Poker Hall Of Fame Finalists: Trio Of 40-Year-Olds Among 10 Contenders

The World Series of Poker announced Tuesday the 10 finalists for induction into the Poker Hall of Fame this year, a list made up of seven past nominees as well as three first-timers who each reached the age of eligibility — 40 — in the last 12 months.

Phil Galfond, Nick Schulman, and Scott Seiver, none of whom were old enough to play poker in a Las Vegas casino when the poker boom began in 2003, are in contention for the first time. They are joined on the ballot by fellow poker pros Jeremy Ausmus, “Miami” John Cernuto (recently deceased), Ted Forrest, Kathy Liebert, and Mike Matusow, as well as industry figures Matt Savage and Isai Scheinberg.

After a period in the 2010s when two new Hall of Famers were inducted each year, the Hall has allowed only one new entrant annually since 2020. The 30 living Hall of Famers will each cast a vote to determine which of this year’s 10 nominees will gain entry.

The results will be announced on July 11, ahead of the start of the WSOP’s $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold’em event — which coincides with Day 6 of the Main Event.

The finalists

A glimpse at the 10 contenders, listed alphabetically:

Jeremy Ausmus: A six-time WSOP bracelet winner with live tournament winnings in excess of $25 million and one WSOP Main Event final table appearance.

“Miami” John Cernuto: A three-time bracelet winner and poker pro for more than 40 years who at one time held the record for most tournament cashes. A sentimental choice, having died at age 81 in February.

Ted Forrest: A six-time bracelet winner and one-time World Poker Tour (WPT) champion who is also recognized for his high-stakes cash-game exploits and propensity for making outside-the-box prop bets.

Phil Galfond: A three-time bracelet winner and star of the early online poker era under the screen name “OMGClayAiken” who later founded a real-money online poker site.

Kathy Liebert: A one-time bracelet winner who has also made six WPT final tables and a 2010 inductee of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame.

Mike Matusow: Better known to some as “The Mouth,” a four-time bracelet winner who has reached the WSOP Main Event final table twice and has long been among the game’s most polarizing personalities.

Matt Savage: The longtime executive tour director for the WPT and the founder of the Tournament Directors Association. This is his 10th time on the list of Hall of Fame finalists.

Isai Scheinberg: The founder and former owner of PokerStars, which for much of the modern era was the world’s largest real-money online poker site.

Nick Schulman: A seven-time bracelet winner (who claimed one this summer) and one-time WPT champion also known as a top poker TV/streaming commentator.

Scott Seiver: Also a seven-time bracelet winner and one-time WPT champion, plus was named 2024 WSOP Player of the Year. Has more than $25 million in career tournament earnings.

No player has been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility since Phil Ivey in 2017.