Top 3 greatest poker players of all time

There's this old story of a young hustler who threw his hands in the air in frustration and walked off the poker table. ''I'm not getting any cards'' he yelled. The table didn't respond. Then, an old man in a cowboy hat replied, ''Son, that's not true. The doorman standing at the back, he is the one who isn't getting any cards."

A professional card-game played across the Globe, Poker is one of the trickiest and most challenging sports in the world. While there are several variations to the game, including Omaha, 5 Card and 7 Card stud, the widely recognized, purest form of the game is known as Texas Holdem. There are several tournaments and cash games, both televised and non-televised, live as well as online held throughout the year, including the European Poker Tour, The Pokestars Championships and of course the most prestigious of them all, The World Series of Poker.

Based on live tournament wins and total earnings, here is a list of the top 3 poker minds on the Planet.

#1 Phil Hellmuth

The most decorated poker player of all time; 'The Poker Brat' has managed to win a record 15 WSOP bracelets over the course of his career. He earned a whopping $7.5 million last year, playing various tournaments and cash games. He is currently ranked 5th in the WSOP all time money list that includes Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari and Jonathan Duhamel. Back in 1989, he became the youngest ever player to win the WSOP main event, defeating two time defending champion Johny Chan.

Born in Palo Alto, California, he owns his own clothing company and real estate business. He even launched his own mobile game known as Hellmuth's Holdem that has been downloaded over 1.3 million times. Hellmuth is also the author of several books, one of which is Play Poker Like The Pro’s - ANew York Times Best Seller. Considered today as a veteran of the sport, Hellmuth drops in occasionally as a commentator at various internationally televised events.

Known for his unconscious laydowns and mind-blowing plays, Hellmuth is undoubtedly the last person you want to be up against in a big pot. One of his most iconic hands, involves him playing the 7/2 game and getting Mike Matusow to lay down Kings at the Poker After Dark Cash Game.

Although he is not on top of the All-time money list, Hellmuth is still undoubtedly the GOAT thanks to his immense number of WSOP bracelets and tournament cashes. This is a man made the sport his religion for more than 5 decades, and now sits tall among the Gods of the game.

#2 Doyle Brunson

A legend in the world of cards, Doyle had an illustrious poker career that lasted for over half a century. He was the first ever player to win over a million dollars in poker tournaments and currently holds 10 WSOP bracelets. He managed to win the WSOP main event in 1976 and again in 1977 becoming one of the 4 players to have won the main event twice in a row. The iconic 10/2 hand is popularly called the Doyle Brunson hand as he won the main event twice with the same hand.

He is the author of several books on poker such as Super/System and Super/System 2. The Grand Old Man of Poker, is a joy to watch and a nightmare to be up against. His experience on the table is unparalleled, and gives him a unique perspective on the game.

The man with the cowboy hat has made 37 cashes at the WSOP events, and has a total of over 6 million dollars (40,00,000+) of live tournament earnings. He was the owner of his own online poker website known as Doyle's room, that became one of the largest online poker rooms at the time.

Even at the age of 88, the Texas man continued to play at tables across the Globe. A man as old as the game itself, Doyle has left behind a reputation that commands respect, and that is not likely to be matched for generations to come.

Doyle retired in 2018, leaving behind one of the most illustrious careers in poker history. He has engraved his name in the poker hall of fame. His 10 WSOP bracelets and sheer experience, make him unquestionably one of the three finest players to have sat at a poker table.

#3 Justin Bonomo

You cannot have a 'Top 3 greatest poker players of all time' list without including the highest earning poker player of all time.

The thirty three year old phenomenon has taken the World of Poker by storm, winning super-high roller tournaments in cities all over the planet. His recent victory at the WSOP 1 Million Big One for 1 Drop established him as the man on top of the All-Time money charts. The 10 million dollar cash prize propelled him to the top, ahead of contemporary Daniel Negraneu.

Bonomo in 2018 won the Macau and the May Aria Super High Roller cashing a whopping 10 million dollars total, these were just 8 of the Super High Roller events he won last year. His money winnings are no match for a majority of poker pros in the World. A statistical comparison shows that the American has made more money in 2018, than some pros make in their lifetimes. His live poker earnings amount to over 42 million dollars, that is 7 times the amount Doyle Brunson has earned in his career.

What stops him from being on top of this list is his lack of WSOP bracelets. The World Series of Poker is the Mecca of the Poker World. Bonomo currently holds only 3 WSOP brackets. However the poker genius has years to go in his career and is on his way to give the legends a run for their money. There is no doubt that if the man maintains this level of consistency, it would only be a matter of time before he becomes the most successful player in the game.