Tony George Dunst

Tony George Dunst was born on October 17, 1984, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in the Madison area. He studied theater at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and worked as a waiter before committing to poker full-time. Dunst first discovered the game in 2003 after watching the 2002 World Series of Poker on television, and he quickly began playing online under the screen name "Bond18." He built a formidable online resume, amassing more than $1.8 million in online tournament winnings and becoming a well-known figure on forums and poker strategy sites. Before settling in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dunst spent time living in Australia, China, and Malaysia, experiences that shaped both his game and his worldview.

Dunst made his WSOP debut in 2006, finishing 198th in the Main Event, and continued grinding live and online for years. His persistence paid off in 2016 when he finally captured his first major title.

Dunst's largest live cash came at the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event in January. He nearly missed the tournament entirely after losing a $5,000 chip while waiting in line to register, but fellow pro Mike McDonald offered to pay his buy-in. Dunst went on to finish runner-up to Ari Engel, earning A$1,000,000 (approximately $700,069 USD) from a 732-entry field with a $5,214,507 prize pool.

Later that same year, in July 2016, Dunst won his first WSOP bracelet at the Rio in Las Vegas, taking down the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. He outlasted a field of 2,452 players to earn $339,254 and dedicated the victory to his wife, Sharon. His second bracelet came during the 2020 WSOP Online series, where he won the $777 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed event for $168,342. He added a third bracelet at the 2024 WSOP Online, winning Event #15: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack for $134,886. Playing under the screen name "Panoramic," he defeated the player "vevere" heads-up, while the runner-up collected $96,316. He also earned a min-cash in another online event that summer.

In addition to his three bracelets, Dunst has won three WSOP Circuit rings: the 2021 online $320 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Max ($19,757), the 2022 online $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller 6-Max ($32,668), and the 2022 online $320 No-Limit Hold'em event ($21,230). His career WSOP earnings exceed $1.2 million, and his total live tournament winnings are more than $4.3 million, placing him inside the top 550 on poker's all-time money list and fourth on the Wisconsin all-time list.

Dunst's relationship with the World Poker Tour spans more than a decade. In 2010, he beat out hundreds of contestants in a nationwide search to become the host of the WPT's "Raw Deal" segment, where he analyzed key hands from each televised final table. In November 2013, he won the Season 12 WPT Caribbean Main Event in St. Maarten, adding a WPT title to his resume.

Dunst has made five additional WPT final tables, including three appearances in the WPT Championship. His best WPT Championship result came in 2019, when he finished runner-up to Ole Schemion. He also placed third in the 2014 WPT World Championship at the Borgata for $452,729 and was runner-up in the 2019 WPT Tournament of Champions for $250,265.

In 2017, Dunst replaced the late Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton as the WPT's lead commentator alongside Vince Van Patten, after Sexton retired to become chairman of partypoker. Dunst has remained in that role ever since, earning praise for his calm delivery, sharp hand-reading, and ability to explain complex spots to casual viewers. His broadcasting work has made him one of the most recognizable voices in poker.

Beyond his title victories, Dunst has compiled an impressive list of deep runs. He finished second in the 2019 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $374,886, and he placed 66th in the 2023 WSOP Main Event. He has also cashed extensively across Australia, Asia, and North America, with a best live cash of $700,069.

Dunst was banned from Australia for three years after overstaying his student visa during his college years, but he was later allowed to return and made his mark at the 2016 Aussie Millions. He is active on social media, posting on Twitter/X as @tonydunsttv and on Instagram as @TonyDunstTV, and he also maintains a YouTube channel. Estimates of his net worth generally fall in the $5-10 million range, reflecting both his tournament success and his long media career.