The Largest Online Poker Wins by Celebs

Celebrities do have a soft spot for poker. Whether they play out of pride, boredom or just a way to win bragging rights, famous people love a game of poker. Just ask Molly Bloom. Today, we take a look at the movie, TV, and cultural celebrities to have won big from a game of poker – and how big exactly. We take a closer look at their live earnings and most significant performances in the game. There are some interesting names on the list so you will definitely have something to look forward to.

1. Ben Affleck

 For a non-professional poker player Ben Affleck has definitely been very fond of the game. He has been known to play repeatedly over the years, although has mostly kept from official poker events. Well, in the few instances Affleck actually decided to play in actual live events, he has done quite well, and even though he hasn’t played for a while, he has some notable achievement to his name.

Between 2003 and 2024, he managed to win $365,400 with his biggest achievement coming from the $9,900 + 100 No Limit Hold’em Championship which fetched him $356,400 for the first place. This was all the way back on June 18, 2004, but Affleck has not participated in other games since, or at least hasn’t won anything besides his strong 2003-2004 showing.

Privately, though, Affleck has been quite passionate about poker, and he has kept playing. How much he wins privately, though, is not known.

2. Victoria Coren Mitchell

If Ben Affleck has been rather coy about his poker adventures, Victoria Coren Mitchell, the host of BBC TV’s quiz show Only Connect, has not hesitated to demonstrate her poker skills, and put them to scrutiny. She’s in the top 1000 of the best all-time earning poker players and her celebrity status is hardly the reason why.

Mitchell has been a formidable player at the green felt, and she has been competing since 2001. Over the years, Mitchell has honed her talent for playing the game and stood out as an incredibly talented and intelligent player, capable of seeing through others’ bluffs and play her hands with consistency that deserves admiration.

Her biggest achievement to date is the $941,513 she won at the £ 3,500 + 50 No Limit Hold’em – EPT Main Event at the European Poker Tour back in 2006, only five years after she started playing live tables. She has since taken it easier but has still been able to add good amounts to her all-time bankroll.

Her appearances are usually very strong, as she manages to walk away with a hefty chunk of the pot from the table on most occasions. Cornell has been more or less on a break from live poker. She came back in 2022 and won $3,851 but hasn’t played since. Still, her all-time live poker winnings sit at $2,501,769. 

3. Brad Garrett

You may know him for his roles in “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “’Til Death,” or you may have seen him on the tables at the World Series of Poker. Brad Garett will not call himself a big game player, but he still enjoys poker and is a frequent face around some of the bigger events in the United States. He has played online as well, and you may want to visit this list of online poker websites to see how you can hone your poker sills to match those of the beloved Hollywood actor.

His overall live poker winnings are modest, with only $121,696 won from playing live games, and his best live performance fetching the bulk of this amount with $100,000. While an amicable character on TV, Garrett has not hesitated to take on some of the more annoying elements of the poker community. 

He appeared on Poker Night in America where he had an argument with Phil Hellmuth, whom the poker community know as the “Poker Brat.” Long story short, Garrett told Hellmuth to stop with his incessant trash-talking. Although Garrett call himself a semi-professional poker player, he has not been pursuing his career in poker too aggressively. Still, it’s fun to see him play at some of the biggest events. 

4. Jennifer Tilly

Admittedly, the famous women on this list tend to be so much better than their male counterparts. Tilly, who is a Hollywood actress, has grown up with poker more or less. She was introduced to the game by her father, who showed her the ins and outs of video poker. 

Apparently, much of these early childhood lessons have stuck as Tilly has won more than $1,056,898 in live winnings. While she has not had a particularly big break over the years, Tilly has played with consistency. She first started playing at official live events in 2003 and has been active to this very day.

Her latest appearance at the One Step Closer Charity Event, Las Vegas saw her win $15,200 in the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em. Lilly’s biggest live win came fairly early in her career, too, when she won $158,335 at the 36th World Series of Poker – WSOP 2005, Las Vegas in the $1,000 Ladies Only Event – No Limit Hold’em.

But don’t let that fool you. Lilly has been playing at mixed events and defeating quite a few male poker pros as well, taking on the best and brightest of the poker world and herself becoming an important fixture in the poker community. Nevermind her status as a celebrity, Lilly brings hard skills to the table.

5.  Shannon Elizabeth

Another lady celebrity poker player graces our list and with a good reason, too. Shannon Elizabeth has amassed $245,866 playing poker recreationally and demonstrating exceptional acumen at the game. She admittedly hasn’t been active for a while, but in the ten years she was frequenting various events and tournaments, Elizabeth shown her outstanding skills at the game.

Her best-time result came with the $125,000 she won 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Championship, Las Vegas. She played in the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em. Her other big win is at the 41st World Series of Poker – WSOP 2010, Las Vegas in 2010 when she won $79,776. Apparently, Elizabeth has done very well for herself playing poker and taking on some of the best players in the pool with each of her appearances.

But Elizabeth is not really into poker these days. She spends most of her time balancing between her acting career and doing a lot of voluntary and charity work. What a remarkable person she is.