Nominations for 2025 membership into the Poker Hall of Fame are now open.

The public has until June 15 to submit their nominees via the WSOP’s webpage found here. Be aware the Poker Hall of Fame has several criteria that their nominees must meet. They are, according to the WSOP:

• Age of Experience: at least 40 years of age at the time of nomination.
• High Stakes Experience: Having played and proven themselves at the high stakes.
• Respected by Peers: Held in high regard by fellow poker players and having faced acknowledged top competition at the poker table.
• Consistent Excellence: Played consistently well, earning the respect of peers.
• Legacy That Lasts: Withstanding the test of time and achieving longevity in poker.
• Shaping the Game: For non-players, contributing to the game of poker in a way that has resulted in lasting, positive results.

After the submissions are tallied and reviewed by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council, a shortlist will be given to the current 35 living members of the Hall of Fame. They will then have the opportunity to assign 10 points to whoever they want. The player with the most points will be this year’s inductee and will introduced sometime during the WSOP Main Event.

Since 2020, only one person has been inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame per year. And since the number of deserving players and industry members who arguably should have their picture pasted on the wall of the Horseshoe Las Vegas goes way past the number of one, the living members will have an tough choice to make this year and in the foreseeable future.

Bottleneck city

While the list of deserving members continues to grow as more and more fantastic players age into eligibility, a bottleneck of greatness has developed at the door of the Poker Hall of Fame. Patrick Antonius made it inside last year, but there are many people and players that are jammed in the doorway.

They include longtime World Poker Tour Poker Director, former WSOP tournament director, and nine-time nominee Matt Savage, six-time WSOP bracelet winner and fantastic high-stakes player Ted Forrest, 2021 WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh, and 10-time Poker Hall of Fame nominee Mike Matusow.

The bottleneck gets tighter with last year’s WSOP Player of the Year and seven-time bracelet winner Scott Seiver and superb player and poker announcer Nick Schulman turning 40 within the year. Those two will most likely find their way to what should be renamed the “come up short” list.

What about 2023 nominee Jeremy Ausmus, who was named 2024 PokerGO Tour Player of the Year, and, at 45, continues to dominate in the highest buy-in tournaments the world has to offer? Or Antonio Esfandiari? Or Michael Mizrachi? The list is long.

And as the years go on, more and more players who probably deserve to get into the Hall of Fame will be left in the parking lot. Jason Koon turns 40 in August. Shaun Deeb will also be eligible, as will Justin Bonomo.

Following them into the 40s the next couple of years are many fantastic players who will receive consideration for the Poker Hall of Fame, including Stephen Chidwick, Alex and Kristen Foxen, all-time tournament cash leader Bryn Kenney, recent back-to-back bracelet winner Benny Glaser, and David Peters, just to name a few.

Will all that talent, somethings got to give.

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