One of the greatest achievements any poker player can dream of is not becoming a millionaire (even though it can't hurt) – it is being recognized for their achievements by being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame (PHoF).
The PHoF is a highly prestigious club that only a few people get the honor of joining. Every year, only one – and on rare occasions, two – poker players or someone working in the industry are chosen to become a PHoF member for life. Some poker stars only receive this special honor after their death, which serves to show how hard it is to get in!
Now, the PHoF is accepting nominations for 2025, and our Everygame Poker team is here to follow the drama! Who will be nominated? And who will be awarded the greatest honor of all? Stay tuned and find out everything there is to know about the Poker Hall of Fame.
The Process & Timeline of Choosing a New PHoF Member
According to the official WSOP website, nominations will be accepted from June 6 through June 15. The final decision will be announced during the WSOP Main Event, which will take place on July 10th, giving the judges almost a month to deliberate who is the worthiest candidate of all.
After the public submits their nominations, the submissions are reviewed by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council. However, the final decision is made by the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame. They make their decision based on the following criteria:
- Only people over the age of 40 can be chosen to join this exclusive club.
- Non-players are evaluated for their contribution to the game of poker, mainly if they manage to influence the industry in a positive, long-lasting way.
- Poker players must have a history of playing at a high stakes level while playing consistently well.
- All nominees must be respected by their peers, gaining their acknowledgment for their achievements.
- And lastly, their achievements should be able to withstand the test of time and be remembered for years to come.
As of 2024, 61 people have been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. While the majority of the members are poker players, there are a few non-players who made enough of an impact on the industry to deserve a spot in this Hall of Fame.
Thar includes names like Blondie Forbes - who is credited with creating the beloved game of Texas Hold'em, Linda Johnson – "The First Lady of Poker" who was the publisher of Card Player Magazine and instrumental in the formation of the Tournament Director's Association, Benny Binion - who founded the Horseshoe Casino and the WSOP, and Jack McClelland – a WSOP tournament director in the 1980s and manager of the Bellagio poker room.
The last poker player to be inducted into the PHoF is Patrik Antonius, a Finnish player whose live earnings exceed $29,300,000.
Who Might Be Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2025?
While we still don't know exactly who the public nominated, a few speculations have been made about who might be the next PHoF member.
Daniel Negreanu believes that Nick Schulman is going to be the next member to join the club. With 7 WSOP bracelets under his belt and more than $23m in live wins, it is clear that Schulman fits the criteria the PHoF is looking for.
On the other hand, Hall of Fame member John Hennigan believes Ted Forrest is the one who will get this special honor. Forrest is one of the most skilled poker players out there, as he has been a part of the industry since the age of 15 and has won 6 bracelets over the years.
Who do you think is going to be the next Poker Hall of Fame member?