A hundred years ago, no one could have predicted that poker would turn from a simple card game to a global phenomenon. As many international tournaments take place every year, drawing competitors from around the world, one crucial question arises: Which country produces the best poker players?
In this Everygame article, we will look at the numbers and what they have to say about the matter, analyzing the nationalities of the wealthiest and most successful poker pros. Are you ready to find out where all the best poker players come from?
America: The Place Where Poker Dreams Come True
The Global Poker Index (GPI) is a leaderboard index that keeps track of the latest poker events all around the world and ranks players' performances by assessing their finishing positions over the last three years.
According to GPI, the US is currently the top-performing country when it comes to tournament player results, with over 50% of the top 300 GPI-ranked players being American.
Out of the ten players with the highest GPI rankings, there are six Americans: in first place, there is Jesse Lonis, followed by William Alex Foxen, David Coleman, Jeremy Ausmus, James Collopy, and Shannon Shorr.
And if we look at Hendon Mob's All-Time Money List, we can immediately see that the first two spots are occupied by Americans as well: Bryn Kenney, with total live earnings of $75,778,350, and Justin Bonomo, with a net worth of $65,611,097.
Those numbers can be explained by the fact that poker originated in the US, which is why it is so popular in the country of endless possibilities. In addition to that, Las Vegas has become the capital of gambling, poker included, which encourages players from all over the world to join the festivities and come to the US to place bets.
Poker Players in China: Are They Coming After the US Title?
While there is no denying that the US produces the largest number of successful poker players, it seems as if China is ready to fight for recognition in the poker world as well.
The player with the second-highest GPI ranking is Tony "Ren" Lin from China, and poker pros like Biao Ding and Quan Zhou also have the honor of making the top 50 GPI players.
In addition to that, Wen Jie Huang is at the top of the 2025 Hendon Mob Money List after winning $6,004,500 in a few short months. Biao Ding has also had a pretty successful year so far, winning $3,644,443.
Canada: A Rising Poker Star
Apparently, being a neighbor of the most prolific poker country rubbed off on Canada, as it now produces quite a lot of successful poker pros.
We've all heard about Daniel Negreanu, one of the best poker players of our generation. Other popular Canadian players are Daniel Dvoress, Sam Greenwood, and Timothy Adams.
In addition to that, Canadian players Kristen Foxen and Michael "SirWatts" Watson have made the top 25 GPI ranking list. In fact, Foxen is also the most successful female poker pro around the world when it comes to the Hendon Mob 2025 Women's Money List, as she has already won $1,282,650.
For some context, look at the next best female player of the year, American player Cherish Andrews, who won considerably fewer cash prizes, and her current yearly wins stand at $708,226.
In Conclusion
There is absolutely no doubt that the US produces the largest number of successful poker players. However, players from all around the world are striving to perfect the art of poker, and who knows? Maybe in a few years, the numbers will tell us a completely different story.