The Best Celebrity WSOP Performances

While most of us will be watching out for the big guns in this year’s World Series of Poker, let’s not forget about the celebrities out there that think they can turn up and show us how it’s done. Here’s a look back at some of the best celebrity runs in WSOP history.

Telly Savalas

“Kojak” was a TV and film star who also had a passion for poker. In between starring in classics such as The Dirty Dozen he loved to show up at the WSOP and play in many different events, including during the early years at Binion’s Horseshoe. In 1992 he cashed in 21st place just pipping legends Barry Greenstein (22nd) and Mike Sexton (23rd).

Tobey MaGuire

The Spider-Man star is reputedly the best grinder in Hollywood circles, and also the focus of Molly Bloom’s wrath. He racked up multiple five-figure scores before testing his metal at the 2007 WSOP Main Event - not his first appearance though. Maguire did himself proud, until he ran pocket kings into the aces held by Irish poker legend Donnacha O’Dea, and went out in 292nd place for almost $40,000.

Gabe Kaplan

Actor and comedian Gabe Kaplan was one of the world’s elite players during the early 80’s. After an amazing run at Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker - a series then rivaling the WSOP - he followed up with two great runs in the WSOP Main Event. In 1986, he finished 21st out of 141 entrants, and in 1991, 13th in a field of 251 players was the then pinnacle of his poker career. Nowadays he can be found playing the high-roller live events in the USA.

Kevin Pollak

Pollak is another actor and comedian who has played poker for as long as he can remember. When he starred in the classic movie Casino, with Robert De Niro, he really started to get into the game during his six-month stay in Las Vegas. In 2012 he finally found time to enter the WSOP Main Event and became the focus of attention on the TV feature table along with Daniel Negreanu. His performance was roundly applauded against such company, and he fully deserved his 134th place finish, even if the $52,718 prize wasn’t so much for him.