Ranking Daniel Negreanu's Eight WSOP Bracelet Wins

It’s safe to say it’s been a successful summer for poker icon Daniel Negreanu.

The 51-year-old (can we still call him Kid Poker?) pillaged the World Series of Poker for hundreds of thousands of dollars and, most importantly, won his eighth WSOP bracelet in the prestigious $100,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.

The victory is especially notable considering Phil Hellmuth and Phil Ivey failed to add to their bracelet totals this summer (although the WSOP isn’t quite complete with a handful of events still ongoing). Negreanu still has a long way to go to catch either player (Hellmuth has 17 bracelets), but it’s certainly a nice confirmation the former Toronto native can still roll with the best of them.

Taking all that into account, we thought it would be a fun time to rank his eight WSOP victories.

As with any ranking, there's plenty of room for debate, but here's how I'd rank them.

#8: 2003 - $2,000 S.H.O.E. ($100,440)

Someone has to finish last, and for me, it is Negreanu's victory in the $2,000 S.H.O.E. tournament. But this doesn't mean that it is unwelcome news - the mixed game is one of the most difficult kinds of poker, as it calls for versatility when it comes to different disciplines. S.H.O.E. has essentially been replaced on the modern poker schedule with H.O.R.S.E.

Compared to other achievements, this one ranks as number eight due to the fact that only one hundred thirty-five players participated in the competition and it does not have the same reputation as other events he won. 

#7: 1998 - $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em ($169,460)

Every poker legend has to start somewhere.

Negreanu's first cash at the WSOP was also the first time he won a bracelet, making him the youngest winning player in WSOP history at age 23, a record that lasted until 2004. 

It was historically significant because it introduced the poker world to Negreanu, a young player who would eventually become one of the most iconic players ever.

Who knows, Negreanu might actually rank this as his #1, because it put him on the map.

#6: 2008 - $2,000 Limit Hold’em ($204,874)

This bracelet often flies under the radar.

Negreanu won the Limit Hold'em competition and picked up his fourth bracelet. Limit Hold'em rewards patience, discipline, and technical precision—qualities that have always suited Negreanu's style.

While some experts claim that it was the time for Limit Hold'em's decline, it is not true. Mixed games started to grow again owing to events like the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championships.

#5: 2004 - $2,000 Limit Hold’em ($169,100)

If there was one year that really made Daniel Negreanu famous, it was 2004. 

Poker was very popular thanks to Chris Moneymaker's win in the Main Event, and Daniel became one of poker’s breakout stars. He won both the WSOP Player of the Year and the World Poker Tour Player of the Year awards.

The timing on this bracelet was perfect as the online revolution was just beginning and the so-called poker boom was just starting. This one catapulted Negreanu to one of the biggest names in poker.

#4: 2013 WSOP Asia-Pacific main event - a$10,000 no-limit hold'em (a$1,038,825)

This was a big win.

The opening WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event wasn’t just another event, but the start of WSOP’s introduction to Asia. Negreanu became the first champion of this new event (sadly, the series didn’t have near the staying power of the Vegas version).

Winning any WSOP main event is a remarkable achievement, but this is more important in light of his performance this year.

This was not the end of Negreanu’s revival but only the beginning.

By the end of 2013, Negreanu had one of the best seasons in poker history. His wins in Australia and then in Europe made him the first player to win a bracelet in Las Vegas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

#3: 2013 WSOP Europe €25,600 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em (€725,000)

If the Asia-Pacific Main Event showed Negreanu was back to his peak form, this success reaffirmed that.

Just a few months after winning the APAC Main Event trophy, Negreanu went to France and outperformed one of the hardest competitions of the year: the €25,600 High Roller. This is the kind of event where all tables are occupied by top-level professionals and the competition is extremely tough.

This win was the peak of a tremendous season of his career. Winning two tournaments within a year is a rare achievement, and with this honor, Negreanu won his second WSOP Player of the Year title, making him the first player to win this award two times.

Just several months later he again broke one more record. He became the first player to win WSOP bracelets in Las Vegas, European, and Asian-Pacific locations, proving once again that his achievements cannot be attributed to one place or one tournament.

#2: 2024 – $50,000 Poker Player’s Championship ($1,178,703)

There’s probably no bracelet that more players covet than the Poker Players Championship.

The reasoning here is simple: players need to know multiple types of poker to win. They will need to compete for several days against some of the best players in the world.

Negreanu has come so close in the past that his ultimate success was full of emotion. It had also been a long wait for him to win another bracelet.

When he finally did achieve victory, it was easy to see how much it meant to him with emotions spilling over. I don’t usually cry at poker, but seeing Negreanu actually win the tournament was something special.

One could make a case for it being Negreanu's best bracelet ever, and I would not dispute it.

#1: 2026 - $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller ($2,257,718)

This is my number one, although I know it's a close call.

The $100,000 PLO High Roller is my favorite event. It had only 83 participants, but they were top players in the world of PLO. Daniel Negreanu defeated Artur Martirosian to win his 8th bracelet.

What amazes me the most is that he can still compete with young players even at the age of 51. The first prize of $2.26 million represents his biggest WSOP prize, but it’s not even the biggest cash of his career.

Was the Poker Players Championship worthy of the number one place? Yes, but Negreanu’s victory over one of the toughest PLO tournaments of all times at his age makes it simply incredible.

What makes a great bracelet win?

For me, the biggest buy-in does not translate into the biggest win.

When compiling these rankings, I focused on a few things. Field strength, tournament prestige, historical role, versatility, and what each bracelet meant for Negreanu at that time.

Negreanu's first bracelet opened him up to the world.

In 2004, he made himself known during poker's largest boom.

Two bracelets in 2013 completed one of poker's finest seasons and gave him a second WSOP title.

Negreanu's victory at the Poker Players Championship ended an 11-year-long drought.

And finally comes the $100,000 PLO tournament.

Regardless of my ranking, everyone should agree on Negreanu's outstanding longevity.

Where does Negreanu rank among poker's greats?

Daniel Negreanu has won eight WSOP bracelets and two World Poker Tour titles and become the first two-time WSOP Player of the Year.

He is also the first player to get WSOP bracelets in Las Vegas, Europe, and Asia.

He even got inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Daniel Negreanu’s accomplishments alone will place him among poker legends.

But what’s more, his reach is big, and he has attracted numerous fans to the wonderful world of poker.

Phil Hellmuth might have more bracelets. Phil Ivey might be the most talented player of all time. No poker player can match the legacy of Doyle Brunson.

Nevertheless, the personable Negreanu brings a special element to the game and no doubt has more WSOP bracelets in the future.

Parting Shot

It is a difficult task to rank Daniel Negreanu's bracelets since each of them represents something different. The first one indicates he has become a star. Wins in 2013 reminded everybody that he is one of the best. 

Winning the Poker Players Championship represented an emotional culmination after years of disappointments. Recent victories indicate that he can still compete even in times when young players and strategies are winning.

That is why I believe that his legacy is much bigger than eight bracelets.

He has spent 30 years adapting, entertaining, and playing poker.

Let's wait to see if he will win his ninth bracelet soon.