Erik Seidel

Erik Seidel was born on November 6, 1959, in New York City, New York. He began his competitive career as a professional backgammon player before transitioning to the New York Stock Exchange as a trader. Seidel eventually turned to poker, becoming a regular at the legendary Mayfair Club in Manhattan, where he played alongside poker greats such as Stu Ungar, Jay Heimowitz, Mickey Appleman, Howard Lederer, Jason Lester, Steve Zolotow, Paul Magriel, and Dan Harrington. This environment honed his skills and laid the foundation for his future success.

Seidel's first major poker tournament was the 1988 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, where he finished as runner-up to Johnny Chan, earning $280,000. The final hand of this event was immortalized in the 1998 poker film Rounders. He reached the WSOP Main Event final table again in 1999, finishing fourth (won by Noel Furlong).

Seidel has won ten WSOP bracelets across five different poker variants: Hold'em, Omaha, and Deuce to Seven Draw. His first bracelet came in 1992 in the $2,500 Limit Hold'em event. He followed with bracelets in 1993 ($2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo), 1994 ($5,000 Limit Hold'em), 1998 ($5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw), 2001 ($3,120 No-Limit Hold'em for $411,300), 2003 ($1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha), 2005 ($2,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $611,795), and 2007 ($5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw). After a 14-year gap, he won his ninth bracelet in 2021 in the $10,000 Super Million$ High Roller (online event). His tenth bracelet came on December 9, 2023, at WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas, winning the $50,000 Super High Roller for $1,704,400. This tied him with Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan for the third-most WSOP bracelets all time, behind only Phil Ivey (11) and Phil Hellmuth (17). As of 2025, Seidel has 51 WSOP final tables, 173 cashes (including 151 live), and over $10.1 million in WSOP earnings.

On the World Poker Tour (WPT), Seidel won his first title during Season 6 in the 2008 WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic, earning $992,890. He finished runner-up in the 2011 Hollywood Open ($155,103) and won the $100,000 Super High Roller event at the WPT World Championship in May 2011 for $1,092,780.

On the European Poker Tour (EPT), Seidel captured the €100,000 Super High Roller at the 2015 EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo, earning €2,015,000 (approximately $2,222,222).

Seidel has numerous other major victories. He won the National Heads-Up Poker Championship in 2011, defeating 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker in the final and collecting $750,000. This win briefly moved him to first place on the all-time tournament money list.

In January 2011, Seidel won the A$250,000 Super High Roller at the Aussie Millions for A$2,500,000 ($2,472,555), his largest live cash to date. He also finished second in the same event in 2007 ($550,000 AUD) and third in the 2011 A$100,000 event ($618,139). Other high-profile results include runner-up in the 2011 Epic Poker League $20,000 6-Max event ($604,330), third place in the 2016 $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl ($2,400,000), and wins in high rollers at the LA Poker Classic ($144,570 in 2011) and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure ($295,960 for fourth in 2011).

Seidel is renowned for his calm, patient, and deeply analytical style. He adapts seamlessly across various poker formats—cash games, tournaments, and high rollers—and maintains consistency at the highest levels. His demeanor at the table is often described as stoic, earning him nicknames such as "Sly" and "Seiborg." He is respected for his ability to read opponents and make mathematically sound decisions under pressure.

In 2010, Seidel was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. His ten WSOP bracelets tie him with Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan for third most all-time, and he is one of only a handful of players to have won bracelets in five different games. As of 2025, his live tournament earnings exceed $48.98 million, placing him 12th on the all-time money list according to Hendon Mob. Seidel also mentored journalist Maria Konnikova starting in 2016, teaching her poker strategy and the mental discipline required to succeed. He maintains an active presence on social media, particularly Twitter (@Erik_Seidel) with over 92,000 followers, where he shares witty and often sarcastic commentary.

Seidel remains an active competitor on the tournament circuit. In the 2025 WSOP, he cashed in multiple events, including a 9th-place finish in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship ($107,192) and a 12th-place in the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha ($123,051). He also cashed in the 2024 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event ($67,300). His enduring success into his mid-60s underscores his reputation as one of poker's greatest players.

Erik Seidel resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He maintains a Twitter account (@Erik_Seidel) with over 92,000 followers, where he posts witty and sarcastic commentary. He also has an Instagram account, though he rarely shares poker-related content. Seidel does not operate a personal YouTube channel.

In addition to his runner-up finish in the 1988 WSOP Main Event, Seidel placed second in a WSOP event in 1991, cashing for $126,000 in the $5,000 Limit Hold'em tournament. He then won his first bracelet the following year.

Seidel has excelled in heads-up competitions. In 2010, he finished runner-up to Annie Duke in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, earning $250,000. The following year, he won the same event. Internationally, Seidel placed second in the 2008 Aussie Millions Main Event for A$1,000,000 ($879,028), and later won the A$250,000 Super High Roller at the same series in 2011.