For most people playing poker is fun, but some people earn their fortunes at poker tables around the globe. Here’s a list of poker’s biggest and best competitors who use their wills of steel and scathing wit to rake in the dough.
Jamie Gold – ranked number one in terms of poker winnings worldwide, Jamie lives up to his last name. What makes him different from other players is not just his cool demeanour under pressure, but also his lively and animated style of play which makes him interesting to watch as well as prodigiously wealthy. Over $12 million sits in this chap’s bank account.
Phil Hellmuth – With a poker career spanning 21 years and a massive 11 World Series of Poker bracelets to his name, 3 of which he won in a single year, Hellmuth is a record breaker and a real character of the poker scene. He likes to brow-beat his opponents and throw them off guard with a little bit of off centre behaviour, but with nearly $9 million in winnings taken over the years and a wealth of other income streams he’s become famous globally.
Daniel Negreanu – Like many top poker players he went to college but dropped out before graduating to take up a career in poker. This involved setting up camp in Las Vegas and proceeding to rake it in around the world. On top of his poker playing Daniel also mentors up and coming players and writes articles about the art of poker.
Joe Hachem – When Joe won the Worth Series of Poker in 2005, netting a cool 7.5 million US dollars, he had to wade through 5618 contenders in order to achieve the prize. He only started playing poker when he suffered from an illness that prevented him from working and broke himself in via the world of online poker. His natural ability eventually led him to the tournament that would make his fortune.
Scotty Nguyen – Born in Vietnam but a US citizen since his teens, Scotty cut his teeth in gambling by taking part in poker games in California. The resultant obsession got him kicked out of high school and he ended up working as a croupier where he learnt the tricks that would make him a great poker player. His flamboyant personality and winning charm make him a good opponent to face, even as he takes you to the cleaners.
Allen Cunningham – Another college dropout who chose poker over completing his education, to the tune of nearly $10 million in winnings after a decade at the tables. Representing part of the talented brat pack redefining poker playing for the new generation, you can find Allen, like many of the top players in the world, hanging out in Las Vegas.
Phil Ivey – Another young player who has already created a niche right at the top of the pile with his massive wins that made him a multimillionaire well before his 30th birthday. He’d already strolled through 3 World Series of Poker championships by the age of 23 and milked a massive $16.6 million from bizarre billionaire and poker enthusiast Andy Beal in 2004 when Beal challenged Ivey and a group of pros.