Justin Bonomo

Justin Bonomo (born September 30, 1985, in Fairfax, Virginia) is an American high-stakes professional poker player, known online as "ZeeJustin." He began his competitive career in Magic: The Gathering before transitioning to poker, dropping out of the University of Maryland to pursue the game. As of 2025, he sits fourth on the all-time live tournament money list with over $65.6 million in earnings. He holds three World Series of Poker bracelets and has amassed 55 WSOP cashes, 19 final tables, and over $14 million in WSOP winnings. Bonomo is also a regular on the super high roller circuit, winning titles at the Triton Poker Series, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and Super High Roller Bowl.

Bonomo first gained attention in February 2005 when, at age 19, he became the youngest player to reach a televised final table, finishing fourth in the European Poker Tour French Open in Deauville. His first recorded tournament cash came that same year. He notched his first major cash in the 2006 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic (6th place) and nearly made another final table at the 2007 PCA Main Event (11th). At the WSOP, his first cash came in 2007, with a fourth-place finish in a $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for over $150,000. In 2008, he finished second in the $5,000 Mixed Hold'em event for $230,159. He won a WSOP Circuit ring in April 2009 and added another WSOP runner-up finish in the $2,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw event in 2011, earning $117,305. During this period, Bonomo established himself as a fixture on the US circuit.

Bonomo has won three World Series of Poker bracelets:

• 2014 WSOP – Event #11: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed ($449,980). He topped a 1,587-entry field, defeating Mike Sowers heads-up. This was his first bracelet after several runner-up finishes; he had previously lamented on Twitter, "Always a bride's maid, never a bride."
• 2018 WSOP – Event #16: $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship ($185,965)
• 2018 WSOP – Event #78: $1,000,000 The Big One for One Drop ($10,000,000)

The $10 million win in the One Drop temporarily propelled him to #1 on the all-time money list, surpassing Daniel Negreanu. He was later surpassed by Bryn Kenney in August 2019, but then surpassed Kenney again in July 2022. In total, Bonomo has 55 WSOP cashes, 19 final tables, and over $14 million in WSOP earnings. His highest WSOP Main Event finish is 64th (2015). Across all brands, WSOP.com lists 109 cashes and over $19 million.

Bonomo is a regular on the high roller circuit. In 2012, he won the €100,000 Super High Roller at EPT Monte Carlo for €1,640,000. In May 2018, he won the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl for $5,000,000. Earlier that year, he also won the Super High Roller Bowl China for $4.8 million, and had a runner-up finish in the PCA $100,000 Super High Roller for $1,077,800. His incredible 2018 saw him amass over $25 million in tournament earnings, a feat recognized as one of the top 10 stories of the year. He has multiple Triton Poker Series titles, including:

• Jeju 2019 – 250K HKD Short Deck Ante-Only (HKD 4,600,000)
• London 2019 – £100K Short Deck Main Event (£2,670,000)

His PokerGO Tour victories include events at ARIA and Bellagio, such as:

• ARIA High Roller #31 – $10,000 NLH ($171,000, 2021)
• Bellagio High Roller #2 – $100,000 NLH ($928,200, 2021)
• Bellagio High Roller #5 – $10,000 NLH ($128,000, 2021)
• ARIA High Roller #16 – $10,000 NLH ($124,200, 2022)
• Bellagio High Roller #5 – $10,000 NLH ($75,792, 2022)
• Bellagio High Roller #11 – $25,000 NLH ($229,500, 2022)
• ARIA High Roller #35 – $10,000 NLH ($119,600, 2022)
• Poker Masters #9 – $25,000 NLH ($333,000, 2023)

He also has six World Poker Tour final tables and 23 EPT money finishes. In 2023, he made an ace-high hero call to win his first Poker Masters title.

Bonomo is known for an aggressive, precise style that applies frequent pressure pre-flop and post-flop. He excels at reading opponent ranges and making accurate folds. In deep-stacked play, he controls pot sizes with small bets or executes large bluffs. His game blends traditional theory with modern GTO strategies, creating an unpredictable hybrid. He emphasizes position and exploits opponents' tendencies.

In 2006, Bonomo was caught entering major online tournaments on Partypoker using multiple accounts. He was banned from two sites and had tens of thousands of dollars seized. He was a sponsored member of Team Bodog until January 2010. Despite this, he remains a respected figure in the live tournament community.

Bonomo resides in Las Vegas, living in Panorama Towers, a building home to many poker professionals. According to Hendon Mob, his residence is also listed as Vancouver, BC, Canada. He practices polyamory and has donated $13,250 to the SENS Project, a life extension research initiative. Bonomo is active on social media: Twitter/X (@JustinBonomo) and Instagram (@zeejustin). As of 2025, he ranks fourth on The Hendon Mob All-Time Money List with over $65.5 million in live tournament earnings, cementing his legacy as one of the most successful high-stakes players in poker history.

Prior to his poker career, Bonomo was a competitive Magic: The Gathering player. He started playing the trading card game and built up his initial bankroll from low-stakes limit cash games before transitioning to poker. His background in Magic helped develop his strategic thinking and ability to read opponents, skills that later proved invaluable at the poker table.

The 2018 World Series of Poker marked the pinnacle of Bonomo's career. Within weeks, he won two bracelets: first the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship ($185,965) and then the $1,000,000 The Big One for One Drop ($10,000,000). Combined with earlier victories in the Super High Roller Bowl China ($4.8 million) and the Super High Roller Bowl in Las Vegas ($5 million), Bonomo amassed over $25 million in tournament earnings in 2018 alone. This achievement was named the #1 story of the year by poker media, highlighting his unprecedented run of success.

Bonomo is known for his ability to make difficult reads and hero calls. In 2023, he won his first Poker Masters title by making a famous ace-high hero call against a top opponent. The hand, which involved calling a large river bet with ace-high, was widely praised for its precision and showcased his exceptional hand-reading skills. Such plays have become a hallmark of his style, often turning marginal spots into victories.

In 2025, Bonomo crossed the $65,000,000 milestone in live tournament earnings, cementing his status among the elite. According to The Hendon Mob, he has been ranked as high as 2nd on the All-Time Money List. He maintains a residence in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in addition to his Las Vegas home.

The Hendon Mob database lists multiple awards for Bonomo, including the WSOP Bracelet Winner award. He has been recognized for his consistent high-stakes success, earning a place among the most decorated players in poker history. His three WSOP bracelets and numerous high roller titles are a testament to his skill.

Bonomo continues to perform on the PokerGO Tour, with multiple cashes in 2021-2023 at ARIA and Bellagio high rollers. His 2023 Poker Masters victory further solidified his reputation as a top competitor in the super high roller arena.