But there were also plenty of backroom poker games to be found in the city, attracting the sharpest players alongside those with the deepest pockets. Gambling became legal in Canada in the 1970s, and more casinos began to open through Negreanu’s early days as a poker player in the 90s. They all came together in the game of poker, which he learned and then played enthusiastically around the gaming venues of his hometown as a teenager. However, Negreanu used his young years to develop plenty of other attributes that would come to stand him in good stead, including gambling and pool hustling, as well as an instinctive knack for numbers and probability. By his own admission he spent more time honing social skills than he did on his studies, and dropped out of high school before graduation-”one art credit short”, according to his official biography. Although Negreanu was given far more opportunities than many children of the era in the country his parents fled, the young Daniel was hardly a stellar student. It all seems a long way from his humble beginnings in Toronto, Canada, where he was born in July 1974 to working-class immigrants from communist Romania.

He has spent many months of his career at the top of the all-time tournament money list – and the totals don’t even count money earned from cash games, where Negreanu cut his teeth, nor endorsements, where he is in a league of his own. Negreanu continues to play prolifically, across all stakes, variants and tours. Negreanu has enjoyed significant wins at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), has won World Poker Tour (WPT) titles and amassed tournament earnings of more than $42 million. That’s not to say Negreanu can’t play poker. He realized quicker than anyone else that being a success in modern poker is about more than what you can do at the tables. It’s no surprise that Negreanu is also the No 1 pick for sponsors looking for a face to publicize their online cardrooms. Who gets stopped for selfies by most fans during tournament breaks (and obliges every time)? Daniel Negreanu. Who is the go-to personality for reporters and photographers looking for a story? Negreanu again.

Which table draws the most attention at any poker tournament? Negreanu’s table. No one gets anywhere close to Daniel Negreanu, the endlessly friendly Canadian, who has done more for raising the mainstream profile of poker than anybody else. It depends on the era if you’re talking about live or online tournament or cash hold’em or other variants.īut in the modern game, there has only ever been one answer to the question of who is the most popular poker player. The question of who is the world’s best poker player will never accurately be answered. How Much Money Can You Make Playing Poker?.

Negreanu wins world series of poker