Tom McEvoy

Tom McEvoy was born on November 14, 1944, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He learned poker at age five, but did not play full-time until 1978 after losing his job as an accountant. His long career as an accountant cultivated his rigorous thinking.

McEvoy's first WSOP cash came in 1982, finishing sixth in the $1,000 Razz event. In 1983 he had his breakthrough: first winning a $1,000 limit Texas hold'em event (defeating Donnacha O'Dea for his first gold bracelet), then winning the WSOP Main Event for $540,000. He was the first champion to qualify for the Main Event via a single-table satellite, and his heads-up match with Rod Peate lasting 7.5 hours set a WSOP record for the longest heads-up match at that time. He later won two more gold bracelets: 1986 $1,000 Razz (defeating Alma McClelland) and 1992 $1,500 limit Omaha (defeating Berry Johnston).

As of October 2021, his live tournament earnings exceed $3,100,000, with WSOP winnings accounting for $1,391,462. Besides his 1983 Main Event win, he has three other WSOP Main Event cashes (2006 – 371st, 2016 – 644th, 2018 – 430th).

• 1983 WSOP Main Event champion ($540,000)
• 4 WSOP gold bracelets (1983 twice, 1986, 1992)
• 2005 Professional Poker Tour Event #3 champion ($225,000)
• 2009 inaugural WSOP Champions Invitational winner (won a 1970 Corvette and the Binion Cup)
• 2013 inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame
• 36 WSOP Main Event appearances, 56 total WSOP cashes

McEvoy is a strong advocate for smoke-free poker. In 1998 he organized the first smoke-free poker tournament, and in 2002 convinced WSOP owner Becky Binion Behnen to make the WSOP a smoke-free event. He has authored or co-authored over a dozen poker books, including classics such as Tournament Poker (with T.J. Cloutier) and Poker for Dummies. He was a columnist for CardPlayer magazine and a member of Team PokerStars from 2003 to 2011.

McEvoy is known for being solid, patient, and emphasizing position and hand selection while avoiding unnecessary risks. He advocates systematic thinking and adjusting strategies based on opponents' tendencies. His teaching philosophy has influenced many players, earning him the nickname "The Poker Professor."

McEvoy lives in Las Vegas and has three children. After 2020, he remained active in the WSOP, and in 2025 he was still playing the $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty event.