World Series of poker tournaments has been around since 1970 and, over time, has gained many players, some taking home millions of dollars while others were competing in the tournament for Fame. Some WSOP players have become the most outstanding poker players in history. In this history, we want to dig deep and get more information on this particular group of people, but we will only cover the top ten best winners of all time.
Phil Hellmuth
Phil is an American who was born in 1964 and is widely known for his record of sixteen World of Poker series bracelets. He won WSOP’s leading events in 1989, 2012, and 2007 and was inducted by the WSOPs Poker Hall of Fame. Phil is ranked 21st on the all-time money list, holding the records of most WSOP cash and final tables. Research has shown that as of January 2023, Phil was holding his live tournament winnings worth more than $28,000,000
Johnny Chan
Johnny is a Chinese professional poker player who was born in 1957. He has a record of ten World Series poker bracelet winnings, including the 1987 and 1988 main events consecutively. He dropped out of school while he was at the age of 21 for him to become a professional poker player.
Doyle Brunson
We always mention pioneers; Brunson is a true pioneer of modern Poker. He is a retired poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He championed twice in the WSOP main events, was an inductee of the poker hall of Fame, and was a well-renowned author of books on Poker. Brunson holds a record of being the first player to ever win $1 million in poker tournaments.
Phil Ivey
Ivey is among the youngest players with a record of winning millions in WSOP tournaments. He was born in 1977 and has won ten WSOP bracelets and one world poker tour title. Ivey also showed up at the final tables of the nine-world poker tour. He holds the title of the best all-around player in the World given to him by poker observers and contemporaries. He was, after 2017, elected to the poker hall of Fame.
Erick Seidel
Seidel is a professional poker player from Las Vegas and was born in 1959. He holds a record of having won nine WSOP bracelets. He also has the title of the world poker tour, and later on, in 2010, he was inducted into the poker hall of Fame.
His first bracelet from WSOP was awarded to him in 1992, and he won his 9th, the most recent in 2021. All his nine bracelets are from five games, including Hold’em, Omaha, etc.
Johnny Moss
Moss was nicknamed the grand old man of Poker and the very first winner of the WSOP main event. He also won the current tournament format of the WSOP main event in 1971 and 1974. Soon after, in 1979, he became one of the charter inductees into the poker hall of Fame. His first win in the WSOP main event was in 1970, after his peers elected him, and his prize was a silver cup.
Stu Ungar Stu
Stu is popularly known since he is the only person who won the Amarillo Slims super bowl of Poker thrice consecutively, which was one of the most high-status poker titles of the time. For 45 years, Stu was an American professional poker, blackjack, and gin rummy player. He was given the title of the best and greatest gin player of all time and also one of the best poker players in the Texas Hold’em game. Only two people in history were recorded to have won the WSOP three times, and Stu was one of them. He is also known for winning consecutive titles in the WSOP main Event.
Chris Ferguson
Chris is famous and has won six WSOP events, including the 2000 main event and the 2008 NBC National Heads-up Poker Championship. Chris has studied computer science and has attended several pieces of training on the same. It is insane that Chris started playing Poker when he was as young as 10.
Daniel Negreanu
Coming from Canada, Daniel has had six WSOP bracelets and an additional two World Poker Tour (WPK) championship titles. Global Poker, an independent poker ranking service, recognized Negreanu as the best poker player in 2014. Daniel has received an accolade more than once after being named the WSOP Player of the Year in 2004 and 2013. Lastly, Daniel was inducted into the poker hall of Fame in 2014.
Phil Gordon
Phil may have fewer accomplishments than other mentioned players, but he has a history of first joining the WSOP main event in 2001 and finishing fourth, earning him $400,000. Later in 2002 made two more WSOP final tables. He acquired several positions and made several WSOP final tables, but Phil has yet to win a bracelet.
Conclusion
The WSOP has produced some of the greatest poker players in history, and these 10 players are among the best of the best. These players have left their mark on the World of Poker, from Phil Hellmuth’s record-breaking 15 bracelets to Phil Gordon’s contributions to the poker community. Whether you’re a seasoned poker pro or a casual fan, these players are worth studying and learning from as you work to improve your own game.
