Poker has the potential to make skilled players millionaires for triumphing over rivals in cash tournaments. Since the poker boom began in 2003 due to the growing success of online poker, particularly for games based on Texas Hold’em, the game has made millionaires out of many successful players – in some cases, many times over.
The 2014 poker season is still in the early stages, but already many skilled players have become millionaires from cash tournaments over the last two months. There are five very notable players who have earned over seven figures playing poker this season, though many more are expected before the season is done.
Mike McDonald
A Canadian player who maintains his poker nickname “Timex,” McDonald is the youngest player to win a main event on the European Poker Tour. The start of the 2014 season has been very successful for McDonald, who has already earned over £/€/$4 million by finishing as runner up in three massive cash tournaments.
Phil Ivey
A nine time World Series of Poker winner, Ivey is considered by fans and fellow players to be among the most skilled poker fanatics in the world. The American poker star net £/€/$3.5 million – the largest cash payout of his career, by winning the Aussie Millions poker tournament earlier this season.
Fabian Quoss
A member of Germany’s Super High Roller crew, Quoss was one of the top performers in the Aussie Millions tournament earlier this month along with Ivey. Quoss walked away from the tournament with over £/€/$700,000, on top of over £/€/$1.6 million earned at a cash tournament in the Caribbean back in January.
Dominik Panka
Currently ranked second on the 2014 Player of the Year standings, Panka is one of Poland’s most successful poker players. Panka won over £/€/$1.4 million after winning one of the first main events of the season, followed by another £/€/$300,000 on a leg of the European Poker Tour.
Yevgeniy Timoshenko
A Ukraine born poker player who currently lives in the US city of Seattle, Timoshenko was another player to have success in the Aussie Millions cash tournament. Timoshenko won the Super High Roller buy in, and walked away with over £/€/$1.7 million – his largest poker winnings to date.
The 2014 season will have many more tournaments before the year is out, with opportunities for many players to become millionaires. Ante up and you may be seven figures richer!