As the years have ticked by there have been some major World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournaments that have had some huge prize pools attached to them. It does not usually follow that each year the prize pools on offer grow and grow, and for this reason you will often find that some years the largest prize pooled poker tournaments are not the same as they were the previous year.
Below we have listed an overview of the highest paying poker tournaments ever, this top 10 listing of the highest paying poker tournaments include not only the actual name an year that poker tournament took place, but it also lists the value of the prize pool as well as naming the player who took first place and the value of his share of that prize pool.
Have a look through his listing for you may be unaware at just how large the prize pools can become on many of the major land based poker tournaments! For more poker tournament related information do have a good look around our website as it is packed with all manner of different poker based facts and figures that should be of interest to you!
1. Jamie Gold (2006 WSOP Main Event)
By far and away the very biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2006 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $82,512,162.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States and that player was Jamie Gold. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $12,000,000.
2. Jonathan Duhamel (2010 WSOP Main Event)
The second biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2010 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $68,799,059.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from Canada and that player was Jonathan Duhamel. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,944,310.
3. Pius Heinz (2011 WSOP Main Event)
The third biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2011 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $64,531,000.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from Germany and that player was Pius Heinz. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,711,956.
4. Peter Eastgate (2008 WSOP Main Event)
The fourth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2008 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $64,333,600.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from Denmark and that player was Peter Eastgate. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $9,152,416.
5. Greg Merson (2012 WSOP Main Event)
The fifth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2012 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $62,021,200.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States and that player was Greg Merson. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,527,982.
6. Joe Cada (2009 WSOP Main Event)
The sixth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2009 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $61,043,600.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States and that player was Joe Cada. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,547,042
7. Jerry Yang (2007 WSOP Main Event)
The seventh biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2007 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $59,784,954.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States Jerry Yang. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,250,000.
8. Ryan Riess (2013 WSOP Main Event)
The eighth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2013 WSOP Main Event.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $59,708,800.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States and that player was Ryan Riess. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $8,359,531.
9. Joe Hachem (2005 WSOP Main Event)
The ninth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2005 WSOP Main Event. This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $52,818,610.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from Australia and that player was Joe Hachem. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $7,500,000.
10. Antonio Esfandiari (2012 WSOP Event 55)
The tenth biggest prize pool offered on a land based poker tournament of recent times was the 2012 WSOP Event 55.
This major poker tournament had a total prize pool of some $42,666,672.
The winner of this poker tournament was a player from the United States and that player was Antonio Esfandiari. He won, for being the first placed winner of this poker tournament a share of the prize pool worth some $18,346,673.
