The Top 10 WSOP Main Event Winners of the last Decade

If this was a list ranking the most entertaining Main Event winners, Qui would be at or near the top. A self-proclaimed “professional baccarat” player, Qui only has $150,000 in cashes that aren’t from his Main Event victory—and only $80,000 that aren’t from the Main Event at all!

His hyper-aggressive style worked well for him during that fateful week in Vegas, but it hasn’t brought him much success since. It’s safe to say Qui hasn’t set the poker world alight after his win, where he overcame poker pro Gordon Vayo.

Still, he enjoys playing poker as a hobby rather than a profession. Qui is the only player on our list who could be considered an amateur, which just shows that even though poker is getting tougher, anyone can win the Main Event if the stars align.

Player Rating: 2/10

As nice a guy as Qui is, the Main Event is his only notable score, and he is leagues below most other winners.

#9 JOHN CYNN 2018

John had to get through 7,873 other players to take down the 2018 title—the second-largest field ever at the time (although it has since been surpassed). While it wasn’t the most star-studded final table, he notably had to face 2009 Main Event champ Joe Cada (5th place) before beating Tony Miles heads-up.

Since his win, Cynn has added another $1.4 million in live tournament earnings and had some success on various high-stakes cash game shows. Lately, he’s pivoted to short-deck poker, including a runner-up finish in a $25,500 short-deck event at PartyPoker Millions.

Player Rating: 3.5/10

Despite mostly playing cash games, Cynn’s additional $1.4 million in tournament winnings are respectable—if unremarkable.

#8 Ryan Riess (2013)

“Riess the Beast” took down the 2013 Main Event and followed it up by declaring himself the best player in the world. He beat a stacked final table including Mark Newhouse, David Benefield, and J.C. Tran.

Since his win, Riess has added a WPT title and nearly $7 million in additional tournament earnings. In total, he has almost $17 million in live cashes and five other WSOP final table appearances.

Player Rating: 5.5/10

Turns out he wasn’t the best player in the world—but he’s had a solid career since his Main Event win.

#7 DAMIAN SALAS 2020

Damian Salas was the winner of arguably the weirdest Main Event in modern history. To even make it to the final heads-up match, Salas had to reach the final table of an online event and then play a live final table. He then defeated Joseph Hebert in a live heads-up playoff to take the title.

In total, Damian won just over $2.5 million—$1.5 million from the final table and another $1 million from the playoff. With over $10 million in online tournament cashes, it’s no wonder he thrived in this hybrid format.

He had previously made the final table in 2017 (7th place), and in 2022, he made a deep run again, finishing 27th. He made a WSOP High Roller final table in late 2023, winning over $850k and an EPT final table in Monte Carlo in April 2024.

Player Rating: 6/10

Three deep runs in five years at the Main Event, including two final tables and a win, is impressive for anyone.

#6 Greg Merson (2012)

“Reiss the Beast” took down the 2013 Main Event and took a page out of Hellmuth’s book by proclaiming himself the best player in the world. He beat out a stacked final table to claim his Main Event crown, including Mark Newhouse, David Benefield, and J. C. Tran, in one of the tougher final tables you could find at the Main Event.

Since his win in 2013, Riess has won a WPT title, taking down the $10,000 Seminole Hard Rock event in 2017. He’s also won nearly $7 million in tournament winnings on top of his Main Event score, bringing his total live earnings to just over $15 million. He’s also made 5 other appearances at WSOP final tables, so he’s certainly no slouch when it comes to tournament poker!

Player Rating: 5.5

Turns out he wasn’t the best player in the world, but he’s still had a good career since his Main Event win, adding a WPT title to his resume.

#5 MARTIN JACOBSON (2014)

A tournament crusher even before his Main Event win, Martin Jacobson came into the 2014 final table with experience and poise. He started 8th in chips but played a flawless game to win the title.

Jacobson has over $8 million in winnings beyond his Main Event score. He captured an EPT Main Event in London in late 2022, winning over $260,000 and has made multiple final tables in the WSOP, WPT, and EPT circuits.

Player Rating: 7/10

He’s one of the best pure tournament players on this list—but needs more wins to climb higher.

#4 Espen Jørstad (2022)

Espen Jørstad made history as Norway’s first Main Event champion, outlasting a massive field of 8,663 players, taking away the $10,000,000 prize. Calm, composed, and clinical, he played near-perfect poker under immense pressure. Just a year prior, he finished 6th in the WSOP Online Main Event, earning $603,058.

Known online as “Hymn2ninkasi,” Jørstad was already an accomplished player—particularly in cash games—before his breakout. His victory elevated his global profile and brought pride to the Scandinavian poker scene. A former esports competitor and Twitch streamer, Jørstad blends elite poker skill with digital-age charisma.

He captured an EPT title in Prague in December 2024 and has since pushed his total live earnings past $18.5 million, thanks to consistent success on the high roller circuit—cementing his spot at the top of Norway’s all-time money list.

Player Rating: 7.5/10

#3 HOSSEIN ENSAN 2019

At 54, Hossein Ensan became one of the oldest WSOP Main Event champions, proving that poker success isn’t reserved for the young. He controlled a tough final table featuring Dario Sammartino, Alex Livingston, and Garry Gates, ultimately defeating Sammartino heads-up to claim the $10 million prize.

Ensan was already a respected name in Europe, having won the EPT Prague Main Event in 2015. His composed, pressure-heavy style made him a standout throughout the 2019 Main. Since his win, he’s added another $3.5 million in earnings, pushing his total past $14 million.

A WPT title would give him the Triple Crown—and make him the first to achieve it after turning 50.

Player Rating: 8/10

A Main Event and EPT champ with deep experience and elite composure—still crushing at 60.

#2 JOE MCKEEHAN 2015

Joe dominated his final table in 2015 with one of the most commanding performances in recent memory. He started with a massive chip lead and never let up, cruising past competitors like Max Steinberg and Pierre Neuville.

Since then, he’s won two more WSOP bracelets, cashed 43 times and boasts over $21 million in total live earnings. He’s a highly respected tournament player and staple of the high roller and WPT circuits.

Player Rating: 8.5/10

A Main Event champion who stayed elite and added major titles afterward—textbook legacy-building.

#1 KORAY ALDEMIR 2021

Koray Aldemir entered the 2021 Main Event final table as the chip leader and never looked back. His decisive play, including the elimination of three opponents and a massive pot against Alejandro Lococo, sealed one of the most dominant Main Event wins in recent memory.

Beyond the bracelet, Aldemir’s resume speaks volumes: almost $23 million in live earnings, five other WSOP final tables, several EPT final tables, and an elite high-roller track record including a remarkable seven-event stretch in 2019 where he finished top-three in every tournament he played.

His deep run in 2022 (75th place) further proved his Main Event win was no fluke. Aldemir is rightly one of the most feared tournament players in the world.

Player Rating: 9.5/10

He’s a legit tournament crusher with global recognition and skill to match. In a sit-n-go of recent Main Event champs, our money’s on Koray.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it: our ranking of Main Event champs from recent WSOP series. But what do you think—have we been unfair to some players or too generous to others? Who else should be in here? What would your list look like?

Let us know in the comments!