Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

(Photo: Alux.com)

This year the WSOP Millionaire Maker tournament added not the expected one, but rather, two players to the exclusive club - and with the addition of Colossus II winner Ben Keeline to the group, there are now 385 players who have won over $1million through the World Series.

Looking at it country-by-country, it’s hardly surprising to see that the USA is way out in front with 271 of the millionaires – led by Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari who has cashed out $17,009,672 over his years playing the summer poker festival in Vegas.

Numbers 2 and 3 on the all-time list are Canadian, and it’s that northern neighbour who also sits in 2nd spot in the millionaires list with 28 of them pleasing their bank managers and the IRS every time they visit the WSOP.

Daniel Colman rather surprisingly edges out Daniel Negreanu in there all-time WSOP earnings table, roughly $15.5million to $14.5million – though naturally neither of them will be bemoaning their status!

The United Kingdom, with 25 WSOP-made millionaires completes the podium, England’s Sam Trickett being the most successful with a whopping $11,265,538 straight from the cashier's cage and into his lucky hands.

It’s a fair drop off to 4th and 5th spots, Russia with 9 millionaires and then France with 7, but there are countries out there who have never had players winn a million in Vegas’ biggest tournament festival.

China haven't made it, and neither have Colombia, India or Singapore – despite all these nations having representatives in this year’s events. Slovakia may be slightly more surprising, poker being a reasonably big game there – but WSOP millionaire success has body-swerved them so far, although neighbours Czech Republic are there – Martin Staszko accounting for $5million+.

Some notably unusual countries have millionaire status, but see if you can guess who the player is that got the following five there first:

Lebanon?

South Africa?

Indonesia?

Republic of Ireland?

Hungary?

Answers at the foot of the article, but try not to peek until you’ve wracked your grey matter first!

Incidentally, the WSOP count of 385 countries with millionaire WSOP status is at odds with the Hendon Mob version, but there’s a simple answer to this. Some players were originally representing one country, but changed nationality, so, it depends on which list you go by!

Lebanon? Kassem ‘Freddy’ Deeb. The famous pro is classed as US, but of course he comes from the Lebanon. Deeb started his WSOP cash-cow back in 1990, but had to wait until 2007 for his first bracelet.

South Africa? Raymond Rahme – who became the first-ever African player to final table the Main Event, taking down $3million for his 3rd spot in the 2007 series won by Jerry Yang.

Indonesia? John Juanda – another of the world’s most famous players, Juanda arrived in the US as a 19-year old track star (apparently from 200m up to 5000m, which is too crazy to be true!) before turning to the green felt and making a huge name for himself.

Republic of Ireland? Andy Black – surprisingly, to me at least coming from Scotland, Ireland have four members of the WSOP Millionaire’s Club. Scotland themselves have no WSOP players who have reached this level, but Niall Farrell - who lost out heads-up over the weekend in the $1500 Shootout event - will get there soon hopefully, his $889,149 only one good win, cash, or run away.

Hungary? Andras Koroknai - not really a country known for its poker prowess, but Koroknai came 6th in the Main Event back on 2012 and boosted the game’s status in his home nation.