button in SafariPoker Hall of Fame: Jason Koon Named Sole Inductee in First Year of Eligibility
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In 2025, when asked about the possibility of inclusion in the Poker Hall of Fame, Jason Koon told PokerNews he'd "see what the people in there think."
Now, having only turned 40 last August — a prerequisite for induction — the 33 living members of the Hall have decided he deserves to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Despite a highly publicized change to the induction process, Koon will be the sole inductee for 2026.
Koon "Shocked" at Induction
"Honestly, poker was a singular experience for me," Koon told Jeff Platt on the WSOP Main Event broadcast. "The first time I played it, it was my life.
"[And] it's been my life for 20 years. To be voted in by the greatest poker players of all time is one of the most amazing experiences of my life."
Koon jumped into the commentary booth alongside Ali Nejad and fellow Hall of Famer Nick Schulman.
"I was shocked when they told me, and I was shocked when they told me I was the only inductee."
"To be voted in by the greatest poker players of all time is one of the most amazing experiences of my life."
In a later interview with PokerNews' Chad Holloway, Koon acknowleded "there are guys that were nominated" who deserve it just as much as I do," including his friends Jeremy Ausmus and Isaac Haxton, the latter of whom "has been a poker mentor of mine."
"We've been peers for so long, but he really did make such a big difference in my life in the early part of my high-stakes poker career," Koon said. "And those guys are legends.
"And there are several other legends that belong in. I mean, Scott Seiver, whenever I started playing super high rollers, was the best super high roller player on the planet."
Koon's Illustrious Poker Career
As of August 2026, Koon sits third in poker's All Time Money List with over $77 million in career earnings.
Close to $2 million of that came less than two months ago, when he took down Event #32: $50,000 High Roller for his second WSOP bracelet, five years after his first in the prestigious $25K Heads-Up Championship.
Between these two victories, Koon has impacted the poker world both on and off the felt. He's served as Ambassador for PartyPoker, GGPoker and is now a member of PokerStars Team Pro, the site where he first played online poker.
He has also served as a Triton Poker Ambassador since 2019, winning a record 12 titles — 5 more than anyone else. His largest cash came in the Triton Poker Series, winning over $3.5 million in the 2018 Triton Montenegro HK$1,000,000 Short Deck.
So Who Missed Out This Year?
Koon was one of five first-time nominees this year, alongside eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Shaun Deeb , Isaac Haxton, Chris Moorman and Justin Bonomo.
PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg misses out for the seventh time, behind only Ted Forrest (8), Matt Savage (10), and Mike Matusow, who extends his unwanted record, having been nominated 12 times since 2013 without being inducted.
Scott Seiver also misses out having been nominated for the second straight year after becoming eligible for the first time in 2025.
*This is a developing story and will be updated.
