Daniel Heimiller

Daniel Heimiller was born on June 25, 1962, in California but was raised in Livonia, Michigan. Before becoming a full-time poker professional, he worked as an industrial engineer and also drove a taxi cab in Las Vegas. His diverse background gave him a unique perspective on risk and reward, which he later applied to poker. Heimiller has been playing poker for over 30 years, competing in a wide variety of events including the World Series of Poker (WSOP), World Poker Tour (WPT), and Professional Poker Tour (PPT).

Heimiller's first recorded live cash dates back to 1992, but his breakthrough at the WSOP came in 1997 when he finished third in a $2,000 Limit Hold'em event for $103,360. That result marked the start of a remarkable streak: he would cash in at least one WSOP event every year from 1997 through 2021, a span of 25 consecutive years. In 1999, he won the "Best All Around Player" award at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. During a particularly hot two-year period, Heimiller won nine tournaments and appeared at 33 final tables. Over his entire career, he has won 42 of the 417 tournaments he cashed in, a remarkable win rate.

Heimiller has won three WSOP bracelets. His first came in 2002 when he took down the $2,000 Limit Hold'em & Seven-Card Stud event for $108,300, defeating Ram Vaswani heads-up. The final table also included Paul McKinney and Max Stern. That same year, he finished 43rd in the WSOP Main Event.

After several near misses—including runner-up finishes in the 2001 $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo and the 2010 $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo—Heimiller captured his second bracelet in 2014. He won the $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship, besting a then-record field of 4,425 players to earn $627,462, his largest career cash to date.

His third bracelet came in 2025 at the age of 63, when he won the $1,500 Seven Card Stud event for $106,840. In addition to his bracelet victories, Heimiller has 15 WSOP final tables and 91 lifetime WSOP cashes (plus 17 more in WSOP Circuit, APAC, and online events). He has also won two WSOP Circuit rings. He has cashed seven times in the WSOP Main Event: 2002, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021. A notable near-miss was his second-place finish in the 2023 $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller for $439,662.

Beyond the WSOP, Heimiller has enjoyed significant success on the World Poker Tour. He has 15 WPT cashes and three final tables. His biggest WPT cash came in 2008 when he finished third in the Borgata Poker Open for $387,500. He also finished second in the 2013 WPT Legends of Poker for $356,115. In the European Poker Tour, he made the final table of the 2009 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, finishing seventh for $300,000.

Heimiller also won a World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) bracelet in 2003, playing under the screen name "Lenny" in a $300 Pot-Limit Omaha High-Low event. His online success complements his live achievements. As of 2025, his total live tournament winnings exceed $7.9 million, with over $3.4 million coming from WSOP and related events. He is ranked 5th all time in number of live tournament cashes and 12th in all time WSOP cashes.

Heimiller is known for an aggressive, attacking style, often applying pressure pre-flop and on the flop. He excels at reading opponents and adjusting his aggression based on table dynamics. While primarily aggressive, he shows flexibility and patience when necessary, balancing assertiveness with careful hand selection. His calm demeanor at the table contrasts with his fierce play, creating a respected persona. He is often called "Danny" by peers. With a career spanning three decades and still competing at a high level, Heimiller's legacy as a consistent, multi-bracelet winner and one of the most prolific cash earners in poker history is secure.