The 2022 World Series of Poker is underway, which means it’s also a chance for fans to vote on their nominations for the Poker Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame will induct one person in 2022.
In the past, the panel members could cast their votes for anyone without the nomination process. However, the public has been leading the nominations for several years. They can now go to WSOP.com and pick the one person they think should be voted into the Hall.
Narrowing Down the List
Nominations online should include a brief explanation of why that individual should be chosen. The nominations will then be narrowed down to ten finalists, with a panel of current Hall of Fame members submitting the votes to select the next inductee.
When making the nominations online, fans are required to consider the following player criteria:
- They must have played against acknowledged competition in their career
- They must have played for high stakes
- Can be no younger than 40 years old at the time of nomination
- They played well consistently while gaining the respect of their peers
- If a non-player, the person must have contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker with positive, long-lasting results
The new inductee will be announced on July 10, in conjunction with the WSOP Main Event final table action. Last year’s nominees included poker figures such as Matt Savage, Chris Ferguson, Antonio Esfandiari, Bertrand Grospellier, Michael Mizrachi, and Isai Scheinberg.
However, Eli Elezra was selected as the sole 2021 inductee. All other players nominated last year are again eligible for induction in 2022.
Several Top Players Now Eligible
A few players have recently turned 40 and are now eligible to be nominated. For example, Brian Rast, considered one of the best high-stakes players, has won five WSOP bracelets. He was also the winner of the first $500,000 Super High Roller Bowl in 2015, where he took home the top prize of $7.5 million.
Steve O’Dwyer is another player who recently reached the minimum age requirement. He has been one of the top high stakes players for several years, with over $31 million in winnings from live tournaments.
This year, Anthony Zinno could be considered by fans and has been very successful in both WSOP and the WPT. He is still the only player to win four WSOP bracelets and hold three WPT championships in his career.
The Poker Hall of Fame was first established in 1979 and was created by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. He sought to acknowledge the most outstanding poker players while attracting more tourists to his casino.
When Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars) purchased the WSOP in 2004, the company also took over the Poker Hall of Fame, and all memberships are now under the direction of the WSOP.
The first seven individuals were elected in 1979 to the Hall, which now has 59 members. The 32 living inductees will be making the final decision next month for the next person to be chosen in 2022.