Joe Manganiello Wants Poker Stars To Feature In Next Season of Deal or No Deal Island

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The second season of Deal or No Deal Island may have just wrapped up, but executive producer and host Joe Manganiello has already shared who he hopes to see in future seasons.

Deemed viewers’ “next reality TV obsession,” Deal or No Deal Island has already made a splash with a record-breaking $200 million worth of prizes, dramatic multi-tiered challenges, and a very colorful cast of characters. In the previous seasons, the show has been populated with famous faces from within the reality TV scene, like Celebrity Apprentice content Claudia Jordan and Big Brother season two winner Will Kirby.

According to a recent Cincinnati Enquirer interview, Manganiello shared that his hope for the show’s future is to feature a cast of World Series of Poker (WSOP) personalities. But just how would this keep up the momentum of a show that’s made an impact with an entertaining cast?

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From the felt to the island

Of course, while having a season with a cast composed of purely WSOP champs would make for interesting TV, this wouldn’t be the first time a poker player has been on the show. In the first season, one of Survivor’s most popular contestants, Rob Mariano, was a cast member. Also known as “Boston Rob” in pop culture circles, Mariano has made a rather successful transition into elite poker circles. To date, Mariano has participated in prestigious tourneys, including 2024’s WSOP Paradise Island Super Main Event. Currently, the reality TV veteran is still connected to Deal or No Deal Island as the host of its aftershow program.

Additionally, season two’s Courtney Kim is also a known poker player. Although she says that her profession is banking, she’s previously stated that a lot of people know her more as a poker player, which is likely why she was initially scouted for the show. This comes following her back-to-back WSOP wins at the Ladies Championship events. In her first tournament alone, Kim took home a coveted champion’s ring and $11,000. While relatively new to both poker and reality TV, Kim made it to the top three of Deal or No Deal Island, which likely helped solidify the strategic appeal that poker players bring to the table.

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Which WSOP stars may feature on Deal or No Deal Island next?

While Manganiello specifically named poker icon Daniel Negreanu as somebody he’d like to see on the show, there are other WSOP participants who are even more likely to become potential cast members in the future. In particular, considering that past seasons have heavily leaned on reality TV stars, poker players who also happen to have experience in this genre of television are strong candidates.

For starters, there’s Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda. When he’s not shooting for the show, which is currently in its 16th season, Nezhoda is an avid poker player. In fact, he’s even an official ambassador for Americas Cardroom. Since its establishment in 2001, the operator is now the leading online poker site in the US. Over the years, it’s carved a name for itself partly due to its impressive roster of poker partners. This includes other poker legends, like Chris Moneymaker and Ebony Kenney, who even joined Nezhoda and others in this year’s ACR Pro and Ambassador Meet-Up Game. A self-confessed card shark, Nezhoda has played at the WSOP multiple times, with the most recent in 2024 where he made it up to Day 6. As somebody with experience in both poker and bidding, Nezhoda has all the tools necessary to outwit any possible competition on the island.

Moving over to women poker players, Jennifer Tilly would be a welcome cast addition, too. Initially, Tilly made her mark in the mainstream following her role in Bride of Chucky. Nowadays, though, Tilly is better known for her poker prowess, having won a WSOP bracelet in 2005. Since then, Tilly has continued to make many poker appearances. Over the years, she’s also worked closely with the gaming entity PokerStars, which is known as a trusted online card game platform. Today, she also counts herself as a reality TV star, given that she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for their 14th season last year. Tilly soon became a fan favorite, and many tuned in after having known her from the poker circuit and her movies.

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Why poker stars can be a good fit for the reality TV hit

But why would poker players fit well within Deal or No Deal Island? Manganiello notes that poker players’ ability to read their opponents is an interesting factor. Similarly, Mariano told Collider that adaptability and self-awareness are two skills necessary in Deal or No Deal Island. As it happens, top-notch poker players have these in spades, which would surely make for high-stakes and strategy-heavy reality TV.

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