When it comes to the lucrative world of professional poker, there are a few big names that stand out as the richest players. With millions earned through tournament winnings and endorsements, these poker pros have managed to amass staggering fortunes playing cards.
Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and luck. The very best players use an uncanny ability to read opponents, calculate odds, and manage risk to consistently win at the tables. For an elite few, their poker prowess has earned them millions and propelled them into wealth and fame.
But who are the richest of the rich when it comes to pro poker players? Let’s take a look at some quick answers to this question:
- Daniel Negreanu: With live tournament winnings of over $42 million, Negreanu is the biggest live tournament poker winner of all time.
- Justin Bonomo: With live and online earnings totaling $45 million, Bonomo has the highest all-time poker tournament earnings.
- Erik Seidel: With live tournament winnings over $35 million, Seidel is one of the most successful tournament pros playing high roller events.
While many other players have amassed tens of millions, Negreanu, Bonomo and Seidel stand out for their sheer poker earnings alone. But net worth and richest player status depends on more than just tournament results. Endorsements, investments, and business deals also factor into a player’s overall wealth.
The Top Contenders
When taking into account all sources of income, several big names stand out as the richest pro poker players:
Daniel Negreanu
As mentioned above, Daniel Negreanu is far and away the biggest live tournament poker winner of all time with over $42 million in earnings. The Canadian pro burst on the scene in the late 1990s as a young phenom and has dominated the felt for over two decades.
In addition to his poker winnings, Negreanu has earned millions more in endorsements from poker sites like PokerStars. He’s also made smart investments in real estate and other businesses. His total net worth is estimated to be around $50 million.
Justin Bonomo
American pro Justin Bonomo has won over $45 million in poker tournaments, buoyed by a hot streak in 2018 when he won over $25 million on the tour. Bonomo is an online cash game specialist but has adapted his skills to live tournaments where he excels at high roller events.
Bonomo’s total net worth is estimated between $40-$50 million. When you combine his live and online earnings, he may very well be the biggest all-time money winner in poker history.
Fedor Holz
German poker pro Fedor Holz made his mark by dominating high stakes online poker cash games before transitioning to successful live tournament play. Although his reported live tournament earnings are under $20 million, his total poker earnings are estimated to be between $30-$40 million.
Holz is also adept at business and co-founded two successful poker training sites, Primed Mind and Pokercode. His total net worth is estimated to be around $40 million.
Phil Ivey
American pro Phil Ivey was at one time considered the undisputed best poker player in the world. His scintillating play earned him the nickname “The Tiger Woods of Poker.” Ivey amassed over $23 million in live tournament earnings over his lengthy career.
However, Ivey has battled casino lawsuits over his winnings from private games using a technique called edge sorting. While his tournament earnings alone might not put him atop the list, when combined with endorsements, business ventures, and rumored high stakes game profits, his total net worth is estimated at around $100 million by some sources.
Other Notable Rich Poker Players
While the top spots might be occupied by Negreanu, Bonomo, Holz and Ivey, there are plenty of other fabulously wealthy poker pros including:
Erik Seidel
Legendary American pro Erik Seidel has made an incredible $35 million in live tournament poker play. His longevity and success in high roller events over decades has allowed him to accrue wealth outside of poker as well.
Daniel Colman
American Daniel Colman famously won over $20 million in a single tournament (the 2014 Big One for One Drop). Combined with other wins and hyper turbo online success, his poker earnings are estimated to be over $25 million.
Antonio Esfandiari
The Magician is one of poker’s most colorful showmen. Esfandiari has racked up over $27 million in live tournament earnings including a record $18 million for his 2012 Big One for One Drop win. His total net worth is estimated to be around $20 million.
Phil Hellmuth
Hellmuth is an old school poker legend with over $23 million in career live tournament earnings. He’s parlayed his poker fame into various business ventures and endorsements, accumulating an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Tom Dwan
Dwan gained online fame as a high stakes cash game specialist. Despite limited live tournament results, Dwan’s overall earnings are estimated to be in the tens of millions, boosted by big wins in private games.
Richest Woman Poker Player
When it comes to the richest female poker player, Vanessa Selbst is undoubtedly at the top of the list. Her live tournament winnings of $11.8 million makes her the highest earning woman in competitive poker. She’s also leveraged her poker success into smart business moves and investments, amassing an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Wealthiest Poker Players By Country
Looking at the richest poker players broken down by country, some patterns emerge:
United States
Many of poker’s biggest stars hail from the US. In addition to Bonomo, Ivey and Hellmuth, other wealthy American pros include Michael Mizrachi, Daniel Cates, Chris Ferguson and Doug Polk.
Canada
Daniel Negreanu is by far Canada’s most successful poker export with over $50 million in earnings. Fellow Canadian Scott Clements also has over $10 million in tournament winnings.
Germany
Fedor Holz may be Germany’s richest player but other pros like Dominik Nitsche, George Danzer and Philipp Gruissem have also found great success with 8-figure earnings.
United Kingdom
UK pros like Stephen Chidwick, Chris Moorman, Charlie Carrel and Liv Boeree have earned millions playing online and live tournaments around the world.
Russia
Russia’s top players include Nikita Bodyakovskiy, Anatoly Filatov, and Vladimir Shchemelev, pros who have found success in high roller events.
Other Countries
Brazil’s Andre Akkari, Australia’s James Obst and veterans like Sam Farha, Carlos Mortensen and Antonio Esfandiari are examples of pros who have earned millions repping other countries.
Richest Poker Players Net Worth Summary
While poker tournament earnings give a good indication of wealth, savvy sponsorships, endorsements and investments take a poker pro’s net worth far higher. When taking into account all income sources and assets, here are some top poker players’ estimated net worths:
| Player | Net Worth Estimate |
|---|---|
| Daniel Negreanu | $50 million |
| Justin Bonomo | $45 million |
| Fedor Holz | $40 million |
| Phil Ivey | $100 million |
| Erik Seidel | $35 million |
| Antonio Esfandiari | $20 million |
Richest Poker Players: Key Takeaways
A few key points on the wealthiest professional poker players:
- Daniel Negreanu has the highest documented live poker tournament winnings of all time, topping $42 million.
- Justin Bonomo has the highest total poker earnings when combining online and live cash games and tournaments, estimated at over $45 million.
- Phil Ivey has earned over $23 million playing live tournaments, but his total net worth is estimated to be much higher when accounting for other income sources.
- Fedor Holz has amassed fortune as an online cash game player and successful businessman, with total earnings of over $30 million.
- Other notable rich poker players include Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Colman, Antonio Esfandiari and Tom Dwan.
- Vanessa Selbst is the wealthiest female player, with career earnings over $11 million and total net worth of around $20 million.
In the world of professional poker, top players leverage skill, smarts and personality into fortunes winning at the tables and parlaying their poker fame into lucrative endorsement deals and business opportunities. While big tournament wins are impressive, the richest poker players build their wealth through diverse income streams.
Conclusion
Determining the definitively richest poker player requires looking beyond just tournament results. When you factor in business ventures, endorsements, investments, and rumored private cash game earnings, the wealthiest poker pros have huge assets and net worths estimated in the tens of millions.
While Daniel Negreanu and Justin Bonomo may top the list based on verifiable poker earnings, players like Phil Ivey and Fedor Holz may have higher total net worths. Other legends like Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari have also parlayed decades of poker success into vast personal fortunes.
The top poker players combine world class playing ability with business and financial acumen to make their mark as some of the richest gamblers and personalities in the world. Their stories show how mastering one skill set like poker can open up doors to building further wealth and assets when leveraged effectively. As poker continues to grow in popularity and profitability, there will likely be many more fascinating stories of players turning big wins at the tables into millions in career earnings and net worth.
