POKER is growing in popularity, with many televised poker games and players attaining a celebrity cult following.
Those who make number one at the various world championships are left with millions of dollars, and fans are often left wondering where all their earnings go. Check out these top poker players to see what they have done after winning big.
Daniel Negreanu
This Canadian player proudly holds four World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour Championship titles. He is known for dropping out of college in his early 20s to play poker games and pursue a professional career in Las Vegas, and he hasn’t turned back.
According to thehendonmob.com Negreanu’s total winnings exceed $14,100,000 (placing him second in the all time list); this staggering amount is one that very few will ever receive through poker winnings alone.
This big earner also sees the bigger picture and supports numerous greater causes. Daniel is known as a philanthropist, frequenting numerous charity events; he has founded an annual golf event coined the ‘Big Swing’ and contributes to ‘Ante Up for Africa’, supporting the crisis in Darfur.
Negreanu continues to participate in worldwide championships as well as having a growing reputation through media appearances.
Phil Ivey
This American poker player touts eight World Series of Poker bracelets, one World Poker Tour title and eight World Poker Tour final table appearances. He has been nicknamed the 'Tiger Woods of poker' and his total earnings amount to $13,873,862, according to Pokerpages.com.
Currently living in Las Vegas, Ivey spends his time partaking in high stake games, in addition to making numerous television appearances. Phil is widely regarded to be the best all-round player and is leading the new group of celebrity poker players.
Phil is also known for donating money to many charitable causes. He has contributed toward Empowered 2 Excel (a charity for underprivileged children) and also the Ivey Foundation, a non-profit organisation formed to support the work of his grandfather.
Erik Seidel
Another American professional poker player, originally from New York City, Seidel has won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. Seidel got involved with poker games after years as a backgammon player, in addition to playing the stock market.
Known as one of the group of famous players from the Mayfair Club (one of the most notorious card clubs in New York), Seidel has amassed winnings of over $13,000,000 (according to www.pokerpages.com). His rise to prominence really kicked off when the final hand of his first major tournament, the 1988 World Series of poker, was featured in the movie Rounders (a 1998 film about the world of poker).
Seidel continues to compete and play poker on the world poker circuit and has picked up a number of high profile wins already this year.
Finding out what poker players do after reaching the top can be a difficult task, as many players would like their financial situation to remain confidential. For this reason, most of us will never really know of the luxurious trips and big ticket items these poker players enjoy.
It is a constant battle for many professional poker players to conceal their earnings, especially when they take part in games that are so widely broadcast. Many of these multimillion-dollar players know that their money can go towards greater causes, as seen with the players mentioned. However, the money also goes towards fueling their passion for playing professional poker. Once you get to a professional level, winnings are the only way to pursue the game further and further.
