Todd Brunson: WSOP Bracelet Winner and Poker Hall of Famer

Todd Brunson has built a poker career defined by high-stakes cash games, mixed-game expertise, a World Series of Poker bracelet and induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. Although he entered the game as the son of Doyle Brunson, Todd established a separate reputation through decades of competition against many of poker's strongest players.

Brunson remains an active tournament player. As of September 1, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists him with $5,448,983 in live tournament earnings and a career-best recorded tournament cash of $500,000. His 2026 World Series of Poker included a third-place finish in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship and a 20th-place finish in the WSOP Main Event.

The World Series of Poker lists Brunson with one bracelet, zero Circuit rings, 19 final tables and 97 cashes. Those tournament statistics tell only part of his career because much of Brunson's reputation was built in high-limit cash games rather than tournament poker.

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Who Is Todd Brunson?

Todd Brunson is an American professional poker player and a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. The Hendon Mob lists Rollins, Montana, as his birthplace and Las Vegas, Nevada, as his residence.

Brunson grew up around one of poker's most recognizable figures, but his father did not simply direct him into the profession. When Todd was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2016, the WSOP recounted that he discovered poker while attending Texas Tech University and later decided to leave school to pursue the game professionally.

That decision eventually led to a career spanning major tournaments, televised poker and some of the largest cash games in Las Vegas. His strongest reputation has traditionally come in mixed games and high-stakes limit poker, areas in which tournament earnings provide only a partial measure of a player's career.

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Todd Brunson's Poker Career

Brunson's rise occurred during an era when many elite professionals divided their time between tournaments and private or casino cash games. Rather than building his reputation primarily through no-limit hold'em tournament results, he became associated with high-limit cash games and a broad range of poker variants.

By the early 2000s, Brunson was already competing regularly against established professionals. His tournament record began accumulating significant results, while his cash-game reputation placed him alongside many of the most experienced mixed-game players in Las Vegas.

His tournament breakthrough at the World Series of Poker came in 2005.

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Todd Brunson's WSOP Bracelet

Brunson won his first and, as of September 2026, only WSOP bracelet in the 2005 $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better event.

The tournament attracted 359 entries and generated an $825,700 prize pool. Brunson defeated Allen Kessler heads-up to collect $255,945 and the bracelet.

The victory also created a notable piece of WSOP history. Todd and Doyle Brunson became the first father and son to each win World Series of Poker bracelets.

Omaha Hi-Lo was an appropriate game for Brunson's breakthrough. Split-pot and mixed games have remained central to his tournament record throughout his career, and many of his deepest WSOP finishes have come outside traditional no-limit hold'em events.

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Poker Hall of Fame Induction

Brunson received one of poker's highest honors in 2016 when he was elected to the Poker Hall of Fame alongside Carlos Mortensen.

The WSOP highlighted several elements of Brunson's career when announcing his selection, including his WSOP bracelet, tournament record, mixed-game ability and extensive experience in major cash games.

His induction also gave the Brunson family two Poker Hall of Fame members. Doyle Brunson had been inducted in 1988. At the time of Todd's induction, the WSOP noted that the Brunsons joined the Binions as the only families with two members in the Hall of Fame.

Todd's Hall of Fame selection was significant because his case was not built solely around tournament victories. His standing among other professional players and his long record in high-stakes cash games were central parts of his poker reputation.

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Todd Brunson's Live Tournament Earnings

As of September 1, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Todd Brunson with $5,448,983 in recorded live tournament earnings.

His largest recorded live tournament cash is $500,000, earned in February 2006 when he won the Quarter Finalists Invitational Freeroll during Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2.

Brunson also won the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 3 Grand Final later in 2006 for $400,000.

Tournament databases do not measure cash-game profits, an important distinction when evaluating Brunson's career. His reputation has long been tied to high-stakes cash poker, meaning his publicly recorded tournament earnings represent only the tournament side of his playing history.

Live tournament totals also change whenever a player records another qualifying result, so earnings figures should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent career total.

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Mixed Games and Cash-Game Reputation

Brunson is particularly associated with mixed poker games rather than specialization in a single format.

When he was named a Poker Hall of Fame finalist in 2016, the WSOP described him as best known for his mixed-game ability and noted that he spent much of his playing time in Las Vegas cash games. His tournament history supports that description, with major results across Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, H.O.R.S.E., 2-7 Triple Draw and multi-game formats.

Brunson also contributed strategy material to Super System 2, the follow-up to his father's influential Super/System. His contribution focused on Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight or Better, another indication of the split-pot and mixed-game expertise that became closely associated with his career.

His ability across formats has allowed him to remain competitive through multiple generations of professional poker. While no-limit hold'em became the dominant tournament game during the poker boom, Brunson continued to appear deep in fields featuring games that demand proficiency across several disciplines.

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Todd Brunson's 2026 WSOP Results

The 2026 World Series of Poker provided strong evidence that Brunson remains an active and competitive tournament player.

He finished third in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship for $203,242. Scott Clements won the event, with Dylan Weisman finishing second.

Brunson later placed sixth in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship for $62,404 and 13th in the $10,000 8-Game Mixed Championship for $27,080.

His deepest run in the year's largest tournament came in the $10,000 WSOP Main Event. Brunson advanced to 20th place from a field of 9,208 entries and earned $325,000.

According to PokerNews' Todd Brunson results, he recorded six cashes during the 2026 WSOP. The Hendon Mob lists $627,816 in tournament earnings for Brunson during 2026 through September 1.

The Main Event performance was particularly notable because no-limit hold'em has not traditionally defined Brunson's reputation to the same extent as mixed games. Reaching the final 20 players in a field of more than 9,000 demonstrated that his tournament results are not limited to the specialist formats for which he is best known.

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Todd Brunson's Place in Poker History

Todd Brunson's career occupies an unusual place in poker history.

He entered professional poker carrying one of the most recognizable surnames in the game. Doyle Brunson was already a two-time WSOP Main Event champion, multiple-bracelet winner and major figure in high-stakes poker before Todd established his own career.

Rather than relying on that connection as his primary claim to recognition, Todd accumulated credentials that ultimately supported his own Poker Hall of Fame induction.

His bracelet, decades in high-stakes cash games, mixed-game expertise and continued tournament activity have separated his record from his father's while creating one of poker's most accomplished family legacies.

The longevity of Brunson's career also matters. His major results stretch across different periods of modern poker, from the pre-boom and early poker-boom years to the large-field WSOP tournaments of the 2020s.

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Is Todd Brunson Still Playing Poker?

Yes. Brunson remained an active tournament player through the 2026 World Series of Poker.

His 2026 results included six WSOP cashes, highlighted by third place in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship and 20th place in the Main Event. Those performances came more than two decades after his 2005 bracelet victory.

Brunson's continued presence in championship-level mixed games is consistent with the career that earned him Hall of Fame recognition. His tournament schedule may not resemble that of a full-time high-volume circuit player, but recent results confirm that he continues to compete at major events.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many WSOP bracelets does Todd Brunson have?

Todd Brunson has one World Series of Poker bracelet. He won the 2005 $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better event for $255,945.

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Is Todd Brunson in the Poker Hall of Fame?

Yes. Todd Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2016 alongside Carlos Mortensen.

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How much has Todd Brunson won in live poker tournaments?

As of September 1, 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Todd Brunson with $5,448,983 in recorded live tournament earnings. That figure can change as additional results are recorded and does not represent his cash-game winnings.

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What is Todd Brunson's biggest live tournament cash?

The Hendon Mob lists $500,000 as Todd Brunson's largest recorded live tournament cash. He earned that prize by winning the Quarter Finalists Invitational Freeroll at Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 2 in February 2006.

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Is Todd Brunson related to Doyle Brunson?

Yes. Todd Brunson is the son of Poker Hall of Famer Doyle Brunson. Todd and Doyle became the first father-son combination to each win a World Series of Poker bracelet.

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What poker games is Todd Brunson known for?

Todd Brunson is especially known for mixed games and high-stakes cash poker. His tournament record includes strong results in Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, H.O.R.S.E., 2-7 Triple Draw and multi-game championship events.

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Is Todd Brunson still active in poker?

Yes. Brunson competed extensively at the 2026 World Series of Poker, where he recorded six cashes, finished third in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship and placed 20th in the WSOP Main Event.