Antonio Esfandiari Poker Profile, Results & Career Highlights
Antonio Esfandiari is an Iranian-American professional poker player and former professional magician known throughout the poker world as “The Magician.” One of the most recognizable players of the televised poker era, Esfandiari has won three World Series of Poker bracelets, two World Poker Tour titles and a WSOP Circuit ring.
His defining achievement came at the 2012 World Series of Poker, when he won the inaugural $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop for $18,346,673. The victory produced the largest single tournament payout in poker history at the time and temporarily moved Esfandiari to the top of poker's all-time live tournament money list.
As of August 2026, Hendon Mob lists Esfandiari with $27,810,801 in recorded live tournament earnings.
⠀
Who Is Antonio Esfandiari?
Antonio Esfandiari was born Amir Esfandiari in Tehran, Iran, in 1978. His family moved to California when he was nine years old, and he later changed his first name to Antonio.
Before poker became his primary career, Esfandiari worked as a professional magician. That background produced the nickname “The Magician,” which followed him as he became a prominent figure in professional poker.
Esfandiari rose to prominence during the early years of the World Poker Tour and the poker boom of the 2000s. His tournament success and frequent television appearances helped make him one of the recognizable personalities of that period.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's Poker Career
Esfandiari began recording significant live tournament results in the early 2000s and established himself as a major tournament player with a breakthrough victory on the World Poker Tour.
In February 2004, Esfandiari won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic at the Commerce Casino. He topped a field of 382 players and earned $1,399,135.
Only a few months later, Esfandiari captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet by winning a $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em event at the 2004 WSOP.
Those two championships helped establish Esfandiari as one of the leading young players of the poker-boom era. His career eventually grew to include three WSOP bracelets, two WPT championships and a WSOP Circuit Main Event title.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's WSOP Bracelets
Antonio Esfandiari has won three World Series of Poker bracelets.
2004 WSOP — $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em — 1st place — $184,860
2012 WSOP — $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop — 1st place — $18,346,673
2012 WSOP Europe — €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry — 1st place — €126,207
Esfandiari's first bracelet came in 2004, the same year he won his first World Poker Tour title.
His second bracelet arrived eight years later in a tournament that became one of the defining events of his career and of modern poker history.
Esfandiari added his third bracelet later in 2012 at WSOP Europe in Cannes, France. He won the €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry event after overcoming a field of more than 600 entries.
⠀
Winning the 2012 Big One for One Drop
Antonio Esfandiari's most famous tournament victory came in the inaugural Big One for One Drop at the 2012 World Series of Poker.
The tournament carried a $1 million buy-in, an unprecedented amount for a WSOP event at the time, and attracted 48 entries.
Esfandiari reached the final table as the chip leader and eventually faced Sam Trickett heads-up for the championship. Esfandiari won the match to capture his second WSOP bracelet and a first-place prize of $18,346,673.
Read the official WSOP recap of Antonio Esfandiari's Big One for One Drop victory
The $18,346,673 prize was the largest single poker tournament payout ever awarded at the time. It moved Esfandiari to the top of the all-time live tournament money list and remained the largest recorded cash of his career.
The event also became one of the signature moments of the 2012 WSOP and permanently connected Esfandiari's name with the history of the Big One for One Drop.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's World Poker Tour Career
Esfandiari has won two World Poker Tour titles and was one of the tour's prominent stars during its early years.
His first WPT championship came at the 2004 L.A. Poker Classic. Esfandiari defeated a 382-player field and collected $1,399,135.
He added his second title at the 2010 Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Bellagio in Las Vegas, where he earned $870,124.
The World Poker Tour lists Esfandiari with two titles, eight final tables, 16 cashes and $3,022,891 in recorded WPT winnings.
View Antonio Esfandiari's official World Poker Tour results
His success on the WPT, combined with his WSOP accomplishments, gave Esfandiari major championships on both of poker's most recognizable tournament platforms.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's WSOP Circuit Ring
Esfandiari added a WSOP Circuit title to his résumé in March 2016 when he won the Main Event at the Bicycle Casino in California.
The tournament attracted 756 entries. Esfandiari ultimately defeated 2006 WSOP Main Event champion Jamie Gold heads-up to win $226,785 and the first WSOP Circuit ring of his career.
Read the official WSOP recap of Esfandiari's Circuit Main Event victory
The victory added another major title to a career that already included three WSOP bracelets and two WPT championships.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's Live Tournament Earnings
As of August 2026, Hendon Mob lists Antonio Esfandiari with $27,810,801 in recorded live tournament earnings.
His $18,346,673 victory in the 2012 Big One for One Drop accounts for the largest individual score of his career.
Some of Esfandiari's most significant recorded tournament results include:
$18,346,673 — 2012 WSOP Big One for One Drop — 1st place
$1,399,135 — 2004 WPT L.A. Poker Classic — 1st place
$870,124 — 2010 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic — 1st place
$226,785 — 2016 WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event — 1st place
€126,207 — 2012 WSOP Europe €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry — 1st place
View Antonio Esfandiari's Hendon Mob tournament results
Live tournament earnings represent recorded tournament cashes rather than a player's net poker profit. They do not account for tournament buy-ins, travel and other expenses, staking arrangements, cash-game results or other financial activity.
⠀
Why Is Antonio Esfandiari Called “The Magician”?
Esfandiari's nickname, “The Magician,” comes directly from his career before professional poker.
Before becoming known at the poker table, Esfandiari worked as a professional magician. He brought elements of that background into his poker persona and occasionally performed magic tricks during poker appearances.
The nickname became increasingly recognizable as Esfandiari emerged as a prominent television poker personality during the 2000s.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari on Televised Poker
Esfandiari became a familiar presence on televised poker during the growth of the game in the 2000s.
His tournament achievements were accompanied by appearances on prominent poker programs and broadcasts, helping establish him as a personality known beyond tournament results alone.
Esfandiari continued appearing in high-stakes poker after reducing his full-time tournament schedule. His later appearances have included televised and livestreamed cash games featuring some of the largest stakes in poker.
In January 2026, Esfandiari participated in PokerGO's Super High Roller Cash Game. During the game, he and high-stakes player Alan Keating became involved in a pot worth approximately $2.4 million. The remaining cards were run twice, and the players split the pot.
His continued appearances demonstrate that Esfandiari remains involved in high-profile poker even though he no longer maintains the regular tournament schedule associated with the busiest years of his career.
⠀
Is Antonio Esfandiari Still Playing Poker?
Antonio Esfandiari continues to play poker selectively.
He is no longer a regular full-time tournament grinder, but recent appearances show that he remains active in high-stakes cash games and televised poker.
His January 2026 appearance in PokerGO's Super High Roller Cash Game was one of several examples of Esfandiari returning to high-profile poker competition years after his most active period on the tournament circuit.
Because his playing schedule is selective rather than continuous, describing Esfandiari as completely retired would not accurately reflect his continued poker appearances.
⠀
Antonio Esfandiari's Poker Legacy
Antonio Esfandiari holds an important place in modern poker history because his career combines major tournament championships, television visibility and one of the largest tournament victories the game has produced.
His three WSOP bracelets and two WPT titles demonstrate success across poker's two best-known championship series. His WSOP Circuit ring adds another major title to that résumé.
The 2012 Big One for One Drop remains the defining result of his career. Winning $18,346,673 in a single tournament set a record at the time and elevated Esfandiari to the top of the all-time tournament earnings list.
His career also spans multiple eras of professional poker, from the early growth of the World Poker Tour and televised poker through the modern era of high-stakes streamed cash games.
⠀
Major Poker Accomplishments
Three World Series of Poker bracelets
Two World Poker Tour titles
One WSOP Circuit ring
Winner of the inaugural 2012 $1 million Big One for One Drop
$18,346,673 career-best recorded live tournament cash
$27,810,801 in recorded live tournament earnings as of August 2026
2004 WPT L.A. Poker Classic champion
2010 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic champion
2016 WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event champion
⠀
Frequently Asked Questions
How many WSOP bracelets does Antonio Esfandiari have?
Antonio Esfandiari has three World Series of Poker bracelets. He won his first in 2004 and added two more in 2012, including the inaugural $1 million Big One for One Drop.
⠀
How much has Antonio Esfandiari won in live poker tournaments?
As of August 2026, Hendon Mob lists Antonio Esfandiari with $27,810,801 in recorded live tournament earnings. That figure represents recorded tournament cashes rather than net poker profit.
⠀
What is Antonio Esfandiari's biggest poker win?
Antonio Esfandiari's largest recorded tournament cash is $18,346,673. He earned the prize by winning the inaugural Big One for One Drop at the 2012 World Series of Poker.
⠀
Did Antonio Esfandiari win the Big One for One Drop?
Yes. Esfandiari won the inaugural $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop at the 2012 WSOP. He defeated Sam Trickett heads-up to win $18,346,673 and his second WSOP bracelet.
⠀
How many WPT titles does Antonio Esfandiari have?
Antonio Esfandiari has two World Poker Tour titles. He won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2004 and the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic in 2010.
⠀
Does Antonio Esfandiari have a WSOP Circuit ring?
Yes. Esfandiari won his first WSOP Circuit ring in 2016 by winning the Bicycle Casino Main Event for $226,785.
⠀
Why is Antonio Esfandiari called “The Magician”?
Esfandiari worked as a professional magician before becoming a professional poker player. His background in magic led to his longtime poker nickname, “The Magician.”
⠀
Where was Antonio Esfandiari born?
Antonio Esfandiari was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1978. His family moved to California when he was nine years old.
⠀
What was Antonio Esfandiari's original first name?
Antonio Esfandiari was born Amir Esfandiari. He later changed his first name to Antonio before becoming widely known as a professional poker player.
⠀
Is Antonio Esfandiari still playing poker?
Yes, although his playing schedule is much more selective than during the busiest years of his professional career. Esfandiari has continued appearing in high-stakes cash games and televised poker, including PokerGO's Super High Roller Cash Game in 2026.