#Famous Poker Players

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Famous Poker Players

Poker can get intense. It’s a card game some people play with the level of seriousness you would attach to a hostage situation. Although it’s played by millions every day, there are some players who stand out and have played the game at a much higher level than others. They are considered outliers in the sport. Let’s take a look at some of the best in the game – our top seven most famous poker players.

Justin Bonomo aka ZeeJustin

ZeeJustin is one of the most famous players of the modern poker game. Bonomo discovered poker as a teenager, but before that, he was very interested in the game Magic: The Gathering. This popular collectible card game influenced his playing style, helping him develop a strategy that has won him tournaments and a lot of money. According to his profile on the Hendon Mob website, the most extensive poker player database worldwide, his earnings come in at $53 million in cash winnings. Since 2016, he has won 18 major tournaments. This is one poker player you really don’t want to face off against.

Doyle Brunson – Texas Dolly

Brunson is the professional poker player with the longest career. He’s now 87 and retired, but he had a long run playing poker for more than half a century, and during that time, he garnered numerous accolades. For one, the Texas Dolly was the first-ever poker player to win $1 million in poker tournaments. Not only is Brunson a legend at the table, but he’s also an acclaimed author who wrote several books on poker strategy, of which Super/System: A Course in Power Poker has been said to revolutionize the game. He is also very vocal on Twitter. Brunson is an idol in the game and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.

Phil Ivey – The Tiger Woods of Poker

It takes something special to be called the Tiger Woods of Poker. Ivey holds the world record for the most elite tournaments won. This is a player who combines talent, strategy, and tenacity in his gameplay. Ivey, who is now 44, began honing his poker skills by playing against his coworkers at a telemarketing firm in the 1990s.

He cites his inspiration from players who made a living from poker. He would play poker for up to 15 hours a day and keep journals on players and the way they played, as well as hands and situations, all in a bid to finetune his game. His first major win was at the first Jack Binion World Poker Open, where he won $53,297. Ivey has had a long career filled with wins: He has won more than $31 million in live tournament winnings and 10 World Series of Poker bracelets.

Daniel Negreanu – Kid Poker

Don’t let the nickname fool you; there is nothing kid-like about the way Negreanu plays poker. He’s third on the money list, amassing more than $42 million in cash winnings from poker. He is considered one of the biggest names in modern poker. It’s all pretty ironic, considering Negreanu’s start to the world of poker wasn’t all that stellar until his big break in 1997 when he won two World Poker finals.

This Canadian has a reputation for deducing his opponent’s cards, making him one of the most formidable players out there, and it’s no wonder he is a fan favorite.

Stu Ungar – The Comeback Kid

Ungar is one of the only two players who have won the World Series of Poker Main Event three times. This child prodigy won a local gin rummy tournament when he was only 10. When he won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 1980, he was the youngest player to do so.

Ungar really had a knack for the game of poker, but his run ended prematurely in November 1998 when he was found dead in his hotel room in Las Vegas from a heart condition related to his drug use. He was inducted posthumously into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2001.

Phil Hellmuth Jr – The Poker Brat

While many may have a love-hate relationship with Phil, it doesn’t change the fact he’s one of the best poker players out there. His laurels include 15 World Series of Poker bracelets, more than $24 million in tournament winnings, and being the only person to have won a World Series of Poker Main Event title in Las Vegas (1989) and a World Series of Poker Main Event in Europe (2012). He may be a little heavy-handed with the table antics, but he’s a fine player who also doubles as an author, boasting several bestsellers to his name.

Eric Seidel

Seidel is one of the most talented players of the game, having won more than $37 million and eight World Series of Poker bracelets. He has also been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Since beginning his career at the 1988 World Series of Poker Main Event, he has established himself as a major name in the poker game. He finished second in that competition, losing to Johnny Chan. Interestingly, this final hand was featured in a scene from the movie Rounders (1998).

by Mila Bera

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