Poker is one of the most popular card games worldwide. It has millions of players and fans and can lead to some substantial financial success. But how rich are the richest poker players of all time?
The experts at Prime Casino have examined the total earnings of male and female poker players, their inflation-adjusted incomes, the countries with the most successful poker players, and more. Below, we reveal all.
The Richest Poker Players Of All Time
We’ve examined the all-time earnings to reveal the most successful poker players.
1) Bryn Kenney - $67,015,920 (£51,181,711) all-time earnings
Bryn Kenney is the wealthiest poker player, earning over $67 million (£51 million) during his career. The 37-year-old has 103 money finishes across the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour, 12 final tables, and one World Series of Poker bracelet. Despite finishing second, Kenney’s biggest single payout was a $20.6 million (£15.7 million) payday at a Triton Invitational tournament in London.
2) Justin Bonomo - $64,114,597 (£49,224,245) all-time earnings
In second place is Justin Bonomo, with just over $64 million (£49 million) in earnings in his career. Despite having more World Series of Poker Bracelets than Bryn Kenney in first place, Bonomo hasn’t competed in the European Poker tour as frequently. Bonomo frequently features in the High Roller Circle, winning events such as the Triton High Roller Series, the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and the ARIA High Roller Events, and in 2018, he won a Super High Roller Bowl and earned $5 million (£3.8 million).
3) Stephen Chidwick - $59,186,554 (£45,233,561) all-time earnings
Stephen Chidwick completes our top three, with his all-time earnings falling just shy of $60 million (£45 million). The Englishman has over 30 first-place cashes in major tournaments in his career. In the World Series of Poker, he’s earned himself one bracelet, 13 final tables, and 53 money finishes. Since 2022, Chidwick has achieved four seven-figure cashes from one victory, two second-place finishes, and one fifth-placed finish. The 35-year-old is also a regular feature in various online poker cardrooms.
The Richest Poker Players After Inflation
When considering inflation, these are the most successful poker players ever.
1) Bryn Kenney - $67,152,927 (£51,286,347) inflation-adjusted all-time earnings
When inflation is considered, Bryn Kenney remains the wealthiest poker player ever, earning just under $67.2 million (£50 million). Kenney’s first significant live cash came in 2007 when he won $34,446 (26,312) for a second-place finish at the East Coast Poker Championship. Three years later, at the 2010 World Series of Poker, Kenney cashed $141,168 (£107,832) for an eighth-placed finish at the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em - Six Handed event.
2) Justin Bonomo - $64,452,868 (£49,224,245) inflation-adjusted all-time earnings
Justin Bonomo takes second place, with his inflation-adjusted earnings reaching just under $65 million (£50 million). Bonomo was awarded the World Series of Poker bracelet on three occasions. His first bracelet came in 2014, where he received $450,000 (£343,692) in prize money at the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Six Handed event. His second and third bracelets came in 2018 at the $10,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship and $1,000,000 No Limit Hold’em The Big One for One Drop, respectively. In these events, Bonomo received $185,965 (£142,019) in prize money for his second bracelet and $10 million (£7,637,842) for his third.
3) Stephen Chidwick - $59,227,576 (£45,233,561) inflation-adjusted all-time earnings
Completing an unchanged top three is Stephen Chidwick, earning just under $60 million (£46 million) in his career when considering inflation. Chidwick’s biggest win was at the £1,050,000 buy-in Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Million for Charity event in 2019, where he finished fourth to earn $5,368,947 (£4,410,000).
2024’s Biggest Earners
We’ve totalled the earnings of poker players in 2024 to reveal this year's richest poker players.
1) Adrian Mateos - $10,486,389 (£8,008,714) 2024 earnings
The biggest earner in 2024 was Adrian Mateos, who earned $10.5 million (£8 million). The Spanish poker player has earned $50 million (£38 million) during his 12-year career, meaning Mateos earned 20% of his total earnings in 2024. His biggest win of the year came in 2024 at the $200,000 + 12,000 No Limit Hold’em - 8-handed event, where Mateos earned $3,292,000 (£2.5 million) for a second-place finish.
2) Jonathan Tamayo - $10,228,330 (£7,811,628) 2024 earnings
Jonathan Tamayo takes second place, earning just over $10 million (£7.8 million) in 2024. Tamayo’s received the biggest win of his career in 2024, winning $10 million at the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em - Main Event World Championship. Tamayo also earned himself a bracelet for his first-place finish at the event.
3) Michael Watson - $7,802,690 (£5,959,107) 2024 earnings
Our top three is concluded by Micahel Watson, earning $7.8 million (£6 million) in 2024. The Canadian’s year has been very successful, with three of his top five cashes coming in 2024. Watson finished in third place at the $150,000 + 9,000 No Limit Hold’em - 8-handed event in South Korea to earn $1,895,000 (£1,447,426).
The Richest Female Poker Players Of All Time
Below, we’ve revealed the most successful female poker players by looking at their all-time earnings.
1) Vanessa Selbst - $11,906,247 (£9,093,095) all-time earnings
Vanessa Selbst is the wealthiest female poker player, earning just under $12 million (£9.1 million) in her career. Selbst has three World Series of Poker Bracelets, earned in 2008, 2012, and 2014. He has eight final tables and 20 money finishes in the World Series of Poker. Selbst also ranked 55th in the United States All-Time Money List and 116th in the All-Time Money List.
2) Kristen Foxen - $8,407,009 (£6,420,640) all-time earnings
In second place is Kristen Foxen, earning $8.4 million (£6.4 million) in her career. Foxen has been very successful in the World Series of Poker, with 84 money finishes and four bracelets. Her four bracelets came in 2013, 2016, 2020, and 2023, where she earned over $900,000 (£687,989). Her 2023 bracelet also made her the first female player to win four World Series of Poker bracelets.
3) Kathy Liebert - $6,929,763 (£5,292,431) all-time earnings
Kathy Liebert completes our top three, earning just $7 million (£5.3 million) across her career. In the United States All-Time Money List, Liebert sits in 120th place. Her largest live cash was in 2002 when she won the $8,000 Limit Hold’em, earning $1 million, one of her 30 first-place finishes.
The Countries With The Most Successful Poker Players
We have combined the earnings from poker players worldwide to reveal the countries with the most successful players.
1) USA - $11,022,330,871 (£8,418,026,007) combined all-time earnings
The USA is the most successful country in poker, with players earning a combined $11 billion (£8.4 billion). Bryn Kenney, Justin Bonomo, and Jason Koon are the most successful male poker players, earning $189 million (£144.4 million) in their careers.
2) England - $1,108,971,069 (£846,948,564) combined all-time earnings
England is in second place, with its poker players earning a combined $1.1 billion (£847 million). The most successful English poker players are Stephen Chidwick, Ben Heath, and Sam Trickett, who have earned just under $104 million (£79.5 million) combined, accounting for almost 10% of England's total earnings.
3) Canada - $1,039,632,911 (£793,993,302) combined all-time earnings
Our top three conclude with Canada, with players earning a combined $1.04 billion (£794 million). Canada’s top three richest poker players are Daniel Negreanu, Timothy Adams, and Sam Greenwood, who have won $128 million (£97.9 million) together, more than England's top three earners.
The Most-Watched Poker Streamers On Twitch
We’ve looked at poker streamers' viewer hours to reveal Twitch's most-watched poker streamers.
1) LexVeldhuis - 292,551 Twitch viewer hours
Lex Veldhuis has the most Twitch viewer hours at 292,551. The Dutch poker player has more than 300,000 Twitch followers and a total earnings of $706,829 (£540,375) during his career. His biggest cash was a $277,939 (£212,438) prize for finishing 7th at the $40,000 No Limit Hold’em - 40th Anniversary event.
2) Girafganger7 - 218,426 Twitch viewer hours
Bert Stevens, known as girafganger7 on Twitch, takes second place with almost 220,000 Twitch Viewer hours. In 2023, Stevens won the World Series of Poker Online Main Event to win nearly $2.8 million (£2.14 million), setting a new online record for the largest WSOP Online Main Event win. The Belgian Pro also has 47.6k followers on Twitch and is considered one of the best online poker tournament players ever.
3) PokerStars - 183,831 Twitch viewer hours
Our top three is finalised by PokerStars, with over 180,000 Twitch viewer hours. Unlike our top two, PokerStars is an online poker platform estimated to control over two-thirds of the online poker market. On its Twitch platform, PokerStars streams online tournaments and professional tournaments in which Team PokerStars competes.
The Most Followed Poker Streamers On Twitch
We’ve revealed the poker streamers with the most followers on Twitch.
1) PapoMC - 1,782,015 Twitch followers
Alejandro Lococo, known as PapoMC on Twitch, has the most significant following, with almost 1.8 million followers. The Argentinian has a total live earnings of nearly $2.8 million (£2.14 million), with his best live cash coming in at $1.225 million (£936,295) when he placed 7th at the World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold’em in 2021. Lococo was also a former PokerStars Ambassador.
2) fnxLNTC - 729,517 Twitch followers
In second place is fnxLNTC, whose real name is Lincoln Lau, with almost 730,000 Twitch followers. One of the Brazilian’s most notable poker wins came against Andre Akkari, the 2011 World Poker Champion. Lau won $200,000 (£152,864) in this event, a Brazilian Series of Poker tournament. Lau is a professional Counter-Strike player, having won three world titles and being recognised as one of the greatest players in Brazilian Counter-Strike history.
3) JEFFAOCS - 398,246 Twitch followers
Jefferson Santos, known as JEFFAOCS on Twitch, concludes our top three, with almost 400,000 Twitch followers. The Brazilian poker player has around 65,000 Twitch viewer hours and over $40,000 (£30,572) total earnings in the World Series of Poker and Brazilian Series of Poker. His largest cash was $36,000 (£27,514) in 2018 when he placed 6th at the R$ 8,000 No Limit Hold’em High Rollers in Sau Paulo.
Methodology
We used Hendon Mob’s rankings to reveal the following:
- Poker players with the highest earnings
- Poker players with the highest earnings, inflation-adjusted
- Female Poker Players with the highest earnings
- Countries with the highest-earning poker players
We then used a variety of sources to create a seeding list of poker streamers.
We then used Twitch Metrics to find the number of Twitch viewer hours and followers.
Data is accurate as of 02.10.2024.
All currencies were converted on 15.10.2024 using Xe.
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