24 Apr 2025 Beginner This material is for beginner players Poker is a game where, at the highest level, it’s not just about winning money. It’s also about proving your skill and maintaining your prestige. That’s why there are various rankings that reflect a player’s achievements, results, popularity, and overall impact on the poker world. In this article, we’ll take a look at the current All-Time Money List and see how much the highest paid poker players have earned. About Biggest Poker Winners Whether poker should be considered a sport is still up for debate. The topic sparks heated arguments on both sides, and each has strong points. But one thing is clear — poker has a competitive nature that no one can deny. Tournament players always strive for first place, while cash game grinders measure themselves by stats like EV BB/100. Still, the most objective metric of success is simple: how much money a player has won. So who can be considered the greatest poker player of all time? Fans will each have their own favorites, but the real answer lies in the numbers. Charisma, popularity, final table appearances, and media presence might matter to some — but when it comes to true success, the bottom line is poker earnings. The players we’re looking at today are true legends of the game. Take Daniel Negreanu, for example — the first player ever to pass $30 million in official live poker winnings. Since then, others have surpassed him, but none more so than Bryn Kenney, who has built a massive lead of over $10 million on the rest of the field. And it looks like he’s not ready to give up that lead anytime soon. Who’s in second place now? What does the current top 10 look like? Let’s break it all down right now. What Is the All-Time Money List and Why Does It Matter Most? Figuring out who the richest poker player is isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Some websites track live tournament results — Hendon Mob being the most well-known. But it’s important to remember that the prize money listed there doesn’t reflect actual profit. In theory, a player could win millions in tournaments and still be in the red if their total buy-ins exceeded their cashes. Plus, many pros often sell pieces of their action or play with backing deals. The All-Time Money List is a global ranking of live poker players based on the total prize money they've won in official tournaments. It doesn’t come with trophies or extra bonuses. And yet, it remains one of the strongest tools for boosting a player’s ego — and their public profile within the poker community. Hendon Mob’s list doesn’t factor in buy-in costs, profit splits, taxes, or other financial details that affect a player’s real income. It also doesn’t reflect quality of play, field difficulty, or other skill-based metrics. Still, the All-Time Money List is one of the most followed and respected rankings in the poker world — because it shows, in plain numbers, who’s won the most money in live tournament history. Interestingly, measuring the success of online MTT players is a bit easier. On sites like SharkScope, you can view player profits with buy-ins already subtracted. You’ll also find a range of stats that help gauge a player's skill. All you need is a username and the site they play on. Top 10 Highest Earning Poker Players: Men Version The richest players in the world, according to Hendon Mob, are considered the elite of modern poker. And while their actual profits remain unknown, there’s no questioning their skills. These players consistently compete in high-stakes live events, and their level of play is often on full display during live-streamed final tables with open hole cards. As mentioned earlier, sitting at the top of the poker winning list is Bryn Kenney, whose total live tournament poker earnings have surpassed $75 million. Despite his undeniable talent, it’s worth noting that nearly a third of that amount came from a single result: his runner-up finish in the most expensive poker tournament ever held. Right on his heels is Justin Bonomo, with $65 million in poker winnings. As of this year, the top earning poker players are: Bryn Kenney (USA) – $75.77M Justin Bonomo (USA) – $65.61M Stephen Chidwick (UK) – $64.47M Mikita Badziakouski (Belarus) – $60.95M Dan Smith (USA) – $59.67M Jason Koon (USA) – $59.55M Daniel Negreanu (Canada) – $55.52M Adrian Mateos (Spain) – $52.66M Isaac Haxton (USA) – $51.41M Fedor Holz (Germany) – $49.24M This is the current top 10 live poker biggest winners, based on data from the Hendon Mob poker database. Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these poker legends — starting with highest earning poker player. #1: Bryn Kenney ($75,778,350) Bryn Kenney became the All-Time Money List leader in 2019, after finishing the year with over $30 million in tournament cashes. That same year, he scored his biggest result and most poker winnings: $20 million in the Triton Million — a record-breaking event with a £1,000,000 buy-in. He’s held the top spot ever since. Whether his lead is fueled by talent, discipline, or the help of frog poison rituals and other mystical practices, we’ll leave that up to the imagination. #2: Justin Bonomo ($65,611,097) Coming in at number two of highest paid poker player is the flamboyant American Justin Bonomo, known not only for his poker prowess but also for his ever-changing hair color. This isn’t a fashion statement — it’s a form of activism. Bonomo uses his appearance to support people who dare to be different. He topped the All-Time Money List in 2018 after a career-best year, earning over $25 million. His largest live score came the same year: $10 million for winning The Big One for One Drop at the WSOP. #3: Stephen Chidwick ($ 64,472,450) The only Brit in the top 10, Stephen Chidwick is a highly respected GTO specialist. His biggest year came in 2019, when he amassed around $13 million in earnings — including $5 million for finishing fourth in the Triton Million. Widely regarded as one of the toughest tournament players in the world, Chidwick is a force at any final table. #4: Mikita Badziakouski ($60,957,583) Mikita Badziakouski is the only representative of the Russian-speaking poker community in the All-Time Money List. A well-known regular who got his start in online cash games under the alias fish2013, Mikita scored his biggest payday in late 2023. He won the Big One for One Drop at the WPT series, taking home over $7 million poker players prize. #5: Dan Smith ($59,678,765) This American pro is known for his remarkable consistency, which has kept him near the top of the rankings year after year. In June 2024, he took down a WSOP Super High Roller event for over $2 million. His largest single tournament cash remains the $8.7 million he earned for finishing third in the Triton Million for Charity. #6: Jason Koon ($59,555,978) A former GGPoker ambassador, Jason Koon has made a name for himself both online and in live tournaments. He broke into the top 10 in 2018 after a stellar year that brought in $12.5 million. His biggest live score is $3.5 million, earned for winning a short deck event at the Triton Super High Roller Series. #7: Daniel Negreanu ($55,528,897) A true poker legend, Daniel Negreanu is a household name among fans of the game. By the time many of today’s top earners were still in school, Negreanu was already winning WSOP and WPT titles. And he’s not slowing down — his most recent major victory came in 2022 when he won the Super High Roller Bowl VII. His best career score came in 2014, finishing runner-up in The Big One for One Drop, earning over $8 million. #8: Adrián Mateos ($52,662,952) The longtime Winamax ambassador, Adrián Mateos is one of the younger stars in this elite circle. Since 2022, he’s taken down several major events, securing his spot among poker top earners. His biggest cash came recently, in May 2024, when he finished second in the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro, collecting over $3 million. #9: Isaac Haxton ($51,591,031) Known not just for poker but also for his love of chess and board games, Isaac Haxton is one of the most respected American professionals. He made his breakthrough in 2007, finishing second in a WPT event for over $800,000. His biggest win to date came at the Super High Roller Bowl V, where he took home $3.5 million for first place. #10: Erik Seidel ($47,812,726) If Daniel Negreanu was crushing the poker scene when most of his peers were kids, Erik Seidel was doing it before they were even born. In 1988, he finished second in the WSOP Main Event, losing to Johnny Chan in one of the most iconic heads-up battles in poker history. Now 65, Seidel remains a threat at any table. In late 2023, he won an event at WSOP Paradise, earning $1.7 million. His biggest score came back in 2011 at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, where he banked $2.5 million. Top poker player earnings are close to $50 million, so we're confident he'll hit that milestone this year. Women’s All Time Money List No, this isn’t one of those beautiful female highest poker winnings lists you might find in a glossy magazine. This is about real poker results — the top-performing women in the game when it comes to cold, hard cash. It all started back in the days of the Moneymaker boom, and since then, the number of women in major poker tournaments has been steadily growing. Take the latest WSOP, for example — around 5,000 women showed up to play. That’s still a far cry from the 100,000 men in attendance, but it’s a solid and encouraging number. As of today, 62 female players have earned six-figure sums in live tournaments. The Women’s All-Time Money List features both seasoned pros and rising stars, and sitting comfortably at the top is Vanessa Selbst — even though she stepped away from the game in 2020. Right behind her is Kristen Foxen, known both for her results and for being part of poker’s power couple alongside Alex Foxen. Rounding out the top five are Kathy Liebert, Liv Boeree, and Maria Ho — all of whom have earned over $5 million in live poker winnings. Here’s how the current female top poker earners shakes out: Vanessa Selbst (USA) – $11.90M Kristen Foxen (Canada) – $9.89M Kathy Liebert (USA) – $7.01M Liv Boeree (England) – $6.67M Maria Ho (USA) – $5.53M Sosia Jiang (Canada) – $4.69M Annie Duke (USA) – $4.27M Loni Harwood (USA) – $3.96M Annette Obrestad (Norway) – $3.94M Maria Lampropulos (Argentina) – $3.83M And that list is only going to grow. With more women competing — and winning — at the highest levels, we’re bound to see some new names climbing the biggest poker winnings ranks soon. Final Thoughts The all time poker winnings list is a constantly shifting landscape. Players move up and down, fortunes rise and fall, but even making it into the top 100 is a milestone in any poker career. That said, the list isn’t a perfect measure of current skill — though most of the names at the top are still proving their talent year after year. In future articles, we’ll dive into more precise metrics for evaluating a player’s true edge. In the meantime, check out our full collection of our expert poker articles — you’re bound to find something worth reading. See you there! Also Read: Top 10 Biggest Online Poker Hands of All Time