Top 50 Online Poker Players

3 Daniel Negraneu. A wrecking ball on the felt, but so likable and friendly, frightening when he breaks your game down and tells you your hand, most dedicated to perfecting his game among other pro players who think their game is the pinnacle of poker, number of cashes and titles in tournaments unbelievable, time will show his relentlessness to be the best. When all this is added up.

To find out which poker rooms these poker players play have a look at online poker USA page if you are from US and online poker UK if you are from United Kingdom. Below you will find the top 10 poker players for 2017 based on the total winnings achieved by each player, and as such any future winnings may affect the position on this listing of. May 29, 2013 Important Information. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

The top US poker pros in the world come in two distinct flavors: online and live. While the fundamental game is the same in each instance, it’s a reality that the skills needed to thrive in each can be subtly different. Because of this we’ve outlined the top USA poker pros in both fields and, in general, you’ll find each contains a different set of names.

However, in a not too unsurprising twist of fate, one player is mentioned twice: Phil Ivey. Known universally as the best player in the world, Ivey has amassed more than $40 million in winnings across both spheres.

Antonio Esfandiari

Winnings: $26,250,516

Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari is primarily known as a live tournament player, but thanks to a number of high profile wins (including an $18 million score in the WSOP’s One Drop event) he’s been a face for numerous online sites. Most recently the charismatic pro signed to represent Ultimate Poker and currently plays on this US-based site under the alias ‘Antonio Esfandiari’.

Phil Ivey

Winnings: $21,457,074

Known universally as the best poker player in the world, Phil Ivey is primarily known as a live pro. However, being the master of cards that he is, Phil has found a way to triumph at the virtual felt against some of the top young players in the world. Although not the best natural online poker player, Phil can often be seen on Full Tilt under the handle ‘Polarizing’ (he was formerly known as ‘Phil Ivey’) and on PokerStars as ‘RaiseOnce’. Competing at stakes from $200/$400 to $500/$1,000, Phil has managed to become one of the biggest online earners in the world.

Erik Seidel

Winnings: $20,811,659

He’s one of the top live poker players in the US that hasn’t cashed in the WSOP’s $1 million Big One for One Drop, but that hasn’t stopped Erik Seidel from scooping more than $20 million. Although Seidel has been winning poker tournaments across the US and beyond since before poker was an international pastime, he enjoyed one of the most impressive tournament runs in tournament history. At the start of 2011, Seidel went on a run which would see him win four major poker tournaments and bank $6,530,153.

Daniel Colman

Winnings: $20,116,142

A relative new kid on the block, Daniel Colman won the 2014 WSOP Big One for One Drop and instantly entered his name into the record books. The owner of the second largest live tournament score in history, Colman is good friends with Olivier Busquet and learnt his craft playing online poker in the US. Since winning his first WSOP bracelet he’s managed to enjoy success on the European Poker Tour and bank over $20 million in the process.

Phil Hellmuth

Winnings: $18,193,407

Known as the “Poker Brat” by many, Phil Hellmuth is not only one of the top poker players in the USA, but one of the most popular. Loved by fans of the game and celebrities, Hellmuth has forged a solid reputation and a bankroll worth more than $18 million over the last 20 years. Not only that, but Mr. Hellmuth is also the most successful player in WSOP history with more championship bracelets than any other player.

Top US Online Players

Phil Ivey

US Online Poker Aliases: ‘Polarizing’, ‘RaiseOnce’

Winnings: $19,242,743

We might have already listed him as one of the biggest winners in US poker history, but Phil Ivey is also one of the top American players in the online world. In fact, such is his prowess that he’s the biggest winner in Internet poker history. With an incredible $19,242,743 profit, Ivey has taken on and beaten the cream of the virtual world. From young upstarts to seasoned pros, Ivey has proven to be just as successful online as he is in the live arena.

Daniel Cates

US Online Poker Aliases: ‘Jungleman12’

Winnings: $10,332,782

His mood may swing from happy to sad, but when it comes to profits, Daniel Cates’ bankroll has only ever gone in one direction: upwards. Since bursting onto the scene under the screen name ‘Jungleman12’, Cates has not only racked up $10,332,782 in profit over the course of 253,739 hands, but firmly established himself as one of the top online poker players in the US.

Phil Galfond

US Online Poker Aliases: OMGClayAiken, MrSweets28

Winnings: $9,474,106

One of the original online prodigies to make a name for himself during the poker boom, Phil Galfond is widely regarded by many as the game’s top modern players. Able to rival the likes of Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson and any live pros who came before him in terms of skill and financial might, Phil is also a great strategist. Known for his insightful blogs and salient strategy advice, he’s managed to coach many players over the years in the art of high stakes NLHE and PLO. On top of his online success, Phil has also thrived in the live arena and managed to pick up a WSOP bracelet in 2008.

Di Dang

US Online Poker Aliases: ‘Urindanger’

Winnings: $7,411,126

One half of the top poker playing duo in the US, Di Dang was easily one of the most feared pros in the world back when online poker was booming. Alongside his brother, Hac, Dang was able to carve out a reputation as one of the top heads-up No Limit Hold’em players in America and the world. Since banking $7,411,126 at the virtual felt, Dang has taken a step back from the game and now runs his own restaurant. However, with earnings that eclipse many of today’s best grinders, Dang is still considered one of the top online poker players in the world.

Tom Dwan

US Online Poker Aliases: ‘durrrr’

Winnings: $2,165,475

He might not be amongst the top earning online poker players in the US anymore, but back when the highest limit games on Full Tilt ran like clockwork, Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan was one of the most dominant players. Taking on all-comers and virtually retiring a number of former high stakes pros, including Brian Townsend, Tom earned a fearsome reputation for creativity and aggressiveness. Although Tom was once the dominant force in the online poker world, he’s recent poor run of form has seen him concentrate more on private cash games with rich businessmen.

Comments are closed.

Top Sites
- First Level
  - Top Sites By RegionTop Sites By Region
    - United States
    - United Kingdom
    - Canada
    - Australia
    - India
    - New Zealand
    - Ireland
  - Top Sites by TypeTop Sites by Type
    - Sports Betting
    - Online Casinos
    - Horse Racing
    - Esports Betting
    - Poker
    - Entertainment
    - Political
  - Top Sites by Payment MethodTop Sites by Payment Method
    - PayPal
    - Credit Card
    - Neteller
    - Bitcoin
    - Crypto
    - Litecoin
    - Ethereum
- Second Level
  - How We Rank Gambling Sites
  - High Stakes Gambling Sites
  - Safest Gambling Sites
  - Fast Payout Gambling Sites
  - Real Money Gambling Sites
  - Best for Bonuses and Rewards
- Third Level
  - View Our Top Recommendations & All Ranking Categories
Sports Betting
- First Level
  - Best Sports Betting Sites
  - Odds Converter
  - US Sports Betting Sites
  - Introduction to Sport Betting
  - Fast Payout Betting Sites
  - Online Sports Betting
  - Football Betting Sites
  - Types of Sports Betting
  - Football Betting Guide
  - Betting HQ
- Second Level
  - Sports Betting Guide
Online Casinos
- First Level
  - Best Online Casinos
  - Introduction to Online Casinos
  - Real Money Casinos
  - Casino Gambling For Beginners
  - Live Dealer Casinos
  - Guide to Casino Games
  - Fast Payout Casinos
  - Best Online Casino Bonuses
  - US Online Casinos
  - Blacklisted Casinos
- Second Level
  - Online Casino Guide
Guides
- First Level
  - Slots Guide
  - Las Vegas Guide
  - Bitcoin Gambling Guide
  - Beginners Guide to Gambling
  - Crypto Gambling Guide
  - Skill Games Guide
  - Esports Betting Guide
  - Daily Fantasy Sports Guide
  - Horse Racing Betting Guide
  - Poker Guide
Reviews
- First Level
  - Bovada
  - MyBookie
  - BetNow
  - SportsBetting
  - BetOnline
  - Ignition Casino
  - Betway
- Second Level
  - View All Reviews (234)
Other
- First Level
  - Gambling Laws & Regulation
  - Betting Lab
  - Online Gambling Bonuses
  - Gambling History
  - Gambling Apps
  - Systems & Strategies
  - Gambling Biographies
  - Bingo Guide
  - State Lotteries
  - Miscellaneous Gambling Info
Blog

Blog Categories

Defining the world’s top poker players is hard because there are so many variables that go into the matter.

First off, most poker pros specialize in either live cash games, online cash games, live tournaments, or online tourneys.

You also have to look beyond just earnings because some players can climb the all-time winnings list with a few big scores.

Then there’s the matter of whether somebody is still actively playing and improving their game.

But while a lot of factors go into deciding the best poker players, some pros stand out above others no matter what games or format they play.

That being said, here’s a look at the 33 best all-around poker players in the world today.

Not even 25 years old, Fedor Holz has rapidly ascended to the top of the poker world thanks to a flurry of big tournament finishes.

The German began a torrid pace in May 2015, when he final tabled two EPT Grand Final high rollers for a total of €667,300.

The same year, he would go on to finish third in the $10k NL Hold’em 6 Handed Championship $268,463, 25th in the WSOP Main Event $262,574, and first in the $100k WPT Alpha8 High Roller $1.59m.

Holz kicked 2016 off by winning the $200k WPTN Triton Super High Roller along with $3,463,500, then finishing runner up in the $300k Super High Roller Bowl $3.5m.

Not finished yet, Holz won the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop and $4,981,775. Just two months later, he won the €50k EPT Barcelona High Roller along with €1,300,300.

It’s difficult to weigh high rollers over a long, steady stream of poker results. But given Holz’s impressive results at such a young age, it’s hard to deny his talent and $20.3 million in livewinnings.

Dan Cates is a great example of perseverance in poker.

Working at McDonald’s and playing online poker on the side, he busted his bankroll several times before making a breakthrough. This breakthrough came in the form of a $5 million profit in 2009.

Since then, Cates has remained a consistent winner in high stakes online cash games, proving both his longevity and ability to keep up with the competition.

Playing under the name ‘w00ki3z,’ Cates led everybody with over $2.8 million in online cash game winnings in 2014. He has $11.5 million in career online winnings at the time of this writing.

A regular in the top 5 of the Global Poker Index GPI rankings, Dan Smith is a top 5 player on my list too.

What helps Smith consistently stay among the GPI’s top players is his mix of outstanding regular and high roller tournament results.

Regarding the latter, Smith has finished: first in the 2012 Aussie Millions $100k High Roller $1m, first in the 2012 EPT Barcelona €100k High Roller €962,925, second in the 2013 Aussie Millions$25k Challenge $243,567, third in the 2015 WSOP $10k PLO Championship $269,564, first in the 2016 Aria High Roller $285,200, third in the 2016 WSOP $25k PLO High Roller $487,361, and second inthe 2016 WSOP $111,111 One Drop High Roller $3.1m.

In all, Smith has $15.1 million in live winnings at the time of this writing.

Daniel Negreanu has plenty of pursuits outside of poker, namely being the face of PokerStars. Nevertheless, he still finds time to hit the felt and rack up cashes.

Negreanu is the biggest tournament winner of all time with over $32.6 million in earnings.

One reason why the Canadian tops the live tournament winnings list is because he’s consistently earned cashes since 1997.

Some of Negreanu’s biggest recent scores include: third in the 2015 WPT Alpha8 $100k High Roller $640,103, 11th in the 2015 WSOP Main Event $526,788, first in Shark Cage Season 2 $966,000, andsecond in the 2014 WSOP $1 million Big One for One Drop $8.3m.

While Jens Kyllönen kicked his poker career off with a win in the 2009 EPT Copenhagen Main Event $1.12m, he’s become much more famous for his online exploits.

The Finnish pro has nearly $5.4 million in online cash game winnings at the time of this writing.

The bulk of his profits came in 2011, when he earned over $3 million. But ‘Jeans89” continues to win, earning over $1.2 million in 2015 and ’16 combined.

Former stock broker Erik Seidel is a true poker legend, starting his poker career in the 1980s at New York City’s Mayfair Club.

Seidel’s first major tournament was the 1988 WSOP Main Event, where he finished second place to Johnny Chan and scooped $280,000. The final hand of this tourney appears as a scene in the 1998movie Rounders.

Seidel hasn’t slowed down since then, earning 8 WSOP gold bracelets and over $30 million in live tourney winnings — second only to Negreanu.

Seidel’s career winnings have been accelerated by big years in 2011 $6.5m, 2015 $5.1m, and 2016 $5.1m.

Ben Sulsky learned poker on a spring break trip to Mexico, reading books and playing online hands during his downtime.

The man known as ‘Sauce123’ has since become one of the biggest winners in online poker history with $4.4 million in profits.

One thing that makes Sulsky impressive is that he continues winning against the world’s toughest players.

A poker pro’s pro; Ike Haxton has earned success in both the live and online poker realms. He has $2.4 million in online cash profits and over $12 million in live tournament winnings.

Haxton’s live career started off very well when he finished second in the 2007 PCA Main Event $861,789. He expanded his bankroll by finishing second in the 2009 WSOP 40th Anniversary tournament$1.17m.

Other big finishes for Haxton include taking fifth in the 2013 GuangDong Asia Millions $1.31m, second in the 2014 Aussie Millions $250k High Roller $2.53m, and second in the 2014 Aria Super HighRoller $813,394.

Earning his first tournament cash in 2010, Tom Marchese has quickly become one of the biggest ever tournament winners with $15.5 million.

What’s amazing about Marchese is his consistency in high rollers, notching 10 six figure cashes in 2016 alone.

The biggest finishes of Marchese’s career include: second in the 2014 WPT Alpha8 $1.57m, first in the 2014 Aria $100k Super High Roller $1.31m, and third in the 2014 Summer High Roller I $1.47m.

If Phil Hellmuth sees this list, he’d quickly argue that he should be No. 1.

Perhaps Hellmuth is underrated because he draws so much flack for his incessant whining, blowups, and self-aggrandizing nature.

But through it all, Hellmuth’s poker talent shines with a record 14 WSOP gold bracelets and $21 million in tournament winnings.

One of the most recognizable faces of the Poker Boom, Patrik Antonius continues to be relevant in the online scene.

The former High Stakes Poker regular has won more money than anybody in online poker history with $15.9 million.

He earned $3.4 million in 2013/14 and continues to test his skills against the top online grinders.

After starting his poker career off with a win in the 2008 EPT Sanremo Main Event €869,000, Jason Mercier continues adding big cashes and wins to his resume.

Some of the Florida based poker pro’s most notable accomplishments include: second in the 2014 Super High Roller $1.62m, first in the 2013 EPT Grand Final $1.46m, and first in the 2011 FiveDiamond World Classic $707,767.

Mercier doesn’t show any signs of slowing down since he won two gold bracelets and cashed 11 times at the 2016 WSOP.

While Brian Rast has always been a good poker pro, he entered a new stratosphere in 2016.

Not only did he take down the WSOP $50k Poker Players Championship $1.3m, but he also won the $500k Super High Roller Bowl and $7,525,000.

These are just a couple highlights from a career that also includes the following finishes: first in the 2011 WSOP $50k Poker Players Championship $1.77m, sixth in the 2012 WSOP $1 million BigOne for One Drop $1.61m, first in the 2013 Five Diamond World Classic $1.08m, and third in the 2014 WPT Alpha8 $755,370.

Dan Colman will always be remembered for two things: 1 his anti-poker rant, and 2 a magical year in 2014.

Both things coincided at the 2014 WSOP $1 million Big One for One Drop, which Colman won along with $15,306,668. Afterward, he said that poker is a “dark game” that he doesn’t owe anything to.

Surely this isn’t the case, though, because Colman has collected over $26 million in live tournaments.

Some of his other big cashes include: first in the 2014 EPT Grand Final €100k High Roller €1.54m, second in the 2014 EPT Barcelona €100k High Roller €843,066, first in the 2014 SHRPO Main Event$1.45m, first in the WPT Alpha8 London £600,000, and third in the 2015 WSOP $111,111 High Roller for One Drop $1.54m.

Doug Polk is a triple threat, known as a great coach, live tournament player, and online cash grinder.

He has almost $700,000 in online cash profits along with $5.07 million in live tournament winnings. Polk’s largest tourney cashes include: fourth in the 2014 Aussie Millions $100k High Roller$770,237, first in the 2014 Super High Roller $1.65m, third in the 2015 Aussie Millions $250k High Roller $807,709, and second in the 2015 WSOP $10k Six Handed NL Hold’em Championship $406,261.

Polk relies on his successful resume when coaching other players and releasing training videos. He’s also an avid YouTuber and Twitch streamer.

Known as “The Grinder” because he never gives up in a tournament, Michael Mizrachi’s never quit attitude has earned him over $15.3 million in live tourneys.

His first big score came in the 2005 WPT L.A. Poker Classic Main Event, where he finished first and collected $1,859,909. Mizrachi quickly added another WPT title in the 2006 Borgata Winter Open$1.17m.

Other big cashes for Mizrachi include: first in the 2010 WSOP $50k Players Championship $1.56m, fifth in the 2010 WSOP Main Event $2.33m, and fifth in the 2012 WSOP $50k Players Championship$1.45m.

Scott Seiver is another tournament player who consistently finds his way to the GPI’s top ranks. He kicked off his successful career by winning a 2008 WSOP $5k NL hold’em event along with$755,891.

Other impressive cashes by Seiver include: first in the 2011 Five Star World Poker Classic $1.62m, first in the 2012 PartyPoker Premier League V $500,000, first in the 2013 PCA $100k Super HighRoller $2m, second in the 2013 WPT Alpha8 London £509,600, and second in the 2014 EPT Grand Final €25k High Roller €509,600.

At the time of this writing, Seiver ranks sixth all time with over $21.7 million in live cashes.

Having accumulated over $11.83 million in live winnings, Vanessa Selbst is regarded as the best female poker player of all time.

Top 20 Poker Players

She’s one of the top poker players period and has many notable cashes to back this up.

Some of Selbst’s career highlights include: winning a 2008 WSOP $1.5k PLO event $227,933, taking first in a 2010 NAPT Mohegan Sun tourney $750,000, first in the 2010 Partouche Poker Tour MainEvent €1.3m, first in the 2011 NAPT Mohegan Sun $450,000, first in a 2012 WSOP Six Handed 10 Game tourney $244,259, first in a 2013 PCA High Roller $1.41m, and first in a 2015 Super High RollerCelebrity Shootout $1m.

In addition to her poker acumen, Selbst is also a civil rights lawyer and graduate of the Yale School of Law.

Although he’s been a successful poker player for a while, David Peters has really come on recently, earning $2.93 million in 2014 and $6.85 million in 2015.

Some of the Toronto’s big recent scores include: first in the 2015 EPT Malta €10k High Roller €597,000, fifth in the 2015 $500k Super High Roller Bowl $1.5m, second in the 2016 WPTN Philippines$200k High Roller $2.3m, and first in the 2016 Asia Championships of Poker High Roller $629,868.

Once regarded as the best all-around poker player in the world, Phil Ivey’s image has taken a hit in recent years.

The reason why Ivey’s reputation dropped is because he’s lost $8.7 million in online poker since Black Friday Apr 15, 2011. But Ivey was such a big winner before this that he still has $10.4million in overall online profits.

Add in the fact that he’s currently sixth all time in live tournament winnings with $23.86 million, and it’s not hard to still see him among the top 20 players.

Nevertheless, with Ivey concentrating on business interests these days, his game has slipped from its once dominant form.

While John Juanda started playing live tournaments in the mid-1990s, he didn’t experience any big successes until the early 2000s.

One of his most notable wins includes taking down the 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event and earning £868,800.

Other big scores for Juanda include: second in the 2010 UKIPT London Main Event £545,000, third in the 2012 WPT World Championship $100k High Roller $526,320, fifth in the 2012 Macau High StakesChallenge $1.65m, second in the 2012 WSOP Europe €50k High Roller €600,000, and first in the 2015 EPT Barcelona Main Event €1m.

Aside from earning over $18.8 million in live tournaments, Juanda is also a very good cash player and has played everywhere from Vegas to Macau.

Playing under the screen names ‘Kanu7’ and ‘IReadYrSoul,’ England’s Alexander Millar is one of the biggest online poker winners ever with $4.5 million in profits.

Millar had an incredible run from 2011 to 2013, where he made over $4 million. His play has slowed since then, but Millar remains one of the most feared players in the online nosebleeds.

Another Brit on this list, Sam Trickett had a budding soccer football career before hurting his knee. With little to do because of his ailing knee, Trickett picked up poker and the rest ishistory.

In 2010, Trickett began playing rich businessmen in lucrative Macau based cash games. In an interview, he revealed that he won over £1 million in these games.

But this was nothing compared to what Trickett would do on the live tournament scene in 2011. His biggest 2011 scores include: first in the Aussie Millions $100k High Roller $1.51m, second in theAussie Millions $250k High Roller $1.38m, and first in the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event €1m.

Trickett would follow this up by taking second in the 2012 WSOP $1 million Big One for One Drop and earning $10,112,001. In all, he has almost $20.6 million in live tournament earnings.

Hailing from Toronto, Justin Bonomo quickly experienced online success in the mid-2000s. At one point, he was the youngest poker player to be featured at a final table, playing in the 2015 EPTDeauville finals at age 19.

Bonomo has stayed on top of his game ever since, tallying a number of big cashes on his way to over $12.8 million in live tournament winnings.

Bonomo’s biggest scores include: fifth in the 2009 WSOP $40k 40th Anniversary event $413,165, first in the 2012 EPT Grand Final €100k Super High Roller €1.64m, second in the 2013 SHRPO Main Event$1.16m, fourth in the 2015 Aussie Millions $100k High Roller $632,111, second in the 2016 Super High Roller 8 $558,782, and second in the 2016 WSOP $50k Poker Players Championship $801,048.

Chris Moorman is the best online poker tournament player in the world, amassing a record $13,751,801 at the time of this writing.

Moorman is also has 25 triple crowns, which involves winning three online multi table tournaments with at least a $10k prize pool in a seven day span.

While the Brit dedicates the bulk of his time towards online tourneys, Moorman has also experienced success in the live realm too. He finished second in the 2011 WSOP Europe Main Event €800,000,first in the 2014 L.A. Poker Classic $1m, and third in the 2016 ESPT Barcelona Main Event €241,300.

Steve O’Dwyer’s poker career started off modestly in the mid-2000s, but it’s really picked up over the last several years.

His first big time cash came when he took second in the 2011 UKIPT London Main Event £465,000. He also won the prestigious 2013 EPT Grand Final Main Event along with €1,224,000.

The top moment of O’Dwyer’s poker career came when he won the 2014 Asia Championship of Poker $1.81m in November 2014, followed by victory in the PCA $100k Super High Roller $1.87m in January2015.

Since 2013, O’Dwyer has earned between $2.4 million and $4.8 million every year on the tournament circuit. In all, he has $15.93 million in career winnings.

Phil Galfond is one of the original online poker greats, having battled against the likes of Ivey, Cates, Antonious, and Tom Dwan in high stakes action. Galfond has over $8 million in online cashgame profits throughout his career.

What makes Galfond special beyond his results is that he’s also one of the prominent instructors for training videos.

List Of Professional Poker Players

Galfond’s training videos at Blue Fire Poker offered some of the most innovative strategy that the poker world had ever seen. He eventually left Blue Fire and started his own trainingsite called Run It Once.

The only reason that Galfond isn’t higher on this list is because he doesn’t play as much anymore.

Along with Holz, Ole Schemion is one of several Germans who’ve experienced massive poker success thanks to a heavy mathematical approach.

Schemion’s knowledge of poker math and other strategy has helped him build over $11.4 million in live tournament winnings.

Schemion has won the 2012 Partouche Poker Tour Main Event €1.72m, 2014 Aria $100k Super High Roller $1.1m, and 2016 EPT Grand Final €100k High Roller €1.6m, while he’s taken second in the 2016EPT Grand Final €50k High Roller €857,241, and 2015 Aussie Millions $100k High Roller $1.1m.

Michael McDonald experienced poker success at a very young age, winning the 2008 EPT Dortmund Main Event €933,600 at age 18. The Canadian has proven that this wasn’t just a fluke either, earningover $13 million in his career.

The greatest stretch of McDonald’s career came when he took second in the 2014 PCA Main Event $1m, finished second in the 2014 Aussie Millions $100k Challenge $1.34m, and finished third in theAussie Millions $250k High Roller $1.7m — all within a two month span.

While Antonio Esfandiari is known for many things in the poker world, his biggest accomplishment includes winning the 2014 WSOP $1 million Big One for One Drop along with $18,346,673.

But as his $27.35 million in career winnings suggest, Esfandiari is more than just somebody who won big in a single event.

Other highlights for Esfandiari include: finishing first in the 2004 L.A. Poker Classic $1.4m, first in the 2010 Five Diamond World Poker Classic $870,124, fourth in the 2014 WSOP $111,111 HighRoller for One Drop $1.43m, and fourth in the 2014 PCA $100k High Roller $575,920.

Known as “The Magician,” Esfandiari has also made several mainstream TV appearances, including I Bet You, Entourage, Freelancers, and Underground Poker.

Jonathan Duhamel went from a little known grinder to a famous pro after winning the 2010 WSOP Main Event and $8,944,310. And unlike many players who got a jumpstart from the WSOP Main Event,Duhamel has shown longevity in poker.

Since winning the 2010 Main Event, Duhamel has managed the following notable cashes: second in the 2012 PCA $25k High Roller $634,550, first in the 2015 WSOP $111,111 High Roller for One Drop$4m, and first in the 2015 WSOP Europe €25k High Roller €554,395.

When Viktor Blom burst onto the internet high stakes scene in 2009, he baffled the world’s greatest players en route to over $5.5 million in profits.

Times have been tougher for Blom and he’s gone through a number of wild bankroll swings since then. Nevertheless, Blom has never stopped grinding against top online pros over his career.

Despite being a lifetime loser, I believe that all of the Swede’s upswings show he belongs among the world’s best players.

Starting her adult life as a model and lead singer in a rock / goth band, Liv Boeree switched gears when she was selected for the TV show UltimatePoker.com Showdown. She didn’t win theshow, but it kick started her love of poker.

In 2010, she won the EPT Sanremo Main Event and €1,250,000. Boeree also took third in the 2015 EPT Barcelona €25k High Roller €391,000.

Aside from her poker exploits, Boeree has also appeared on mainstream TV shows like Codex, Golden Balls, BBC Breakfast, Mind Control Freaks, and I Bet MyLife.