Scotty Nguyen: Five-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner and Poker Hall of Famer
POKER HALL OF FAME
Inducted 2013
Scotty Nguyen has built one of poker’s most recognizable careers, combining five World Series of Poker bracelets, a WSOP Main Event championship, a World Poker Tour title and more than $12.7 million in recorded live tournament earnings.
Known throughout the game as “The Prince of Poker,” Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP Main Event and later captured the prestigious $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship in 2008. His résumé spans no-limit hold’em, Omaha and mixed games, demonstrating a range that extends well beyond the tournament for which he is best remembered.
Nguyen was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2013. As of August 2026, the Hendon Mob database lists him with $12,748,090 in live tournament earnings, while the official WSOP player database credits him with five bracelets and no WSOP Circuit rings.
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Who Is Scotty Nguyen?
Scotty Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American professional poker player whose tournament record dates to the early 1990s. Hendon Mob lists his nationality as United States, his birthplace as Vietnam and his residence as Las Vegas, Nevada.
His first recorded Hendon Mob tournament result came in November 1991, when he finished second in an event at the Winter Poker Olympics in Bell Gardens, California. By the middle of the decade, Nguyen was producing larger tournament scores, and his career accelerated after he began winning at the World Series of Poker.
Nguyen became particularly recognizable during poker’s television era because of his outgoing personality, distinctive table presence and frequent use of “baby” in conversation. Those characteristics made him memorable to casual viewers, but his competitive record established the substance behind the persona.
His tournament victories cover several forms of poker, including no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, Omaha hi-lo and H.O.R.S.E.
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Scotty Nguyen’s Rise to WSOP Champion
Nguyen won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 1997, taking down the $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better event for $156,950.
The breakthrough was followed one year later by the result that permanently connected his name with poker history.
At the 1998 World Series of Poker, Nguyen reached heads-up play in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event against Kevin McBride. The tournament attracted 350 entries, and the championship carried a $1 million first-place prize.
Nguyen won the title in one of the most recognizable closing hands from the pre-poker-boom era. With a full house showing on the board, he moved all in and told McBride that calling would make it “all over.” McBride called while playing the board, but Nguyen held a nine that gave him the higher full house.
The victory earned Nguyen his second bracelet, the WSOP Main Event championship and $1 million.
The moment became part of poker television history, while the championship itself established Nguyen as far more than a colorful tournament personality. He had reached the top of the game’s most important event.
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Scotty Nguyen’s Five WSOP Bracelets
Nguyen has won five WSOP bracelets across four different years and several poker disciplines.
His bracelet victories are:
1997 $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better — $156,950
1998 $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship — $1,000,000
2001 $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha — $178,480
2001 $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight or Better — $287,580
2008 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship — $1,989,120
The two victories in 2001 showed the depth of Nguyen’s Omaha game. He won bracelets in both pot-limit Omaha and Omaha hi-lo during the same WSOP.
His fifth bracelet, however, added another defining achievement to his career.
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2008 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship
Nguyen won the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship at the 2008 World Series of Poker, defeating a field of 148 entries and earning $1,989,120.
H.O.R.S.E. rotates through limit hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, razz, seven-card stud and seven-card stud hi-lo. Winning the event therefore requires proficiency across multiple poker disciplines rather than specialization in a single game.
Nguyen reached a final table that included Michael DeMichele, Erick Lindgren, Lyle Berman, Barry Greenstein, Huck Seed, Matt Glantz and Patrick Bueno. After an extended final table, Nguyen defeated DeMichele heads-up for the championship.
The victory earned Nguyen his fifth bracelet and the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.
It also created a distinction that has endured. PokerNews’ Scotty Nguyen profile notes that he is the only player to have won both the WSOP Main Event and the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship/Poker Players Championship.
Nguyen’s $1,989,120 payout remains the largest recorded live tournament cash of his career.
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Scotty Nguyen’s World Poker Tour Title
Nguyen also became a World Poker Tour champion during the 2005-2006 WPT season.
He won the World Poker Open in January 2006, defeating Michael Mizrachi heads-up and earning $969,421.
The official World Poker Tour results list Nguyen as the champion, with Mizrachi second and Raul Paez third.
That victory remains Nguyen’s lone WPT Main Tour title. His broader WPT record includes numerous deep runs and final-table appearances.
As of August 2026, Nguyen’s official WPT player profile lists one Main Tour victory, eight Main Tour final tables and more than $2.6 million in Main Tour earnings.
His success on both the WSOP and WPT helped establish a tournament résumé that spans poker’s major championship circuits rather than being built around a single signature victory.
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Scotty Nguyen’s Tournament Earnings and Career Record
As of August 2026, Hendon Mob lists Nguyen with $12,748,090 in recorded live tournament earnings and a career-best live cash of $1,989,120.
Those totals can change when new results are added to the database.
His major career accomplishments include:
Five WSOP bracelets
1998 WSOP Main Event championship
2008 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship
One WPT Main Tour title
2013 Poker Hall of Fame induction
More than $12.7 million in Hendon Mob-recorded live tournament earnings
Recorded live tournament results spanning more than three decades
The official WSOP database lists five bracelets and zero Circuit rings for Nguyen. His bracelet collection is especially notable for its variety, with victories in no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, Omaha hi-lo and the multi-game H.O.R.S.E. format.
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Scotty Nguyen’s Playing Style and Poker Reputation
Nguyen’s tournament record makes it difficult to define him as a specialist in only one form of poker.
His WSOP victories include hold’em, Omaha and mixed-game championships, while his largest career score came in a tournament requiring competitors to rotate through five different poker variants. That record supports his reputation as an accomplished all-around tournament player.
Nguyen has also long been known for an unusually expressive table presence. His conversational style, confidence and frequent use of “baby” became recognizable parts of televised poker.
The personality occasionally attracted as much attention as the cards, particularly during his 2008 H.O.R.S.E. championship run. But his results across multiple decades and poker formats remain the more durable measure of his career.
Nguyen’s longevity is equally significant. His first recorded live cash came in 1991, while major tournament databases continued recording results from him more than 30 years later.
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Poker Hall of Fame Induction
Nguyen joined the Poker Hall of Fame in 2013 alongside 1983 WSOP Main Event champion Tom McEvoy.
The induction recognized a career that already included five bracelets, a Main Event championship, the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. title and a WPT championship.
By that point, Nguyen had also become one of the most familiar personalities from the era in which televised tournament poker expanded to a much larger audience.
His Hall of Fame case rested on more than visibility. Nguyen had competed successfully for decades, won championships in different poker formats and produced major results at both the WSOP and WPT.
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The Legacy of the 1998 WSOP Main Event
Although Nguyen has earned more money from another tournament, his 1998 Main Event championship remains the defining result of his career.
Winning the Main Event placed him among poker’s world champions. The distinctive final hand gave the victory an additional place in poker culture because television viewers could connect Nguyen’s personality directly with the moment he won the championship.
His association with the Main Event continued well beyond 1998.
Nguyen made another significant run in 2007, finishing 11th in the WSOP Main Event for $476,926. He came within two eliminations of reaching what was then a nine-player final table.
The result demonstrated that his 1998 championship was not his only deep run in poker’s signature tournament.
The following year, he added the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. title, strengthening a WSOP résumé that already included the game’s most famous championship.
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Scotty Nguyen’s Recent Tournament Activity
Nguyen continued recording live tournament results well into the 2020s.
His latest result currently listed by Hendon Mob came at the 2025 World Series of Poker. Nguyen finished 39th in the $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Championship for $17,948.
The tournament drew 7,575 entries. PokerNews live reporting documented Nguyen surviving deep into the event before his eventual 39th-place finish.
Nguyen also cashed in the 2024 WSOP $1,500 The Closer, finishing 311th for $3,150. Other results from the early 2020s included cashes in WSOP, WSOP Circuit and WPT events.
As of August 25, 2026, Hendon Mob does not list a live tournament cash for Nguyen later than the June 2025 Seniors Championship result. There is no basis, however, to describe him as retired without reliable confirmation.
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Why Scotty Nguyen Matters in Poker
Nguyen’s place in poker history comes from the combination of championship results, longevity and visibility.
He won poker’s most famous tournament in 1998, proved his mixed-game ability by winning the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. championship a decade later and added a WPT championship between those victories.
His five bracelets cover multiple poker formats. His recorded tournament career spans more than three decades. His 2013 Poker Hall of Fame induction formally recognized that body of work.
For many poker fans, Nguyen is also inseparable from the personality he brought to televised poker. His speech, table presence and championship celebrations helped make him recognizable beyond serious tournament circles.
The numbers ultimately provide the foundation: five WSOP bracelets, a Main Event championship, a WPT title, a Poker Hall of Fame membership and more than $12.7 million in recorded live tournament earnings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many WSOP bracelets does Scotty Nguyen have?
Scotty Nguyen has five WSOP bracelets. He won them in 1997, 1998, twice in 2001 and in 2008.
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Did Scotty Nguyen win the WSOP Main Event?
Yes. Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP Main Event, defeating Kevin McBride heads-up and earning $1 million.
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How much has Scotty Nguyen won in live poker tournaments?
As of August 2026, Hendon Mob lists Scotty Nguyen with $12,748,090 in recorded live tournament earnings. Tournament earnings databases can change as additional results are added.
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What is Scotty Nguyen’s biggest tournament cash?
Nguyen’s largest recorded live tournament cash is $1,989,120. He earned it by winning the 2008 WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship.
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How many WPT titles does Scotty Nguyen have?
Nguyen has one WPT Main Tour title. He won the 2005-2006 World Poker Open for $969,421 after defeating Michael Mizrachi heads-up.
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Does Scotty Nguyen have any WSOP Circuit rings?
No. The official WSOP player database lists Nguyen with zero WSOP Circuit rings as of August 2026.
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Is Scotty Nguyen in the Poker Hall of Fame?
Yes. Scotty Nguyen was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2013 alongside Tom McEvoy.
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What is Scotty Nguyen’s nickname?
Nguyen is widely known as “The Prince of Poker” and is frequently referred to simply as “The Prince.”
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Is Scotty Nguyen still playing poker?
Nguyen has recorded tournament results in recent years. Hendon Mob currently lists his most recent live cash as a 39th-place finish in the 2025 WSOP Seniors Championship for $17,948. No reliable source reviewed for this profile establishes that he has retired.