What Is the All-Time Money List in Poker?

Look, if you’ve followed poker for more than a minute, you’ve probably heard about the all-time money list. It’s the ultimate scoreboard for live tournament earnings, the rough-and-tumble leaderboard where the game’s biggest winners are ranked by their cashes. But here’s the kicker: understanding what the list really represents, and who’s climbing it, is a bit more nuanced than just glancing at the top spots.

At its core, the all-time money list is a ranking of poker players ordered by their total live tournament earnings. This data is mostly compiled by reputable databases like The Hendon Mob, the gold standard for tracking live poker results worldwide. You can look anyone up—from the early legends to fresh-up-and-comers—and get a full rundown of their winnings.

But here’s the thing: this list only accounts for live tournament results. It doesn’t include cash games, online winnings, or sponsorship deals. So while a player might be crushing six-figure online events daily, if they’re not playing—or cashing—big live events, they won’t top this list.

Sites like VIP-Grinders.com also provide an invaluable service in tracking online tournament data, including massive series like SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker) and WCOOP (World Championship of Online Poker). These tools bridge the gap between the live and online worlds, though the all-time money list is generally tied to live results captured by The Hendon Mob.

Ever notice how the top of the money list doesn’t just reflect a who's who of poker legends but actually tells a story about the game’s evolving geography? A decade ago, you’d see a heavy concentration of Americans and Western Europeans. Now, the landscape looks quite different.

Thanks largely to platforms like GGPoker supporting international player pools and major series, Brazilian players have risen to unprecedented heights in the online circuit. Their best Scandinavian poker grinders dominance isn’t just for bragging rights either; Brazil boasts multiple top-tier players who regularly cash in events like the $1,050 Medium Main Event during SCOOP, and often secure spots on all-time online earnings leaderboards.

This is significant because these performances feed into a broader trend of South America emerging as a poker powerhouse, especially in online tournaments. Players from Brazil and Argentina consistently punch above their weight, breaking old stereotypes that poker’s biggest winners only come from the US or Western Europe.

Similarly, don’t sleep on Eastern European talent. Countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Romania have produced a crop of grinders who dominate both live and online arenas. So what does this mean? Well, it means the “old guard”—European players from classic poker hubs or Americans—can no longer claim exclusive dominance.

You’ll find that many Eastern Europeans have amassed massive live tournament earnings, and their presence in major series like WCOOP and SCOOP isn’t just frequent; it’s often dominant. Their consistent high finishes and ability to adapt to multiple formats point to strong poker infrastructures back home.

Sweden, Finland, and their neighbors keep churning out top-tier players who consistently find themselves near the top of The Hendon Mob all-time money list. Scandinavia’s poker culture and tight-knit communities foster competitive players who excel in both high roller events and the mainstream $1,050 Medium Main Event tournaments. The Scandinavian approach combines tight-aggressive play and excellent discipline, making these players a perennial threat.

After years of turmoil due to the Black Friday crackdown, the US online poker scene is slowly but surely rebuilding thanks to regulated markets. This resurgence impacts live tournament results because players who refine their skills in online arenas under regulated frameworks can translate that success into high-stakes live cashes.

Players from Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are increasingly visible in live poker results, and some are climbing the ranks on The Hendon Mob all-time money list. Platforms like GGPoker, which serve as one of the few large-scale venues where Americans can play online poker legally, support this trend.

Here’s a pet peeve: people often underestimate players from emerging regions, assuming they can’t compete with the "big names." That’s flat-out wrong. The all-time money list shows a different story. Also, conflating all poker earnings (live plus online) with just live tournament cashes is a rookie mistake.

Another frequent error is confusing short-term success in massive buy-in events with consistent podium finishes. Winning a single $100,000 buy-in event is impressive, but grinding consistent scores in $1,050-$5,000 buy-in tournaments across SCOOP and WCOOP events matters more for overall rankings.

The all-time money list is more than just a bragging rights ledger—it’s a mirror showing us how poker has become a truly global game. It highlights regional shifts, the impact of strong online platforms like GGPoker, and the importance of big, consistent tournament results. If you're tracking the game today, ignoring emerging regions like Brazil or Eastern Europe is a huge oversight. The top of the game isn’t monopolized by old-school legends anymore; it's a vibrant mix that constantly evolves.

Additionally, the combination of live results tracked by The Hendon Mob and detailed online data from sources like VIP-Grinders.com gives poker enthusiasts and pros unparalleled insight into performance metrics. This allows for smarter bankroll management, better opponent study, and more strategic plays.

If you want to truly understand professional poker’s best, you need to dig beyond flashy headlines and one-off big wins. Follow the all-time money list on The Hendon Mob, watch how players perform in WCOOP and SCOOP series at different buy-in levels (like the notorious $1,050 Medium Main Event), and pay close attention to emerging talent out of Brazil, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia.

So next time someone casually waves off a player from an “unimportant” region, remind them to check the money list. The numbers don’t lie, and poker’s future belongs to the grinders who can consistently turn their skill into live tournament cashes.