New Names Join Repeats Among Hall of Fame Nominees

Last updated on June 26th, 2022

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There were two weeks of public voting. Anyone had the opportunity to nominate people for the Poker Hall of Fame during that time.

The people have spoken. And the World Series of Poker has announced the final ten nominees, each of whom has a chance to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. Though they may all have a chance, however, only one will actually be inducted.

We will know that name on July 10.

Nominees Revealed

Just days after public voting ended via the WSOP website, the World Series of Poker did announce the ten nominees, the ten finalists from those votes. All of the nominees had to meet the criteria of one of two possible categories: poker players at least 40 years old who have competed for high stakes, consistently over time against top competition, and gained the respect of peers; or people who have contributed to the growth and success of poker with “indelible positive and lasting results.”

And the nominees are:

-Josh Arieh: player, new nominee
-Layne Flack: player, second year of nomination
-Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier: player, second year of nomination
-Kathy Liebert: player, new nominee
-Mike Matusow: player, eighth year of nomination
-Lon McEachern & Norman Chad: contributors, second year of nomination
-Michael Mizrachi: player, second year of nomination
-Brian Rast: player, new nominee
-Matt Savage: contributor, seventh year of nomination
-Isai Scheinberg: contributor, third year of nomination

Lon McEachern and Norman Chad are paired for one nomination because they are inextricably linked as cohosts of the World Series of Poker programming for many years.

All nominees are at least 40 years old and qualified for entry into the Poker Hall of Fame.

The 2022 Poker Hall of Fame Nominees
@golferjosh
Layne Flack@elkypoker @pokerkat @themouthmatusow @lonmceachern & @NormanChad @TheGrinder44 @tsarrast @SavagePoker
Isai Scheinberg
This year's inductee announced July 10. https://t.co/O0PLbV0xV5
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 22, 2022

Only One

Despite many members of the poker community advocating for more than one inductee per year, the World Series of Poker remains firm that only one person (or pair) should be inducted each year.

The decision is now in the hands of the 32 living members of the Poker Hall of Fame. Each one has 10 votes to distribute among the nominees as they wish. The WSOP staff will tabulate the votes, and the one with the most will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 10.

It appears this will happen as it did last year, before the Poker Hall of Fame Bounty NLHE tournament, also known as Event 76 on the schedule. The tournament has a $1,979 buy-in and unlimited reentries. Every living Hall of Famer who plays is a bounty, and the amount of that bounty corresponds with the year that he or she was inducted into the HOF.

The newest HOF inductee will play Event 76.

Newest Members

Last year, Eli Elezra became the sole inductee into the Hall of Fame. In 2020, the WSOP inducted Huck Seed.

Prior to 2020, there had been two inductees each year for ten years. Only Mike Sexton became a member in 2009, but there had been two new members each year from 2005 through 2008 before that.

The Hall of Fame began and started inducting players in 1979.