The 10 Richest Poker Players in France: 2026 Wealth Ranking

Richest Poker Players in France

TOP 10 Richest French Poker Players in 2025

France has several poker stars who have amassed impressive fortunes. From poker tables to investments to sponsorship deals, these players have managed to transform their winnings into genuine financial empires. Prepare to be surprised by the scale of these assets and the varied journeys of these champions, whether they are professional circuit players or personalities who have brilliantly diversified their income.

10th: Bruno Fitoussi – €4 million

Bruno Fitoussi is a pioneer of poker in France. Nicknamed “The King” in Parisian circles, he helped popularize Texas Hold’em as early as the 1990s. His record includes a 2nd place finish at the prestigious $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament at the 2007 WSOP (more than $1.2 million in winnings) and numerous performances at major international events. A former consultant at the Aviation Club de France, Fitoussi has diversified his income by advising gaming clubs and through commentary work on television. His fortune, estimated at €4 million, comes from his tournament winnings, consulting fees, and occasional partnerships earned through his status as an iconic figure of French poker.

Bruno Fitoussi

9th: Roger Hairabedian – €5 million

Roger “Big Roger” Hairabedian is known as much for his imposing build as for his success at the tables. He is the first Frenchman to win two WSOP bracelets, with victories at the World Series of Poker Europe in 2012 and 2013. Having started out in the gaming clubs of Cannes, Hairabedian accumulated approximately €5 million in career earnings. He has won numerous tournaments on the European circuit, building one of the longest careers in French poker.

Roger Hairabedian

Outside of tournaments, this veteran has successfully capitalized on his fame by participating in sponsored events and sharing his expertise, providing an additional income stream. With assets estimated at €5 million, Roger Hairabedian stands among the living legends of French poker and has transformed his exploits into a solid financial foundation.

8th: Fabrice Soulier – €6 million

Fabrice “FabSoul” Soulier has been part of the French poker elite for more than two decades. Winner of a WSOP bracelet in 2011 (the prestigious $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament) and crowned world poker champion across various formats, he has accumulated nearly $7 million in live tournament winnings over the course of his career. Soulier first made his name by delivering consistent performances on the European circuit (notably a victory at the 2008 Grand Prix de Paris) before making his mark in Las Vegas.

Fabrice Soulier

A former member of Team Winamax and later an ambassador for other platforms, he has benefited from additional income through sponsorship deals. He has also made shrewd investments in the online gaming sector. His fortune is estimated at around €6 million, the product of his tournament winnings, his sponsorship contracts, and his poker content creation activities.

7th: David Benyamine – €7 million

David Benyamine is a professional poker player from Paris, renowned for his success both in tournaments and in cash games. He won a WSOP bracelet in 2008 (in Pot-Limit Omaha) and a World Poker Tour title as early as 2003 in Paris, which propelled him onto the international stage. Subsequently relocating to Las Vegas, Benyamine became a regular at high-stakes tables, facing the world’s best in cash games with enormous stakes. His tournament winnings exceed $7 million, to which must be added years of profits (sometimes fluctuating) at the cash game tables.

David Benyamine

A former member of the Full Tilt Poker professional team, he benefited from substantial sponsorship income during the golden years of online poker. With personal investments and an extended career in the United States, his personal fortune is estimated at around €7 million. This sum reflects not only his card game winnings but also past contracts and sound management of his capital over time.

6th: Sylvain Loosli – €8 million

Sylvain Loosli came to public attention in 2013 by reaching the final table of the WSOP Main Event. This player from Toulon finished 4th at the 2013 World Championship, pocketing nearly $2.8 million in a single score. He followed up by winning the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller in 2015 (1st place for €1.3 million), proving that his initial success was no fluke. A member of Team Winamax for many years, Loosli benefited from fixed sponsorship income in addition to his tournament winnings.

Sylvain Loosli

A discreet but effective player, he has accumulated approximately €8 million in personal assets. His income comes primarily from his performances in international tournaments, but also from his advertising contracts and a prudent approach to managing his winnings, which he has partly reinvested to secure his financial stability.

5th: Antoine Saout – €9 million

Antoine Saout entered French poker history by achieving the feat of reaching the WSOP Main Event final table twice. The revelation of 2009 with a 3rd place finish at the Main Event (earning $3.5 million at just 25 years old), he repeated the performance in 2017 with a 5th place in the same world tournament. These feats allowed him to accumulate nearly $8 to $9 million in live tournament winnings. Sponsored by Winamax from his promising beginnings, Saout benefited from the financial and media support of a major online poker room, which provided him with a stable income outside of the tables.

Antoine Saout

A regular on the major circuits (EPT, WPT), he has managed to grow his winnings and remains one of the most respected French players in the field. His fortune is estimated at around €9 million, fed by his results in international tournaments, his sponsorship contracts with Winamax, and a measured approach to bankroll management that has allowed him to avoid financial rough patches.

4th: Benjamin Pollak – €10 million

Benjamin Pollak has established himself as one of the very best tournament players of his generation. His most notable achievement is his 3rd place finish at the 2017 WSOP Main Event, where he won more than $3.5 million. But this Parisian has other high-level performances to his name, totaling approximately $12 million in career winnings. A High Roller tournament specialist, Pollak has shone on the European circuit (notably a victory in a partypoker Millions Super High Roller in Barcelona in 2018).

Benjamin Pollak

His consistency at the highest level has earned him the title of French player of the year on several occasions. In addition to his prize money winnings, he has been able to count on sponsorship deals, notably with online poker platforms following his 2017 success, which have provided him with substantial additional income. His personal fortune is estimated at around €10 million. This sum reflects his major tournament winnings, prudently reinvested, as well as his partnerships with poker industry brands.

3rd: Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier – €12 million

Bertrand Grospellier, better known by the nickname “ElkY,” was long the most decorated French poker player. A former e-sports champion who successfully transitioned into poker, ElkY won the Triple Crown (one EPT victory, one WPT victory, and two WSOP bracelets in total) over the course of his career. He has more than $14 million in tournament winnings, making him one of the biggest French live earners. Among his major successes are his EPT PCA title in 2008 ($2 million), a WPT victory that same year, and WSOP bracelets in 2011 and 2019.

Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier

Beyond the tables, ElkY was long a member of Team PokerStars Pro and later an ambassador for other online rooms, which provided him with significant fixed income. He also took advantage of the Twitch streaming wave to share his sessions, strengthening his personal brand. Thanks to his cumulative winnings, his international sponsorship contracts, and some personal investments (notably in cryptocurrencies and gaming-related startups, areas he is passionate about), Bertrand Grospellier’s fortune is estimated at around €12 million. He thus remains an unmissable figure in world poker and one of the most successful French players in the field.

2nd: Patrick Bruel – €55 million

Patrick Bruel is not only a singer and actor – he is also an accomplished poker champion. A long-standing poker enthusiast, he won a WSOP bracelet in 1998, which helped popularize the game in France at the time. While he totals more than $1 million in tournament winnings (including a WPT victory in Paris in 2002), it is mainly outside the tables that Bruel has built his wealth. His fortune is estimated at approximately €55 million, placing him among the wealthiest French celebrities. This sum comes from a flourishing and diversified artistic career, combined with his passion for poker.

Patrick Bruel

Indeed, Patrick Bruel has sold millions of albums and filled the biggest concert halls, while also starring in successful films – activities that have earned him a great deal. He has invested his earnings intelligently, notably in real estate and the restaurant business, and was long the iconic ambassador of the Winamax site, adding lucrative advertising contracts to his income. Bruel is proof that a poker player can build a financial empire by diversifying income streams, with his sporting track record adding to an exceptional entrepreneurial and media success.

1st: Jean-Noël Thorel – €250 million

At the top of this ranking, Jean-Noël Thorel is a case apart: a pharmaceutical entrepreneur turned high-roller, he displays a fortune estimated at approximately €250 million. Founder and CEO of the dermo-cosmetic group NAOS (which notably owns the Bioderma brand), Thorel built an empire in the beauty industry long before making his mark at the poker tables. Passionate about the game, he regularly participates in the world’s biggest tournaments and very high-stakes private games. Although an amateur in the strict sense, he has accumulated more than $9 million in live tournament winnings, frequently reaching the final table of Super High Roller tournaments (including a second place at Triton London in 2023 for more than $2.8 million).

Jean-Noël Thorel

But it is his business successes that constitute the overwhelming majority of his fortune. Jean-Noël Thorel has reinvested part of his poker winnings in businesses and charitable causes, while continuing to run his international group. His presence at the top of the poker scene is driven by passion rather than profit, but it has earned him considerable renown in the field. With approximately a quarter of a billion euros in assets, he dominates the ranking of the richest French poker players by a wide margin, illustrating that a career outside of poker can provide immense means to indulge a passion for the game.

Conclusion

Poker in France is not just a game – it is also a genuine lever for financial success for those who know how to combine talent, strategy, and business acumen. From seasoned professionals like Jean-Noël Thorel, who has transformed his passion into a financial empire, to circuit stars such as Patrick Bruel and ElkY, these players embody excellence and income diversification in a highly competitive field. Their journeys demonstrate that poker can be much more than a matter of cards: it is an entrepreneurial adventure where tournament winnings are complemented by sponsorship deals, shrewd investments, and rigorous asset management.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the Wealth of French Poker Players

Q: Who is the richest French poker player in 2025?
A: In 2025, the richest French poker player is Jean-Noël Thorel, with a fortune estimated at around €250 million. This businessman and high-roller tournament regular thus surpasses Patrick Bruel, who occupies second place with approximately €55 million.

Q: Is Patrick Bruel the richest French poker player?
A: Patrick Bruel is one of the richest French poker players, with a fortune of approximately €55 million. However, he is not number 1 in 2025 – Jean-Noël Thorel, a billionaire entrepreneur and high-level amateur player, far outpaces him. Bruel nonetheless remains the richest French poker player whose career was essentially built in the combined worlds of poker and entertainment.

Q: How do poker players earn so much money?
A: The wealth of poker players comes from several sources. First, tournament winnings can be very high for winners of major international events (several million euros for a prestigious title like the WSOP Main Event). Then, many players sign sponsorship deals with online poker sites or brands, which provides them with a fixed income and bonuses.

Added to this are private cash game sessions where the stakes can be just as high as in televised tournaments. Finally, the best players often invest their winnings in various areas (real estate, businesses, cryptocurrencies), growing their assets beyond the felt.

Q: Who is the richest poker player in the world?
A: At the global level, the unofficial title of richest poker player is often attributed to personalities like Dan Bilzerian, with a fortune estimated at around $200 million. However, Bilzerian is a special case as his wealth largely comes from an inheritance and investments, rather than his poker results.

If one considers only winnings and fortunes linked primarily to poker, one can mention legends like Justin Bonomo or Bryn Kenney, who have each accumulated more than $50 million in tournament winnings, or businessman-players like Bill Klein and Paul Phua whose personal fortunes (built outside of poker) also exceed $200 million. In summary, the richest French player, Jean-Noël Thorel, remains below certain world poker magnates, but his financial success in the poker world places him among the exceptional cases even on an international scale.