Sam Grafton

Sam Grafton hails from Leamington Spa, England. He turned professional after building a strong foundation on the UK live circuit. His earliest major successes came in 2017, when he won the A$5,000 Six Max event at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship and the €117,707 first prize in the PokerStars Festival Bucharest Main Event. In 2021, Grafton added the GUKPT London Grand Final title to his resume, taking home £102,700 ($163,953). These victories established him as a rising force in tournament poker.

Grafton’s career-defining moment arrived in September 2022 at the Triton Mediterranean Poker Party. He captured the $200,000 Coin Rivet Invitational for a staggering $5,500,000, his largest live cash to date. This win vaulted him into the top 100 of the all-time money list. In August 2019, he finished second in the €100,000 EPT Barcelona Super High Roller to Sergi Reixach, earning €1,303,950. Other notable results include a fifth-place finish in the €100,000 Triton Main Event in Madrid (€716,000), runner-up in the $50,000 Six-Max at Triton Mediterranean ($994,500), and second place in the WSOP Europe €50,000 High Roller ($462,363). He also final-tabled the £5,300 UK Million Main Event in 2018, finishing fifth for £205,850.

Across 27 cashes at the World Series of Poker, Grafton has accumulated over $1.2 million in WSOP-related earnings. His best WSOP result came in 2021 when he finished seventh in Event #87: $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em for $263,227. Earlier in 2019, he placed 11th in the $50,000 High Roller for $101,604 and later that year took 7th in the $100,000 High Roller for $171,936. Grafton has two WSOP final tables and consistently performs in high-roller events in Las Vegas.

Grafton has been a regular on the European Poker Tour. At the 2021 EPT Prague, he took down the €10,200 NLHE Bounty High Roller, defeating online legend Niklas Astedt heads-up to claim €80,360 plus bounties. He nearly added a second Spadie Trophy by finishing runner-up in the €25,000 Single-Day High Roller IV to Rodrigo Selouan, earning €220,050. In 2023, he won the €10,200 Mystery Bounty event at EPT Monte Carlo for €97,900. Grafton also has multiple cashes at EPT Barcelona, including a fourth-place in the €100,000 Super High Roller in 2023 (€209,600) and a sixth-place in the €25,000 High Roller in 2024 ($85,803). At EPT Cyprus, he finished fourth in the $25,000 NLH event ($155,800) and fourth in the $50,000 Super High Roller ($256,600) both in 2023.

Beyond the EPT, Grafton has excelled on the Triton Poker Series. In addition to his $5.5M win, he placed second in the $50,000 Six-Max event at Triton Mediterranean for $994,500. In 2023, he cashed in the $100,000 NLHE Main Event in Vietnam for $195,400. Grafton's success in high-roller tournaments has earned him a reputation as one of the top British players in the world. His total live earnings have surpassed $15.6 million, placing him 5th on the England all-time money list and 84th globally.

Known for his calm and composed demeanor at the tables, Grafton combines mathematical precision with patient aggression. He is comfortable in both deep-stacked tournaments and cash games, often appearing on high-stakes live streams. Viewers appreciate his humorous interactions and humble attitude, earning him the nickname "the gentleman of poker." Grafton emphasizes balance and adaptation, adjusting his strategy based on opponent tendencies. As a former PokerStars Ambassador, he has been a prominent figure in promotional content and strategy discussions.

As of 2025, Grafton continues to compete actively. In early 2025, he cashed in the Irish Poker Open €5,000 Mystery Bounty (4th, $11,833) and the PokerStars Open Campione €5,000 NLH (15th, $9,102). He also recorded a cash at the 2025 WSOP International Circuit in Argentina. In late 2024, he finished 163rd in the EPT Prague Main Event for €9,850. With 113 total cashes and consistent deep runs, Grafton remains a formidable presence in the global poker scene.