The all-time money list is made up of the 25 players that have won the most money in live poker tournaments, according to The Hendon Mob. The list includes an illustrious selection of some of the very best and most well-known poker players in the world.
Every poker fan has heard of the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius, but they may be surprised by some of the names on the top of this list.
So, which poker players have won the most money of all-time in live poker events, who are the most successful tournament poker players on the planet and who are the richest poker players?
The all-time money list consists of the top 25 players in the world that have won the most money cumulatively from tournament poker in the history of the game, according to The Hendon Mob. The list does not take into account earnings won via cash games and other non-tournament formats, nor does it include online poker tournaments.
Therefore, our all-time money list shows the biggest poker winners in live tournament history.
Bryn Kenney sits atop the all-time money list with over $65 million in live earnings. Justin Bonomo sits in second with over $63 million, while others in the top ten include Erik Seidel, Daniel Negreanu, Isaac Haxton, Jason Koon and Dan Smith.
What is the Biggest Ever Win in a Live Poker Tournament?
Antonio Esfandiari - $18.35 million
The biggest live tournament poker win in history is Antonio Esfandiari’s victory in the 2012 WSOP Big One for One Drop. Beating a total field of 48 entrants, Esfandiari won over $18 million from one single tournament.
Since Esfandiari’s win in the inaugural One Drop tournament, the buy-in has fluctuated between $1 million and $100,000. In 2016, the tournament was held in Monte-Carlo, meaning the buy-in was €1 million. The Big One for One Drop was held annually until 2018. After the WSOP’s return from COVID, it has been held in a smaller-buy-in format. It's been won by other notable players - Justin Bonomo for one, winning $10 million in 2018 that heavily contributed to his strong ranking in the all-time money list.
Are the Biggest Tournament Winners the Best Poker Players in the World?
The biggest poker tournament winners, those included on the all-time money list, are for the most part also some of the best poker players in the world.
However, being top of the all-time money list doesn’t always mean that that player is the best in the world. With the list being cumulative, the rankings purely take into account money won and not other relevant factors that might better measure the quality of the player, such as average money won per tournament entered. A billionaire could enter every high-roller possible and eventually be top of the all-time money list from this relentless buy-in strategy - even if they have a heavy disadvantage in every field.
That being said, the players you’ll see on this list are generally considered to be some of the best poker players in the world. The high-stakes-live tournament scene is an elite level of poker, and due to its exceptional competitiveness, only those few who are already infinitely rich or who are good enough to compete at the highest level play these stakes.
Phil Ivey
Find out more information on how to make money playing poker, who the richest poker players in the world are and how to get started and play real money poker yourself.
What was the largest poker win ever (in live tournament poker)?
The largest poker win ever, excluding online poker tournaments, was $18.35m. This was one by Iranian-American poker player Antonio Esfandiari in the WSOP’s One Drop tournament in 2012.
How can I find out who the best poker players are in the world?
To find out who the best poker players are in the world, simply check our Poker Players section on PokerNews. Here we have frequently updated lists, providing live rankings of the best poker players in different categories - for instance, the top female players, top players based on GPI and the top online players in history.
How often are the poker rankings updated?
The poker player rankings for all of our lists are updated frequently to always portray the most accurate and up-to-date information. We take results directly from Hendon Mob, enabling us to use live and online results from tournaments to keep our lists accurate to the cent.
Which poker player has the biggest net worth?
Andrew Beal has by far the greatest net worth out of all poker players. While some exceptionally large amounts of money can be won in poker, you'd have to win a fair few high rollers to challenge Beal's net worth. The American is estimated to have a as of 2022. His wealth mainly accumulated from dealings in real estate and later finance, being the founder of Beal Bank. He's also a world-renowned mathematician known for stating the Beal Conjecture.
Similarly, Kevin Hart and Dan Bilzerian's net worth are near the top of the list not for their poker winnings, but for explorations outside the casino. Phil Ivey is the first name on the list whose fortunes can be directly and primarily attributed to poker; though Ivey does also have ventures away from the game that also contribute towards his net worth. Another poker legend, Daniel Negreanu, is high up of the list, with a at the start of 2023 - at a time where he became just the third poker player to ever surpass $50 million in live tournament cashes.
