When a year comes to a close, there is nothing more satisfying than reviewing the past 12 months and reminiscing about the best poker moments we've experienced. The moment the clock struck twelve on New Year's Eve, all 2022 poker games came to an official conclusion, cementing the stats in stone.
Now we can take a look at which poker pros had a highly successful year, who won the biggest prizes, and who dominated the live and online poker world! Are you ready to find out more about the most profitable poker players of 2022?
Top 5 Successful Poker Pros in 2022
The Hendon Mob Poker Database always tries to provide fans with the latest poker stats, allowing us to keep track of every game and win. According to their data, the following players are at the top of the 2022 Money List:
- Espen Uhlen Jørstad – Born in 1988, the Norwegian poker pro now resides in London. He is ranked first on Hendon Mob's 2022 Money List after winning 10,000,000 in the WSOP Main Event. That brings his overall wins to a total of $10,695,576, as throughout his career he had 23 money finishes. Jørstad started his career by streaming on Twitch, later being sponsored by a major poker website. He began participating in live WSOP events in 2020, and his quick rise to glory can only mean we might be facing a future poker royalty!
- Sam Grafton – The English-born poker pro had a marvelous year in 2022, as he won $8,418,423 by participating in multiple events. Luckily, he won 1st place while participating in Event #6 of the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Cyprus, adding $5,500,000 to his overall wins in one blow. That brought his total earnings to $12,908,659 – which is not bad at all.
- Jason Koon – The American poker pro, born in 1985, began playing poker in 2006 following an injury. At the start of his career, he stuck mostly to online games and tournaments, graduating to live events around 2008. Koon had a highly profitable career, with total live earnings summing up to $42,387,725. But 2022 was especially lucrative for Koon as he won $8,323,248 in the span of 12 months. Out of all the events he participated in this year, Koon won first place in 4, which is highly uncommon. Can he prolong his winning streak a bit longer?
- Jake Schindler – Another American player made it on this list, with astounding wins of $7,151,433 this year. The 33-year-old poker pro is known for his accomplishments in live and online events, where he accumulated more than $35,400,000 in live earnings. His two biggest wins in 2022 happened while he participated in the Super High Roller Series, where he won more than $3m, and the WSOP, where he won a bracelet and $1.3m to boot.
- Mikita Badziakouski – The youngest player on this list, the 1992-born Belarusian player has made a name for himself by participating in live poker tournaments. According to Hendon Mob, this year, he made more than $7,086,615, with two major wins – one while playing at the European Poker Tour and the other at the Triton Poker Series in Madrid.
Happy New Year!
Apparently, 2022 was a good year for some poker players. After all, who wouldn't want to win millions of dollars in some of the most prestigious poker events? Looking at those successful pros is a great motivator for anyone who wants to make a career out of this beloved game.
And who knows? Maybe you will see your name on a similar list in years to come!