While some of the best online poker players often enjoy reveling in their success, not everyone feels comfortable in the spotlight. In recent years, several of the biggest winners in online games played under an unfamiliar nickname, and their identity remains a secret.
Who are those players? And how much money did they win? Let's take a look at some of the most surprising and intriguing players in the industry.
Top 3 Anonymous Poker Players
- EireAbu – Probably one of the most successful anonymous poker players generated $2,591,915 in profits throughout his career. This online player made his debut in 2011, and at first, it seemed as he was just an average Joe.
By February 2012, EireAbu was at a $325.32k loss, but he managed to recover spectacularly. In a matter of a few months, the player managed to win more than $3m while playing hundreds of hands. And most shockingly of all, the stakes never went higher than $50/100! Over the years, experts tried to uncover the player's identity, and they came to the conclusion that it must be an Irish native, but so far, nothing has been confirmed. - Azn_baller3 – This player is in 30th place on the HighstakesDB list of the biggest poker winners. He first started playing in 2012, and up until 2018, he played almost 300k hands - winning a total amount of $2,088,435 in his career. Azn_baller3 was usually seen at PLO (Pot Limit Omaha) tables when the stakes were relatively low: $25/$50 and $50/$100.
However, he could also hold his own against more aggressive players when the stakes were as high as $200/$400. According to experts, the player's nickname suggests he is based in Asia, and many believe that a popular Thai poker pro is behind the nickname. - RaúlGonzalez – We know very little about this player's background, apart from the fact that he is obviously a fan of Spanish soccer. Over the years, RaúlGonzalez played more than 328,100 hands, earning $1,470,632 in total.
During his career, this anonymous player saw some ups and downs, as he experiences some major losses (that went up to $329k) and some exhilarating wins. The fluctuating winning stats indicate that RaúlGonzalez played against some experienced pros, which says a lot about the player's level of skills as well.
Why Poker Players Might Choose to Remain Anonymous
When large stacks of money are at stake, most poker pros aren't too prone to use a pseudonym. After all, who doesn't like seeing his name appearing in the headlines after a major win?
Well, apparently, some poker players prefer to keep their identity a secret – even if they win big. Sometimes, the reason behind this decision is practical yet somewhat illegal, as there are players who try to avoid paying taxes on their wins.
However, in many cases, players are simply trying to protect their privacy at all costs, which is a legitimate reason. Others might also feel more confident and able when playing poker under an unrecognizable nickname.
According to another theory, some popular poker pros tend to play under different nicknames as well, so as not to attract unnecessary attention to themselves.
And who can fault them for that?
In Conclusion
Online poker players sometimes prefer not to disclose their personal information, creating an air of mystery that the fans highly enjoy. Who is your favorite anonymous poker player and why? Do you think you know who hides behind the mask?
While a lot of theories regarding the player's identities circulate the web, we probably will never know who is responsible for the great wins we've mentioned.