34 Poker Tournament Millionaires in 2005

Want more proof that poker parallels a sport like golf more than some ready-to-flame-out-fad? Follow the tournament money.

According to Card Player, 34 players won more than $1 mil in tournaments during 2005.  This is up from 22 in 2k4--and amount of tournament money to be won has climbed every year this century.

The number does not include Internet players such as a Thomas Keller...or roughly half of Scandinavia.

Now look at golf.  Golf had 78 tournament millionaires this year.  In 1996, the year before the latest Tiger-led-boom really kicked in, there were nine.   

Card Player's list of top 2005 poker money winners includes many a name that made the WSOP ME final table.  Others, such as Phil Ivey, climbed the list by making five major event final tables.  The top 10: 1) Joe Hachem - $7,614,022, 2) Steve Dannenmann - $4,350,000, 3) Phil Ivey - $3,333,426, 4) Tuan Lee - $2,856,150, 5) John "Tex" Barch - $2,528,085, 6) Michael Mizrachi - $2,472,439, 7) Michael Gracz -$2,292,271, 8) Nick Schulman - $2,241,995, 9) Rehne Pedersen - $2,112,200, 10) Mike Matusow -$2,009,225.

Comments

[best rakeback]

You can make a lot of money in tournaments. Many players don't have a clue what they doing. Thats why tournaments are the most profitable form

[arizona bankruptcy attorney]

I had not heard the golf - poker comparison before but you make a strong argument. I wonder if poker's allure will continue in the coming years.