Antonio Esfandiari biography
Born Amir Esfandiari on December 8, 1978, in Tehran, Iran, he moved with his family to San Jose, California, at age nine and graduated from Del Mar High School in 1997. After a brush with legal trouble as a teenager, he reinvented himself at 19, changing his name to Antonio and building a career as a professional magician known for elaborate close-up chip and card tricks. It was through magic gigs that he was first invited to play Texas Hold'em, a game he took to immediately.
Esfandiari built a strong tournament resume through the 2000s, including two WPT titles, before cementing his legacy on July 3, 2012, when he won poker's most storied tournament, the inaugural $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for One Drop, defeating a stacked field of 47 to claim $18,346,673 – at the time, and for years afterward, the largest single cash prize in poker history. That win briefly made him poker's all-time money leader before Daniel Negreanu surpassed him in 2014.
Beyond the felt, Esfandiari has built one of poker's most prominent media careers, appearing regularly on High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark, co-starring with Phil Laak on "I Bet You" and Discovery Channel's "Underground Poker," and even landing an acting role in the 2012 film "Freelancers" alongside Robert De Niro.
Career summary
Winner of the largest single tournament prize in poker history ($18,346,673 in the 2012 Big One for One Drop), a 3-time WSOP bracelet holder, and a former all-time money list leader, with career earnings exceeding $27.8 million.
Antonio Esfandiari poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | WSOP The Big One for One Drop ($1,000,000 buy-in) | 1st | $18,346,673 |
| 2010 | WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic | 1st | $870,124 |
| 2004 | WPT L.A. Poker Classic | 1st | $1,399,135 |
| 2009 | WSOP $10,000 Main Event Championship | 24th | $352,832 |
Verified live tournament earnings: $27,800,000+ from 150+ cashes, plus 3 WSOP bracelets.
Career: 3 WSOP bracelets, 10 final tables, 46 money finishes
Antonio Esfandiari playing style
Charismatic, aggressive, and showman-like at the table, using his magician's instinct for misdirection and psychology alongside sound tournament fundamentals built over two decades at the highest stakes.
Cash games
Frequent participant in the highest-stakes televised cash games, including multiple seasons of High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark.
Business & sponsorships
Television personality, former professional magician, brand ambassador, and media entrepreneur with credits spanning reality TV, film, and mobile app content.
Antonio Esfandiari Net Worth
As of November 2026, Antonio Esfandiari net worth estimates range from $25 million to $35 million.
Verified live tournament earnings account for $27.8M of prize money across 150+ cashes. Sponsorships, business ventures and cash games, covered above, make up the rest of the picture. Tournament prize money is not the same as profit: buy-ins, staking deals and taxes are not deducted, so all net worth figures are estimates based on public reporting.
Why Antonio matters
A former street magician turned poker's biggest single-tournament winner ever, blending showmanship and charisma into one of the sport's most recognizable public personas.
FAQ about Antonio Esfandiari
How much did Antonio Esfandiari win in the 2012 Big One for One Drop?
He won $18,346,673 for first place in the $1,000,000 buy-in charity tournament, which stood as the largest single cash prize in poker tournament history for years after his win.
How did Antonio Esfandiari get his start before poker?
Before turning to cards, he reinvented himself as a professional magician named "Antonio" (born Amir), performing elaborate street and close-up magic - skills in misdirection and showmanship he later carried directly into his poker career and his TV persona.
How many WSOP bracelets does Antonio Esfandiari have?
Antonio Esfandiari has won 3 WSOP bracelets.