Throughout history, humans have felt a need to recognize greatness. Halls of fame house individuals beyond their lifetimes, allowing future generations to appreciate their legacies. Poker is no different.
The Poker Hall of Fame is poker’s highest honor — a permanent recognition of the players and contributors who shaped the game into what it is today.
What Is the Poker Hall of Fame?
The concept of the Poker Hall of Fame came to fruition in 1979 when Benny Binion, owner of the legendary Horseshoe and home to the WSOP for 34 years, had a display set up inside the casino to recognize the most influential figures in poker history.
Poker Hall of Fame members would have a framed picture displayed on a designated Horseshoe wall, which underwent cosmetic and location changes as the years went on.
As was often the case with Benny Binion, extra publicity and the chance to draw tourists was the main motivation for creating the Poker Hall of Fame.
Binion was well-versed in original ways of drawing attention for the Horseshoe, reviving the $1 million cash display in 1964 and allegedly arranging a legendary high-stakes heads-up poker game between “Nick the Greek” Dandolos and Johnny Moss in 1949.
Like everything Benny Binion did, the Poker Hall of Fame was equal parts genuine tribute and shrewd marketing. Creating a permanent shrine to poker’s greatest players helped establish the Horseshoe as the undisputed home of the game — the same instinct that led him to create the World Series of Poker.
Requirements for Induction
How Players Get Inducted
When fan voting began in 2009, popular younger players like Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu dominated the polls despite being in their 30s and still in their primes. In 2011, the WSOP added a minimum age of 40 — named after Chip Reese, who was inducted at 40 and remains the youngest member ever. Negreanu was inducted the moment he turned 40 in 2014.
All Poker Hall of Fame Players
1979 — The Inaugural Class (7 players)
Johnny Moss — “Grand Old Man of Poker” — 9 bracelets
Nick “The Greek” Dandolos
Felton “Corky” McCorquodale
Red Winn
Sid Wyman
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok
Edmond Hoyle
1980s (11 players)
1980: T “Blondie” Forbes
1981: Bill Boyd
1982: Tom Abdo
1983: Joe Bernstein
1984: Murph Harrold
1985: Red Hodges
1986: Henry Green
1987: Walter “Puggy” Pearson — 1 bracelet
1988: Doyle Brunson — 10 bracelets
1988: Jack “Treetop” Straus — 1 bracelet
1989: Fred “Sarge” Ferris
1990s (6 players)
1990: Benny Binion — WSOP founder
1991: David Edward “Chip” Reese — 3 bracelets (youngest inductee ever, at 40)
1992: Amarillo Slim Preston — 4 bracelets
1993: Jack Keller — 3 bracelets
1996: Julius Oral “Little Man” Popwell
1997: Roger Moore
2000s (14 players)
2001: Stu “The Kid” Ungar — 5 bracelets
2002: Lyle Berman
2002: Johnny Chan — 10 bracelets
2003: Bobby Baldwin — 4 bracelets
2004: Berry Johnston — 5 bracelets
2005: Jack Binion — WSOP organizer
2005: Crandell Addington
2006: TJ Cloutier — 6 bracelets
2006: Billy Baxter — 7 bracelets
2007: Barbara Enright — 3 bracelets
2007: Phil Hellmuth — 17 bracelets
2008: Dewey Tomko
2008: Henry Orenstein — inventor of the hole-card camera
2009: Mike Sexton — WPT commentator
2010–2017 (16 players)
2010: Dan Harrington — 2 bracelets
2010: Erik Seidel — 10 bracelets
2011: Barry Greenstein — “Robin Hood of Poker”
2011: Linda Johnson
2012: Eric Drache
2012: Brian “Sailor” Roberts
2013: Tom McEvoy
2013: Scotty Nguyen — 5 bracelets
2014: Jack McClelland — tournament director
2014: Daniel Negreanu — 7 bracelets
2015: Jennifer Harman — 2 bracelets
2015: John Juanda — 5 bracelets
2016: Todd Brunson
2016: Carlos Mortensen
2017: Phil Ivey — 11 bracelets
2017: Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott (posthumous)
2018–2026 (12 members)
2018: John Hennigan, Mori Eskandani (contributor)
2019: Chris Moneymaker, David Oppenheim
2020: Huck Seed
2021: Eli Elezra
2022: Layne Flack (posthumous)
2023: Brian Rast
2024: Patrik Antonius
2025: Nick Schulman, Michael Mizrachi
2026: Jason Koon
Notable Patterns
The original 1979 class
The first year blended historical figures (Edmond Hoyle, Wild Bill Hickok) with contemporary legends of the time (Johnny Moss, Felton McCorquodale). It established the Hall as a tribute to both poker’s history and its living champions.
The Horseshoe years
Under Binion family ownership, years were sometimes skipped. The Hall was more informal — a wall of framed photos at the Horseshoe rather than a formal institution. Inductees were chosen behind closed doors.
The Caesars era (2004–present)
When Harrah’s (now Caesars) bought the Horseshoe in 2004, they professionalized the Hall. At least one new member per year, fan voting, media coverage, and a ceremony during the Main Event. The only thing missing: an actual physical display.
The case for Devilfish
After Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott’s death from colon cancer in 2015, there was a strong push for his posthumous induction. With $6 million in career earnings, a uniquely British personality, and universal peer respect, he had a compelling case. He was eventually inducted in 2017.
The Poker Hall of Fame has no sponsorship deals, no appearance fees, and no politics — it’s simply the highest recognition the game can bestow. When living legends vote on who belongs among them, the result is the closest thing poker has to an objective measure of greatness.