How can you tell if someone is a professional poker player? Is it from the way they dress or the way they carry themselves? The tens of millions of dollars in their bank accounts that they made from playing poker and the lucrative spin-off opportunities like books and endorsements? A great smile? I’d definitely invest in a great smile if I made the kind of money that the richest poker players in the world rake in.
Who is the richest poker player ever? Difficult question. How do you measure wealth? How do you track every cent earned from poker? Professionals play in every type of poker game imaginable. You see them at very public, very media-saturated poker tournaments, their faces streamed onto your screens, their winnings flashed in bold.
Then there are the games in Macau. Have you watched Daniel Craig in 2006’s “Casino Royale” where he plays poker against a private banker, Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chifre? No one but the people in that room know how much money is in the prize pool.
Some of the contenders on our list are certain to know the inside of those rooms all over the world. What is known is the earnings of players who take part in official live and online poker events with known winnings and outcomes. Without further ado, take a look at how wealthy these stars are.
Top Contenders for the Title of Richest Poker Player
We’d have to kick off with the OG of OG’s, Doyle Brunson. With an estimated total earnings of $75 million from poker, Brunson is a serious contender for the title. Only $6 million is from live tournament wins. The rest he earned from years of playing the biggest cash games in the world, from books he authored, and from sponsorships.
No top-of-anything list in poker is complete without mentioning Daniel Negreanu. From being broke in the ’90s to an estimated total earnings of $70 million today, he is the ultimate comeback kid, having made his fortune from tournaments, live cash games, and sponsorship deals.
Sam Farha has three World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, but this player is most at home at cash games, especially high-stakes Omaha poker. He’s made his fortune from poker cash games, business interests, writing books, and TV and movie appearances. His estimated total earnings? A cool $100 million.
Phil Ivey is considered the greatest poker player of all time. With 10 WSOP bracelets, numerous large prizes at tournaments, great success at online games and a second-to-none high-stakes cash game player, Ivey’s estimated earnings from poker run to $125 million.
Since we’re keeping this list to visibility in live poker games and proven track records, we’ll round off with Phil Hellmuth. Hellmuth has earned an estimated $28 million from poker. Most of this is from playing in tournaments, but also from sponsorships, books and appearances. Hellmuth has a record-breaking 17 WSOP bracelets, the most of any other player.
These players have set a bar that will be hard to top, but one never knows who have their eyes on breaking these records. Here is a list of poker players to watch in 2025.
How Poker Legends Built Their Fortunes
You may wonder how does one become a professional poker player? You might also wonder just how long it takes to become a pro in poker? The players we mentioned, the legends, the OG’s, were well on their way to making their fortunes before the rise in popularity of online poker. While the internet boom has just added to their success, they had to grind their way through poker rooms, live tournaments, and cash games. It took that extra bit of discipline and that extra perseverance that set them apart from their peers.
The landscape is much different today with the accessibility of playing poker online. With games available 24/7 you can pretty much play all day, every day. It is the best way of optimizing the amount of hands you get to play. More hands played equates to more experience equates to greater skill equates to building a fortune. Easy, right?
Well, we’d also have to factor in natural ability, personality, temperament, business acumen and probably many other elusive factors that would assist you to rise to the top of the heap. All you have to know is that there is no easy way.
The Impact of Tournaments and Endorsements on Poker Wealth
There is a definite interplay between tournament performance and endorsements. Players who are successful in tournaments most often get endorsement deals from online poker platforms. This type of deal bumps up the earnings considerably. How poker players get sponsored mostly depends on the individual and their unique set of circumstances.
Your performance in a tournament will always rely to some extent on variance. Even highly skilled players hit a wall at some point. This is where any endorsement deals they might have bagged could provide them with a stable income. Whether you play poker online or live, the challenge for any pro is to balance their skill, marketability, and their ability to adapt.
Play Online With BetMGM Poker
Inspired to reach for the stars? Register now and play online with BetMGM Poker to rack up your hands and get on your way to that pro spot amongst the best of the best. Be sure to take advantage of BetMGM’s poker bonus code. Good luck at the tables!
