Erik Seidel

Erik Seidel

aka "Sly"
Nationality
United States
United States
GPI Rank 49
WSOP Bracelets 10
WPT Wins 1
Total Live Earnings $45,973,569
The Hendon Mob Data provided by The Hendon Mob

Biography

Erik Seidel is one of the winningest and best known players in poker history. He is the remaining member of poker's old generation, but is still able to compete in the modern field collecting poker's major titles and trophies.

Intro

Erik Seidel is one of the most recognized faces in poker. With more than $40 million in career winnings, nine World Series of Poker bracelets and one World Poker Tour title, numerous money finishes in all of the world's major poker tournaments and a place in the Poker Hall of Fame, Seidel is nothing but one of poker's living legends.


Read More: Before the Game: Erik Seidel the Trader (Part One)


Background

Born in New York City in 1959, Erik Seidel always had a gifted mind for games of all kinds. He took up backgammon while in college and soon dropped out to pursue a professional career playing the game. New York’s famous Mayfair Club was like a second home to Seidel. There he was able to hone his skills against some of the best players around.

Seidel traveled around playing backgammon tournaments for about eight years before making some forays into the stock market. With more and more people indulging in poker at the Mayfair Club, Seidel decided to give it a shot. Poker wasn’t his only source of income though, as Seidel took up a regular job as a stockbroker with much more of a secure income. The security of a regular paycheck went out the window though in 1987 when the stock market crashed and Seidel lost his job. Luckily, he still had poker.

World Series of Poker

The Mayfair Club was growing with players and Seidel soon became one of the best of them, along with the likes of Howard Lederer and Dan Harrington. It was around this time that Seidel took a shot in Vegas at the 1988 World Series of Poker where he ended up placing second in the Main Event to the world renowned Johnny Chan. A few years later in 1991, Seidel would return to place second in another WSOP event. It would only take one more year for his wrist to be wrapped in WSOP gold.

In 1992, Seidel captured his first bracelet followed by a second bracelet in 1993. Another year later saw Erik walk away from the WSOP with another bracelet. The 1998 was another good year at the Series for Seidel. He was able to cash four times and win his fourth bracelet. One more year later, Erik made a run at the WSOP Main Event again, this time placing fourth for almost $280,000.

Taking the next logical step, Seidel moved out to Vegas with his wife and from there the winnings just seemed to pile up. The years 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 all saw Seidel walk away from WSOP with more gold wrapped around his wrist and then after 14 years without a WSOP win, he triumphed in Event #11: $10,000 Super MILLION$ High Roller of the 2021 WSOP Online on GGPoker for $977,842 to take his gold bracelet tally to nine, on par with three-time WSOP Main Event champion Johnny Moss


Read More: Before the Game: Erik Seidel the Trader (Part Two)


Erik Seidel's WSOP Bracelet Wins

YearEventPrize
1992$2,500 Limit Hold'em$168,000
1993$2,500 Omaha 8 or Better$94,000
1994$5,000 Limit Hold'em$210,000
1998$5,000 No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw$132,750
2001$3,000 No-Limit Texas Hold'em$411,300
2003$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha$146,100
2005$2,000 No-Limit Hold'em$611,795
2007$5,000 No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw$538,835
2021GGPoker WSOP Online Event #11: $10,000 Super MILLION$ High Roller$977,842

World Poker Tour

The WSOP isn’t the only place Seidel shines. He had a deep, second-place run at the Jack Binion World Poker Open in 2002 along with wins at Festa Al Lago II and III, where he secured wins in both events. In 2008 Seidel took down the Foxwoods Poker Classic WPT Event for almost $1 million.

Erik Seidel's Top 5 WPT Results

YearEventPlacePrize
2008Foxwoods Poker Classic $9,700 Championship1st$992,890
2013WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star $7,500 Main Event4th$295,590
2004Festa al Lago III $10,000 Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship4th$165,000
2009Bellagio Cup V $15,000 Championship Event6th$164,640
2011Hollywood Poker Open $9,600 Main Event2nd$155,103

European Poker Tour

Despite his success at the WSOP and WPT tables, it wasn't until 2011 that Seidel cashed in an EPT event. It all changed at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure when Seidel made two final tables finishing in 3rd and 4th place at the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em - 6 Max, and $25,000 High Roller events respectively for a total of $340,000.

Seidel completed the poker triple crown, wins at the WSOP, WPT and EPT, in 2015. His single EPT title came in the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller for €2,015,000 ($2,222,222).

Erik Seidel's Top 5 EPT Results

YearEventPlacePrize
2015EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller1st€2,015,000 ($2,222,222)
2013EPT Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller2nd€557,100 ($745,224)
2011PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 High Roller4th$295,960
2012Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller6th€153,600 ($188,721)
2016EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final €10,000 Turbo 6-Max2nd€138,435 ($158,479)

Read More: Maria Konnikova on Erik Seidel: "He's the Best There Is"


Other Achievements

In 2008 Seidel came close to winning the biggest poker event in the southern hemisphere, the Aussie Millions. He finished the Main Event in second place just behind Russia's Alexander Kostritsyn and took home almost $900,000 in prize money. He then returned to Australia in 2011 for an even more impressive performance. At first Seidel finished in third place at the A$100,000 No-Limit Hold'em event and then a week later conquered the A$ 250,000 Super High Roller taking home a total of over $3 million in cash.

Two months later Seidel won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship for $750,000 and then in May, 2011 he scored another $1 million cash by winning the $100,000 Super High Roller Event at the Ninth Annual Five Star World Poker Classic.


Read More: Erik Seidel Defeats Phil Hellmuth to Win US Poker Open $25,000 NLH ($472,500)


Sponsorship

Seidel has been working at Full Tilt Poker as a member of the site's design team and was a Team Full Tilt member until the site lost its e-gaming license in 2011.

Did you know?

  • Seidel's smallest tournament cash was the $555 he won after finishing in fifth place in the $300 Pot-Limit Omaha event at the Global Pot Limit No Limit Open in Los Angeles in 2000.
  • Seidel became a professional poker player only because of the 1987 stock market crash.
  • In addition to being one of the all-time poker greats, Seidel has a creative side that includes a deep passion for music.

Read More: The Endlessly Creative Side of Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel


PokerNews Covered Events

Event Place Prize
2023 WSOP Paradise
Event #7: $50,000 Super High Roller
1st $1,704,400
2023 WSOP Paradise
Event #3: $25,000 GGMillion$ High Rollers Championship
19th $90,700
2023 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€50,000 Super High Roller Second Chance
4th €113,800
2023 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€10,200 Mystery Bounty
6th €22,700
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #78: $1,500 Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha
153rd $1,642
2023 World Series of Poker
Online Event #13: $5,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Championship
18th $14,688
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw
5th $31,114
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
77th $17,596
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #25: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
4th $150,445
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #19: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout
132nd $4,387
2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo
€5,300 EPT Main Event
49th €17,250
2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$3,000 PCA Mystery Bounty
24th $7,050
2022 PokerStars EPT London
£5,300 EPT Main Event
12th £41,100
2022 PokerStars EPT London
£10,200 Mystery Bounty
3rd £38,160
2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€25,000 No-Limit Hold'em II
7th €65,550
2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€100,000 EPT Super High Roller
2nd €1,286,490
2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€25,000 No-Limit Hold'em I
6th €81,030
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #87: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
3rd $238,321
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #77: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot Limit Omaha
156th $2,400
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #78: $10,000 Razz Championship
7th $39,987
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #73: 10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
7th $46,140
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #64: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha
70th $8,826
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #38: $50,000 High Roller
4th $358,665
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #25: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
88th $8,040
2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe
Event #1: $25,000 Short Deck Hold’em
7th $48,000
2021 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #11: $10,000 Super MILLION$ High Roller NLH, $5M GTD
1st $977,842
2021 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #24: $400 NLH Monster Stack
42nd $1,566
2021 US Poker Open
Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em
5th $74,250
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #81: People's Choice Event [Spin the Wheel]
168th $1,251
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #76: $400 FORTY STACK No Limit Hold'em
409th $1,071
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #67: $500 Limit Hold'em
52nd $1,314
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #63: $500 Mini Main Event, $5M GTD
556th $2,479
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #55: HK$8,000 No Limit Hold'em Asia Championship, HK$8M GTD
326th $2,855
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #53: $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha
38th $2,222
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #52: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em
145th $2,770
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #50: $2,100 No Limit Hold'em Bounty Championship
89th $3,020
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #46: $500 Deepstack No Limit Hold'em
99th $1,639
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #40: $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
21st $9,106
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #36: $1,500 FIFTY STACK No Limit Hold'em
112th $3,819
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #15: $1,000 PLO 8-Max HR
60th $2,016
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #10: $600 No-Limit Hold'em MonsterStack
321st $895
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #9: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Max
99th $1,851
2020 Aussie Millions
A$10,600 Main Event
5th 378,660 AUD
2020 Aussie Millions
A$50,000 Challenge
8th 198,850 AUD
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #60: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
9th $20,410
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #45: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
6th $264,186
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #40: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
82nd $2,991
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #30: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
131st $1,746
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
27th $5,279
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
342nd $1,739
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #2: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo Bounty
25th $11,402
2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT
€25,000 EPT High Roller
18th €43,870
2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT
€10,300 No-Limit Hold'em
5th €54,320
2019 US Poker Open
USPO #3 - $10,000 NLH
11th $27,300
2019 US Poker Open
USPO #1 - $10,000 NLH
13th $18,000
2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$25,000 Single-Day High Roller I
10th $45,020
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #73: $1,000 DOUBLE STACK No-Limit Hold'em (30 minute levels)
83rd $1,997
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller
26th $41,049
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #35: $1,500 Mixed Omaha
43rd $3,741
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #28: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed
29th $13,132
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #20: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em
64th $7,860
2018 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo©Casino EPT
Main Event
111th €9,400
2018 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Grand Final Barcelona
€100K Super High Roller
6th €240,000
2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$50,000 High Roller
4th $260,260
2017 PokerStars Championship Prague
€25,500 Single-Day High Roller II
7th €67,000
2017 Poker Masters
Event #3 $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em
2nd $576,000
2017 PokerStars Championship Barcelona
€25,500 Single-Day High Roller I
11th €56,250
2017 PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino®
€50,000 Single-Day High Roller
3rd €423,800
2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila
HK $250,000 6-Max Event
2nd 2,326,000 HKD
2016 PokerStars.es EPT Season 13 Barcelona
€50,000 Super High Roller
9th €137,130
2016 Super High Roller Bowl
$300,000 Super High Roller Bowl
3rd $2,400,000
2016 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final
€5,300 Main Event
110th €10,650
2016 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$50,000 Single-Day High Roller
5th $301,080
2015 PokerStars.net APPT Season 9 Asia Championship of Poker
Super High Roller
6th 1,696,200 HKD
2015 Super High Roller Series
$500,000 Super High Roller Bowl
7th $860,000
2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final
€100,000 Super High Roller
1st €2,015,000
2015 Aussie Millions
$250,000 Challenge
5th 551,000 AUD
2015 Aussie Millions
$100,000 Challenge
6th 500,000 AUD
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #47: $1,500 Ante-Only No-Limit Hold'em
59th $3,180
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #40: $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship
13th $26,584
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #28: $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em Championship
11th $30,516
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #25: $2,500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low
6th $41,230
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #21: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
83rd $2,941
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #20: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
31st $7,805
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #14: $1,500 Limit Omaha Hi-Low
34th $7,146
2014 Aussie Millions
$10,600 Main Event
10th 100,000 AUD
2014 Aussie Millions
$100,000 Challenge
3rd 1,076,000 AUD
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #62: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event
560th $21,495
2013 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona
€50,000 Super High Roller
2nd €557,100
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #56: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
170th $4,462
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #54: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
174th $2,283
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #36: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
14th $5,555
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #21: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em (Six Handed)
9th $33,090
2013 Aussie Millions
$25,000 Challenge
3rd 125,000 AUD
2012 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona
€50,000 Super High Roller
6th €153,600
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 60: $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball (No-Limit)
11th $22,386
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 44: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
261st $1,937
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 33: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
153rd $2,767
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 30: $1,500 2-7 Draw Lowball
13th $4,682
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 26: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
18th $13,282
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 14: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
95th $5,295
The 2012 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final
Main Event
46th €25,000
2011 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #7: €10,400 Main Event Championship
21st €37,000
2011 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #5: €10,400 No-Limit Hold'em (Split Format)
12th €26,618
Epic Poker League Event #1
Main Event
2nd $604,330
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #57: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better
33rd $10,091
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #51: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better
58th $4,188
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #33: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship
13th $32,057
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #24: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
17th $13,368
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #3: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better
32nd $6,868
2011 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
1st $750,000
2011 Aussie Millions
Event #21: $250,000 Super High Roller
1st 2,500,000 AUD
2011 Aussie Millions
Event #8: $100,000 Challenge
3rd 625,000 AUD
2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$25,000 High Roller
4th $295,950
2010 World Series of Poker
$5,000 Ante Up For Africa Poker Tournament
5th $30,287
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #46: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better
5th $85,800
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #19: $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship
6th $41,270
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #14: $1,500 2-7 Draw Lowball
14th $4,404
2010 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship
$20,000 Heads-up Championship
2nd $250,000
2010 Aussie Millions
Event 15: $10,500 Pot Limit Omaha
1st 120,000 AUD
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 49 - $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.
8th $162,382
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 45 - $10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Hold'em
19th $24,066
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 20 - $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em
7th $24,919
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 15 - $5,000 No Limit Hold'em
22nd $21,026
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 43 - $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
4th $68,304
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 34 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha w/Rebuys
21st $19,257
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 14 - $10,000 Seven-Card Stud World Championship
5th $92,825
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 11 - $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
25th $16,920
2008 Aussie Millions
Event 12 - $10,500 Aussie Millions Main Event
2nd 1,000,000 AUD
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 54 - $5,000 No Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/ rebuys
1st $538,835
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 51 - $1,000 S.H.O.E
66th $1,528
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 30 - $2,500 No Limit Holdem 6 Handed
40th $6,429
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 21 - $1,500 No Limit Holdem Shootout
34th $6,757
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 12 - $1,500 No Limit Holdem 6 Handed
40th $5,844
2007 Aussie Millions Crown Casino Poker Championship
Event 8 - $100,500 No Limit Holdem
2nd $550,000

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