The Poker Hall of Fame has unveiled its eight finalists for the 2026 induction class, with the announcement made on June 24, 2026. The list mixes an online poker pioneer, several of the most feared tournament regulars of the past two decades, and one of online poker’s most prolific grinders, setting up a fascinating vote among the game’s living legends.
Unlike sports halls of fame that induct based on committee votes alone, the Poker Hall of Fame relies on its own living members to choose the newest class. This year’s ballot is considered one of the deepest in recent memory, with several finalists boasting career earnings well into the tens of millions of dollars.
The 2026 Poker Hall of Fame Finalists
The eight finalists named for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame class are Isai Scheinberg, Shaun Deeb, Scott Seiver, Jason Koon, Isaac Haxton, Justin Bonomo, Mike Matusow, and Chris Moorman. Each candidate brings a distinct poker story, ranging from software development and online platform building to relentless tournament grinding across three different decades.
According to GipsyTeam, the finalists were selected from a broader pool of nominees before being narrowed down to this final eight. From here, the decision moves entirely into the hands of the Hall’s existing membership.
How Poker Hall of Fame Voting Works
Once the finalists are set, the 33 living Poker Hall of Fame members each receive up to four votes to distribute among the candidates. Any finalist who receives support from two thirds of the voting members earns automatic induction, a high bar that has kept many deserving names waiting years for their turn.
If no finalist clears that two thirds threshold, the rules include a safety net. The single candidate with the most votes still earns induction, guaranteeing that at least one new member joins the Hall each year even in a crowded field like this one.
Up to six players can be inducted from the 2026 class, though the actual number will depend entirely on how the votes fall. The formal results and induction announcement are expected later this year, though no exact date has been confirmed.
The Online Pioneers: Scheinberg and Moorman
Isai Scheinberg stands apart from the rest of the ballot. As the founder of PokerStars, his contribution to poker is measured less in cashes and more in the industry he helped build from the ground up. His live tournament earnings sit at roughly $374,000, a modest figure by modern standards, and he has never won a WSOP bracelet, yet his influence on how millions of people learned and played the game is difficult to overstate.
Chris Moorman represents a different kind of online legacy. Widely regarded as one of the most successful online tournament players ever, Moorman has earned approximately $25 million playing online alongside roughly $11.5 million in live tournament cashes, plus two WSOP bracelets. His candidacy highlights the growing recognition of online results as a legitimate measuring stick for Hall of Fame worthiness.
High-Stakes Tournament Royalty: Koon, Haxton, Bonomo, and Seiver
Jason Koon leads the financial numbers on this ballot, with career live earnings of approximately $77 million and two WSOP bracelets, placing him third on poker’s all time money list. His resume is built almost entirely on high-stakes tournament success across multiple continents.
Isaac Haxton and Justin Bonomo sit close behind, with roughly $65 million and $65.6 million in live earnings respectively. Haxton captured his lone WSOP bracelet in 2023, while Bonomo has collected three bracelets over the course of his career. Scott Seiver rounds out this group with about $27.5 million in earnings and seven WSOP bracelets, a haul that places him among the most decorated bracelet winners on the entire ballot.
Readers curious about how bracelet events are structured, and what it actually takes to chase one, can find a breakdown in our WSOP guidewhich covers the series format in detail.
Bracelet Grinders: Deeb and Matusow
Shaun Deeb has built his reputation as one of the most volume heavy grinders in modern poker, with eight WSOP bracelets and approximately $18 million in live tournament earnings. Few players on this ballot have logged more hours at the table across cash games and tournaments alike.
Mike Matusow, a fixture of poker television in the 2000s, brings four WSOP bracelets and around $10.8 million in live earnings to his candidacy. His longevity in the game and his role in popularizing poker during its televised boom years make him a familiar name to longtime fans of the sport.
It is worth remembering that every figure above reflects an elite, outlier career built over many years of play, intense study, and financial variance that would sink most players. These numbers are not a realistic expectation for the average player, and nobody should treat poker as a path to guaranteed income. Poker Pro Academy encourages readers to enjoy the game responsibly, to play only within their means, and to remember that poker involving real money is intended for adults aged 18 and over.
