highest stakes on Full Tilt Poker. This reputation has followed him into the televised cash games. Being known to play online poker, there is a certain mystique surrounding him. He also brings a fearless style in which he plays.

Erik Seidel is one of the most respected names in the history of professional poker. Seidel has won 10 World Series of Poker bracelets. He has been able to stay competitive from the 1980s right through to the present day. As you’d expect, due to his longevity, Seidel features highly on the all-time live money list.

The best professional poker players are described in many ways, and it is not only because of the prize money they have raked in. It is not only because of the records they have set, but also because of their ability to adapt to the ever-changing poker landscape. From the pioneers who ignited the poker boom around the world to the high-stakes specialists who dominate the toughest fields of today, all of these players have contributed to the development of poker as a sport.