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The world of poker has some well-known legends. From 19th-century players like Wild Bill Hickok to active players like Daniel Negreanu, the history of poker is rich with competitive professional players who have added color to the game.
Credit: flipchip under License CC BY-SA 3.0.
Some poker legends don’t just play for the money; they play for the thrill and their love of the game. Doyle Brunson is one of those players, having won countless tournaments throughout his career. Even after striking it rich in the 1970s and being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in the 1980s, he continues to play high-stakes cash games to this day. This article will discuss Brunson’s storied journey in the poker industry, his accomplishments, and his net worth:
The origins of a legend
Doyle Brunson was born in Longworth, Texas, on August 10, 1933. Growing up in Longworth, he played basketball and was invited to be part of the All-State Texas basketball team. Brunson was considered an NBA prospect for the Minneapolis Lakers until he sustained a knee injury during his college days at Hardin-Simmons College. This injury diverted his attention to other endeavors until he found his calling as a professional poker player.
Brunson met his wife, Louise, in 1959 and married her in August 1962. The couple has been married for over 50 years and has three children, two of whom are professional poker players. Shortly after his marriage with Louise, Brunson was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo surgery. Luckily, it was successful, and he did not need further treatment. As the “Godfather of Poker,” Brunson’s life story will be featured in a biopic produced by Radar Pictures. At 88 years old, his journey is worth recounting to younger generations of professional poker players.
Poker accomplishments and net worth
There aren’t many who have accomplished more on the felt than Brunson. He holds ten World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, including two from main event titles. He was the first to breach $1 million in tournament earnings and has won over $6 million in his career. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also one of the most respected players at high-stakes cash games and has been known to be a regular at Legends Room in the Bellagio, Las Vegas.
His estimated net worth is currently at $75 million. He amassed this staggering amount not just from poker winnings but also from endorsement deals, a sale of a poker website, and royalties from the books he authored.
Final tournament run
His final WSOP run was in 2018, where he showed up to collect chips on the last two days of the event. At this stage, he was long retired from tournament poker and only appeared for one final curtain call for his fans. His followers flocked to Rio in Las Vegas to catch a glimpse of the legend and see him reign supreme once more on the felt. At the end of the tournament, he reached the final table and finished 6th for $43,963—a few notches short of winning his 11th bracelet.
It was hoped that he’d appear once more for WSOP 2022, but he announced that he was sitting it out on his doctor’s advice. Because of his age and mounting health concerns, poker fans can expect to see less of him in live events. Nonetheless, his name will forever live on in poker history as one of the greats.
