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Biggest Poker Cashes In Tournament History
In this article, we’ll take a look at the largest first-place scores by poker players in tournament history.
The poker felts have welcomed millions of players through the years, all with a desire to win big and become one of the best in the game. Being able to ship a tournament and walk home with a hefty prize money is something every poker player has dreamed of at least once.
Due to this, players work on their skills, learn game theory, and play as many games as they can, all in preparation to eventually clinch a headline-grabbing title. While some get lucky on their first try, others take years to lock in their first big win.
However, whichever it may be, there is no doubt that when a player achieves a winning title in a top live poker tournament, they have made their mark in the game.
Along with a prestigious title, another thing that gets heads turning is the cash prize received by the player. With top tournaments promising jaw-dropping guarantees, it is no surprise that the prize money will always generate a buzz in the community.
Stories like Christ Moneymaker’s legendary road to clinch the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event with only a $86 satellite entry start to pocketing a whopping $2.5 million is what keeps the poker dream alive.
Over the years, the world of poker has seen players walk away with some of their biggest live tournament cashes. With more tournaments with never-before-seen guarantees being held, it’s no wonder that the community of players just continues to grow each passing year.
So, if you were ever curious about players who have managed to take home massive prizes in recorded history, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be taking a look at the top five players with the biggest cashes of all time, according to Hendon Mob.
Elton Tsang
Starting from the fifth biggest cash, a record that goes to Chinese-Canadian player and entrepreneur Elton Tsang. Considered to be one of the top Asian poker players, his name on their list should not surprise you.
Tsang won the fifth biggest cash in poker history when he clinched the €888,889 + 111,111 No Limit Hold'em Big One For One Drop event for an eye-popping $12,248,912. The exclusive event was held at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort in October 2016.
The Chinese national was invited by Guy Laliberte, founder of Cirque du Soleil, to participate in the poker tournament where he defeated 25 players to take home the title and his best live cash, to this day.
Daniel Colman
Next on the list is Daniel Colman, who currently holds the title for the fourth highest poker cash of all time. The American poker professional is mostly a high-stakes player, something that came in handy when he was playing the $1,000,000 No Limit Hold'em - The Big One for One Drop (Event #57) at the 2014 WSOP.
Colman went on to beat poker legend Daniel Negreanu on the final table to eventually walk away with his a WSOP bracelet and a whopping $15,306,668 in prize money.
The win placed him fourth on the list for biggest poker cashes in recorded history. Till today, this is still one of his best live cashes and an achievement that surely put him on the mark.
Aaron Shu Nu Zang
After playing one of the most prestigious poker events, player Aaron Shu Nu Zang found himself in the top three of this particular list. Zang’s poker journey began online on the partypoker online room which then bled onto the live felts.
In August 2019, the Chinese player entered the £1,050,000 No Limit Hold'em - Triton Million for Charity (Event #2) where he eventually ended up against another top player, Bryn Kenney.
At that time, the tournament promised the biggest single payout in poker history of over $23 million for first place.
However, as Kenney entered the heads-up against Zang with a 5:1 chip lead, a deal was soon made at the start. As the game progressed, Zang made an incredible comeback and eventually clinched the tournament.
However, he walked away in first place with $16,775,820 while Kenney got the bigger portion of $20,563,324 in runner-up position due to the deal.
Antonio Esfandiari
As a well-known name in the game, Antonio Esfandiari presence on the list is not too surprising. Through the years, the poker player has scored some amazing wins and clinched top titles in many poker tournaments in the world.
It was in the 2012 WSOP where Esfandiari received the biggest live poker cash of his career. The $1,000,000 The Big One for One Drop (Event #55) saw 48 entries and a total prize pool of $42,666,672.
On the final table, Esfandiari beat player Sam Trickett and took home a huge payout of $18,346,673 and a WSOP bracelet. This win put him second on the list of biggest poker cashes of all time.
Bryn Kenney
Currently holding the title for the biggest cash in poker history is poker professional Bryn Kenney. The American-born player is considered one of the top grinders in the world and he even ranks number one in the All Time Money List on Hendon Mob.
However, unlike the rest on this list, Kenney’s biggest cash was not due to clinching a title but was a result of a deal made between him and Aaron Shu Nu Zang at the £1,050,000 No Limit Hold'em - Triton Million for Charity (Event #2) back in 2019.
That’s right, while Zang’s win put him on third place on the list, Kenney’s runner-up position still managed to get him a colossal prize of $20,563,324 million.
This makes it the largest poker cash won in recorded history! With a total live earning of over $73 million, Bryn Kenney takes the cake when it comes to scoring massive wins on poker tournaments.
| Rank | Player | Amount Won |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bryn Kenney | $20,563,324 |
| 2 | Antonio Esfandiari | $18,346,673 |
| 3 | Aaron Zang | $16,775,820 |
| 4 | Daniel Colman | $15,306,668 |
| 5 | Elton Tsang | $12,248,912 |
Biggest Poker Cashes
With that our list of the top five biggest poker cashes is complete. There’s no feeling like the one that players experience after working hard on their game and then seeing the results when they ship a title with an envious sum attached as top prize.
However, this is not the end. As more players join the felts while poker tournaments continue to raise the stakes and the prize pools, we could soon see even more massive payouts in the future.
Given that players are always aiming to be in the top, it won’t surprise us that these names will eventually get dethroned in the coming years. Until that happens, we’ll be keeping a close watch on the felts.
FAQs
Who holds the record for the biggest poker tournament cash prize?
Bryn Kenney currently holds the record for the largest poker tournament cash ever, with a $20,563,324 payout earned as a runner-up in the 2019 Triton Million for Charity event.
Which poker player won the most money without winning the tournament?
Bryn Kenney holds this distinction as well. He finished second in the 2019 Triton Million but secured the largest payout through a heads-up deal, earning over $20.5 million.
What is the biggest WSOP Main Event payout in history?
The biggest WSOP Main Event payout is $12,100,000, won by Daniel Weinman in the 2023 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas.
Can online poker players qualify for million-dollar live events?
Yes. Online poker platform like GGPoker offer satellite routes where online players can qualify for high-stakes live events, including WSOP, for as little as a few dollars.
What is the minimum buy-in required to enter a record-breaking high roller poker event?
Record-breaking high roller poker events typically feature minimum buy-ins starting at $200,000 and can exceed $1,000,000.
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