- California, New York, and Texas are the best states for poker players
- Pennsylvania born Kevin Hart is the richest poker player in the U.S.
- Nine other celebrities appear in the top 15 including Tobey Maguire
With over 71 tournaments in March, Poker is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. with over 50 million Americans regularly taking part, which is more than double then number of golf players.
With this in mind, High 5 Casino conducted a study to find out the richest poker stars based on their social media following, estimated net worth and tournament winnings. The list includes both professional poker players and celebrities with an interest in poker.
The best states for poker players
Home of the World Series of Poker, Las Vegas is considered as the poker hotspot in the U.S., and every poker player would dream to play in this famous city at least once of their life. However, Nevada “only” has 90 professional poker players, the fourth highest in the U.S.
With over 149 professional poker players having each earned over $1M, California is officially the best state for poker players. New York (117), and Florida (90) complete the top 3.
| Rank | State | Number of pro poker players |
| 1 | California | 149 |
| 2 | New York | 117 |
| 3 | Florida | 90 |
| 4 | Nevada | 67 |
| 5 | Texas | 59 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 40 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 34 |
| 8 | Illinois | 30 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 25 |
| 10 | Ohio | 21 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 17 |
| 12 | Maryland | 16 |
| 13 | Arizona | 14 |
| 14 | Connecticut | 12 |
| 15 | Colorado | 12 |
| 16 | Washington | 11 |
| 17 | Georgia | 11 |
| 18 | Minnesota | 10 |
| 19 | Michigan | 9 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 6 |
The 15 Richest Poker Stars in the U.S.
Kevin Hart may have only won $47K from poker, but his $450M net worth makes him the richest poker player in the U.S. He tops a list featuring pros like Daniel Negreanu and surprising names like Gerard Piqué and Aaron Paul. While some built their wealth through poker, others rely on social media influence and Hollywood fame. Even with millions in the bank, not all of them are big winners at the table.
| Rank | Poker Star Name | Birthplace | Total followers | Earning per post | Total Score (/100) |
| 1 | Kevin Hart | Philadelphia, PA | 230,000,000 | $14,500 | 66.69 |
| 2 | Daniel Negreanu | Toronto, Canada | 900,000 | $10,875 | 45.71 |
| 3 | Gerard Piqué | Barcelona, Spain | 57,000,000 | $14,500 | 41.90 |
| 4 | Dan Bilzerian | Tampa, FL | 47,000,000 | $14,500 | 40.16 |
| 5 | Phil Ivey | Riverside, CA | 600,000 | $10,875 | 39.41 |
| 6 | Phil Hellmuth | Madison, WI | 350,000 | $10,875 | 36.46 |
| 7 | Aaron Paul | Emmett, ID | 7,500,000 | $14,500 | 34.42 |
| 8 | Bryn Kenney | Long Beach, NY | 115,000 | $485 | 33.49 |
| 9 | Ben Affleck | Berkeley, CA | 2,700,000 | $13,375 | 31.21 |
| 10 | Matt Damon | Cambridge, MA | 2,300,000 | $13,375 | 31.00 |
| 11 | Justin Bonomo | Fairfax, VA | 145,000 | $485 | 27.24 |
| 12 | Victoria Coren Mitchell | United Kingdom | 350,000 | $10,875 | 25.84 |
| 13 | Jennifer Tilly | Harbor City, CA | 475,000 | $10,875 | 25.23 |
| 14 | Tobey Maguire | Santa Monica, CA | 900,000 | $10,875 | 24.96 |
| 15 | Shannon Elizabeth | Houston, TX | 620,000 | $10,875 | 24.94 |
Kevin Hart is officially the richest poker player in the U.S. with a total score of 66.69. The American actor and investor can count on over 230 million followers on social media, earning over 14,5K per post. However, his net worth is estimated at $450M but only earned 47K from poker.
Canadian-born Daniel Negreanu who has won seven World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and two World Poker Tour (WPT) championship titles in his career ranks second with a total score of 45.71. Negreanu totals 900K followers on social media, earning on average over $10K per post. His net worth is estimated at $60M, with $50M coming from tournament earnings.
Spanish ex-professional soccer player Gerard Piqué ranks third with a total score of 41.90. The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner can count on over 57M followers on social media, making over $14,5K per post. Hist net worth is estimated at $80M, yet his poker winnings only amount to 738K of his fortune. Social media influencerDan Bilzerian, who had the lowest positive sentiment across our list, and professional poker player Phil Ivey complete the top 5.
Interestingly, ten celebrities made their way into the top 15, with the likes of Ben Affleck, Aaron Paul, and Tobey Maguire. The Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul is the lowest earning celebrity poker player, with only $240 worth of winnings to his name.
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