Million-Dollar Minds: Meet Top 5 European Poker Players

Europe has produced some of the best poker players, crushing the live poker felts worldwide. From record-breaking wins to legendary performances, the European poker players have accumulated millions in live tournament earnings. Here is a quick look at the top five poker players currently dominating the European all-time money list. 

1. Stephen Chidwick – England 

British poker pro Stephen Chidwick is one of the best poker players in the world. He is the current leader on the Europe’s All-Time Money List with a staggering $63,473,435 in live earnings as of February 2025. Not only does he top the European All-Time Money List, but is also the overall leader of his country’s all-time money list. Chidwik is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner and has racked up a number of power-packed performances in prestigious events such as WSOP, EPT, Super High Roller Bowl, Triton Poker Super High Roller Series, and more.

Born in Deal, Kent, United Kingdom, in May 1989, he has played poker since the age of 18. As per a story, he started his poker career online and built his bankroll from freerolls during online poker infancy. Another story from his youth says that he won multiple packages to play the WSOP Main Event at a time when he was too young to enter a live tournament.  

Chidwick burst onto the live poker scene in 2008 when he won a $1K NLH event for $88,760 at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. In March 2018, he notched up first seven-figure score for a sixth place finish for $1,298,521 in the Super High Roller Bowl in Macau. In August 2019, he finished fourth in the £1,050,000 buy-in Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Million for Charity event, taking home a career-best £4,410,000 ($5,368,947), which remains his largest live tournament score to date.

2. Mikita Badziakouski – Belarus

Sitting on the second spot on the European All-Time Money List is the Belarussian poker super star and WSOP bracelet winner Mikita Badziakouski with over $58.7 million in live earnings as of February 2025. He scored his first live cash in 2010 and got his first six-figure score of $ 240,925 coming at EPT Monte Carlo €50,000 High Roller. 2018 was his breakout year as he racked up several seven-figure scores including Triton Super High Roller Series Montenegro Main Event for just under $2.5 million and the Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju Main Event for $5.2 million.

In 2023, this Belarus native cracked the $50 million mark on The Hendon Mob when he topped a star-studded 17 player-field to win the WPT Big One for One Drop for $7,114,500 – his biggest live score to date.

3. Adrian Mateos – Spain

The third spot on the European All-Time Money List is currently held by Adrian Mateos, a Spanish poker player with over $52.4 million in live earnings. Currently ranked 1st in his country and 8th on the global All-Time Money List, he is a Winamax ambassador and a 4-time WSOP champion. He is considered one of the best high-stakes poker players. In 2017, he became the youngest player in history to win three WSOP bracelets at just 22. Mateos earned his fourth gold bracelet in 2021.

He started his career with a bang, clinching CNP Madrid for $ 42,399 and then made waves by winning the ESPT Madrid Main Event for $ 137,247 in 2013. Mateos came close to becoming a 5-time WSOP winner in 2023, but ultimately finished third in the $100k High Roller for $1,142,147. In October 2023, he finished second in a $125,000 Triton Poker event in Monte Carlo for $3,120,739. His biggest live performance came last year in May when he won $200,000 Triton SHR Montenegro for a staggering $3,292,000.

Fedor Holz – Germany

Ranking 4th on the European All-Time Money List is none other than Fedor Holz with $47,794,698 in live earnings. A German-born high roller currently residing in Vienna, he is a two-time bracelet winner and was the best MTT online player in 2014 and 2015. He is also the first German to surpass an accumulated prize pool of $32.5 million in live events.

He won his first WSOP bracelet in 2016, a memorable year for him as he racked up five significant victories between June and August, including his first WSOP bracelet, a European Poker Tour high roller title and three victories in Aria Super/High Roller titles. While his winnings continue to grow, his biggest live cash to date is $6 million, which he secured for a brilliant 2nd place in the 2018 Big One for One Drop event.

Christoph Vogelsang – Germany

Rounding out the top 5 spots on the European All-Time Money List is another German pro Christoph Vogelsang with $36,028,882 in live tournament earnings. Currently ranking 2nd on Germany’s All-Time Money List, he hails from Sassenberg, Munster, but resides in London, United Kingdom.

He began his career online and built a significant bankroll in no time. Following his massive online success, he ventured into live arena and got his first cash in October 2013 with a third place in the £50,000 Super High Roller at EPT London for £383,200 ($621,321).  Following stellar results, he won the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl in 2017 and scooped the $6,000,000 top prize, which remains his best score to date.

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