Looking at the Biggest Wins in the History of Poker

Everyone who has dabbled at poker has dreamed of winning a huge tournament. Here we take a look at players who have done just that, and manage to do so consistently.

1. Jaime Gold at the 2006 WSOP Main Event

For those familiar with poker it should be no surprise to hear that one of the biggest scores ever came from the World Series of Poker Main Event. In 2005 the poker world was at the height of the poker boom. Chris Moneymaker’s incredible run in 2003 inspired many others to pick up the game, and the debut of the World Poker Tour earlier in the year was leading to massive growth in the world of poker. Suddenly a field of 879 at the time of Moneymaker’s win was 8773 strong when gold entered the tournament in 2006. Gold brought an unorthodox strategy that involved speech play to the tournament. With this strategy he was able to expose many player’s hands, and he quickly became a favorite on TV. He eventually won the tournament, securing $12 million in winnings.

2. Antonio Esfandiari at the One Drop

Antonio Esfandiari is one of the biggest names in the poker world, and as a result, he is one of the few professional players that can afford to play in the WSOP’s Big One for One Drip. This event has a buy in of $1 million. As you would expect from an event with a buy in of this size, the entrants pool was filled with sharks. However, it was Esfandiari who triumphed over everyone else, securing $18.3 million. The win immediately catapulted him to one of the most successful poker players in history. Look for news about new big wins online, and potentially win some no deposit poker chips.

3. Elton Tsang Wins the High Roller in Monaco

In 2016, Elton Tsang entered the Big One for One Drop in Monaco as a part of the World Series of Poker. 28 players entered the event and after three days he came out on top. He took home an impressive $12.2 million for his efforts and won a WSOP bracelet.

4. David Chiu Gets the Biggest WPT Payout in History

David Chiu might not have entered a tournament with a $1 million entry fee, but after paying $25,000 to enter the 2008 WPT Championship he was on the course for the biggest score of his career. 545 people entered the tournament, and although he was not a big name, followers of the poker scene knew his name. At the final table, Chiu overcame a six to one chip lead to Gus Hansen to secure the victory. With the victory came a $3.4 million prize.

5. Hossein Ensan Wins the 2019 WSOP Main Event

After the poker boom the size of the WSOP Main Event ebbed and flowed. However, it started to rise again in the mid-2010s, and by the time 2019 came around it was the second largest in history. After 10 days of play, 55 year old Hossein Ensan came out on top. With the win he secured a massive, $10 million payout and a huge gold bracelet.

6. Brian Rast Wins the Super High Roller Bowl Championship

The Super High Roller Bowl has grown in popularity since its inception in 2015. The inaugural event saw 43 players enter with a half a million dollar entrance fee. After three days of play, Rast emerged as the victor, taking home $7.5 million and the championship ring.

7. Stanley Choi Wins Big in Macau

High roller events became popular in the early 2010s, and one of the largest scores from the early years came in 2012 at the Macau High Stakes Challenge Super High Roller. The tournament featured a HK $2 million buy in. Stanley Choi triumphed over the competition, taking home $6.5 million in winnings.