Brian Altman biography
Brian Altman was born in 1988 and grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, discovering poker in high school after watching Chris Moneymaker's iconic 2003 WSOP Main Event victory on television. Rather than abandoning academics for the felt right away, Altman pursued a rigorous educational path, earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2012.
After graduating, he made the unconventional choice to move to Montreal, Quebec, to play online poker full-time rather than practice pharmacy.
That decision paid off spectacularly on the live felt: Altman became the first player in history to win the same World Poker Tour event twice, capturing the Lucky Hearts Poker Open in both 2015 and 2020, and added a third WPT title in 2021, a run that also earned him the WPT Season 18 Player of the Year award and made him just the seventh player ever to reach three WPT championships.
Along the way, he built a strong WSOP resume as well, including a memorable 2018 Main Event run to 113th place that saw him eliminate poker legend Phil Ivey. With career earnings exceeding $5.3 million, Altman has since become a respected instructor with LearnWPT, passing his tournament expertise on to the next generation of players.
Career summary
A 3-time World Poker Tour champion and the first player ever to win the same WPT event twice (Lucky Hearts Poker Open, 2015 and 2020), with career earnings exceeding $5.3 million and a WPT Season 18 Player of the Year title, now a LearnWPT instructor.
Brian Altman poker winnings
Verified live tournament earnings: $5,300,000+ from 57+ cashes.
2015 - WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open - 1st
2020 - WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open - 1st (first player ever to win the same WPT event twice)
2021 - WPT title - 1st (3rd career WPT title; WPT Season 18 Player of the Year)
2018 - WSOP $10,000 Main Event Championship - 113th (notably eliminated Phil Ivey)
2019 - PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - 6th (final table)
Brian Altman playing style
Precise and deeply studied, with particular strength in tournament final-table and range-based decision-making, reflecting a scientific, methodical approach carried over from his pharmacy education.
Cash games
Occasionally plays live cash games between tournament stops, though his career and public profile are built almost entirely around WPT tournament success.
Business & sponsorships
LearnWPT instructor and coach; holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (2012).
Brian Altman Net Worth
As of November 2026, Brian Altman net worth estimates range from $3 million to $6 million.
Verified live tournament earnings account for $5.3M of prize money across 57+ 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 Brian matters
A pharmacy doctorate holder who traded a health-sciences career for poker after watching Chris Moneymaker's 2003 WSOP win, becoming just the seventh player ever to capture three World Poker Tour titles.
FAQ about Brian Altman
What unique WPT record does Brian Altman hold?
He is the first player in World Poker Tour history to win the same event twice, taking down the Lucky Hearts Poker Open in both 2015 and 2020, part of a run that made him just the seventh player ever to capture three WPT titles.
What did Brian Altman study before becoming a professional poker player?
He earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2012 before choosing to move to Montreal and play online poker full-time instead of practicing pharmacy.
How much has Brian Altman won playing poker?
Brian Altman has won $5,300,000+ in live tournament earnings. Total cashes: 57+.
How many WSOP bracelets does Brian Altman have?
Brian Altman has not won a WSOP bracelet yet.