Jason Koon Voted into Poker Hall of Fame as Sole Inductee in 2026

There were supposed to be two or three players who made the list. Instead, only one man made the cut, as Jason Koon entered the Poker Hall of Fame as the sole 2026 inductee. Only turning 40 last Ausust, Koon’s induction at the first point he could make it shows that players turning 40 have just as good a chance, if not more than players who have been nominated multiple times without induction, such as Mike Matusow.

Koon “Shocked” by Sole Induction

It was a brief pause in the WSOP Main Event finale table that thrilled them all. Jason Koon was inducted as this year’s sole inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. His announcement as the sole 2026 inductee shocked not only everyone in the poker world who believed there would be multiple inductees, but the recipient of the Hall of Fame trophy himself, Jason Koon.

“Honestly, poker was a singular experience for me,” Koon told Jeff Platt on the WSOP Main Event broadcast upon the announcement revealing his induction. “The first time I played [poker], it was my life, and it’s been my life for 20 years. To be voted in by the greatest poker players of all time is one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

After joining WSOP commentators Ali Nejad and fellow Poker Hall of Famer Nick Schulman in the booth during the Main Event finale, Koon admitted that he was surprised to be the only inductee.

“I was shocked when they told me, and I was shocked when they told me I was the only inductee.” he said. Speaking later to PokerNews. Chad Holloway, Koon was deferential and modest.

“There are guys that were nominated who deserve it just as much as I do,” said of his fellow nominees, adding that one of them, Ike Haxton had for a long time been “a poker mentor of mine.”

Jason Koon Calls for Scott Seiver Induction

“When I started playing super high rollers, Scott Seiver was the best super high roller player on the planet.”
~ 2026 Poker Hall of Fame inductee Jason Koon

Playing poker for almost two decades, Jason Koon is now the highest ranked player on The Hendon Mob’s All-Time Money List to have made it into the Hall of Fame, with both the players above him in the list – Bryn Kenney and Stephen Chidwick – not eligible until they turn 40.

Koon’s $77 million in lifetime earnings, along with a dozen Triton titles and two WSOP bracelets, mark him out as a living legend. His passion for the game impressed the 33 living voting members of the Hall of Fame, who he now joins. One player who he advocated for inclusion alongside him was Scott Seiver.

“There are several other legends that belong in,” he said. “Scott Seiver. Whenever I started playing super high rollers, he was the best super high roller player on the planet.”

Only last year, Koon’s victory in the $50,000-entry High Roller Event #32 sealed his second WSOP bracelet five years after his first came in the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship. Acting as an ambassador for PartyPoker, GGPoker and now PokerStars, Koon’s good name is associated with class and fairness throughout his career.

Winning a record 12 Triton titles in the past decade – five more than his nearest rival – edged Koon above Seiver in the minds of those who voted, although even Koon himself was perilously close to missing out on the required percentage, leading some t speculate that the voting system will again be changed for 2027.

Will Hall of Fame Voting Change Next Year?

“Poker is my life’s passion. I’ve truly given it everything I have.”
~ Jason Koon

This year’s eight Hall of Fame finalists included five first-time nominees. Koon was joined in the ranks by the 2025 WSOP Player of the Year and nine-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb, American cash and tournament legend Isaac Haxton, British online tournament end boss Chris Moorman and the former All-Time Money List leader Justin Bonomo.

Along with those first-time nominees, the PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg (17 votes) and Mike Matusow (10 votes) both missed out, with ‘the Mouth’ now having been nominated a record 12 times without getting into the Hall of Fame. A little like Ted Forrest, who missed out this year but has been nominated eight times, Matusow suffers from his glory years having been many years in the past. The Mouth’s relevance in the game hasn’t been so low since his emergence onto the professional scene, which with some voters will count against him.

Of all those to miss out in 2026, however, Scott Seiver’s omission is perhaps the most surprising. Seiver was a first-time nominee last year but missed out in two success five ballots, gaining just 19 votes from the 33 living Hall of Famers. It’s a shame that those who have passed are granted no posthumous vote, as Doyle Brunson once remarked that Seiver was a lock for induction before his passing.

Seiver’s statement on X praised Jason Koon but offered a critical analysis of the voting process. For Koon, though, the achievement of a literal lifetime him full of gratitude.

Here’s what Koon had to say on social media to his many fans.

“Yesterday I joined the Poker Hall of Fame. A few of the guys on this year’s list are heroes of mine and deserve to be in as much as I do; I’m sure their day is coming soon. When I found poker, I was immediately and forever in it. It was my path to independence, my teacher in handling defeat and most importantly the vessel for introducing me to a large portion of the greatest relationships in my life. Poker is my life’s passion. I’ve truly given it everything I have. I love you guys, thank you.”