Unveiled: Top 10 Most Successful Poker Players of 2025 (Up to Now)

In the world of poker, 2025 was a year for the history books. Tournaments across the globe shattered records, with the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and Triton Poker leading the charge.

The APT made headlines in May, hosting its biggest Main Event ever in Taipei. With a staggering 2,547 entries, the competition was fierce. Amidst the sea of players, Akira Takasugi of Japan emerged victorious, claiming the first-place prize of 19,009,440 TWD ($586,710).

Across the Pacific, Triton Poker set new standards in Jeju, South Korea, and Paradise in The Bahamas. In Jeju, the $100K Main Event became the biggest six-figure buy-in ever, with Huang Wenjie taking home the first prize of $5,555,000.

At Triton Jeju, Benjamin Tollerene (US) had a standout performance. He won the PLO Main Event for $2,390,000, finished second in the $150K event for $3,437,344, and placed third in the $50K High Roller for $914,634. His success continued at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in The Bahamas, where he placed eighth in the $250K Super High Roller for $581,411.

The WSOP itself saw a phenomenal year, smashing records left and right. With a total of 246,960 entries, the tournament collected a massive $529 million in buy-ins, resulting in a prize pool of $482 million. The event also generated $47 million in rake and fees.

Chris Moneymaker and Liv Boeree provided star power at the WSOP Super Main Event in December. Boeree walked away with the largest cash prize won by a woman in poker history, taking home $2.8 million.

In the race for the top-10 money winners of 2025, Seth Davies took the lead with $12,291,647 in winnings. Michael Mizrachi followed closely behind with $11,377,233. Davies' standout year included a career-best score of $4,752,551 in the $250K Super High Roller at the WSOP. Mizrachi, on the other hand, won the $50K Poker Players Championship and the Main Event at the WSOP, boosting his career winnings to $29,013,562.

Portugal's Joao Vieira also had a successful year, with career winnings of $21,358,886. He won the $100K WSOP High Roller in 2025 for $2,649,158.

Daniel Negreanu, a poker legend, declared the 2025 WSOP "Maybe the greatest WSOP in the 50+ year history."

While the details are scarce, it's worth noting the performances of Aleksa Pavicevic, whose name suggests a connection to the Montenegrin or Serbian region. Specific biographical details about him, including his origin, are not provided in the results.

As the dust settles on 2025, one thing is clear: the year was a watershed moment in the history of poker, setting new standards for tournament size, buy-ins, and prize pools. The excitement for what 2026 will bring is already palpable.