Sam El Sayed

Total Winnings
$722,625

Armed with an unlit cigar and a hankering for action, Sam el Sayed is hard to miss in a tournament line-up. With a booming laugh, shaved head, and intricate sunglasses, the Lebanese poker pro keeps his tablemates in stiches, that is, when he isn’t perplexing him with his unique style of play.

These days, el Sayed calls Switzerland home and he has been a presence on the European tournament circuit since 2006. El Sayed has posted cashes all over the world, including a runner-up finish at a side event at the WPT Spanish Championship in 2008 and his lifetime earnings come in at more than $1.2 million.

His breakout score came in 2010 at the inaugural WPT stop in Amneville, France, where an impressive 542 runners put up €3,200 to take part in the biggest European event in WPT history. El Sayed defeated the record field to take down the title and the €26,425 prize. He followed up that win with a strong showing on US soil, where he dominated the late stages of play at the Season IX WPT World Championship in Las Vegas before busting out in eighth place.