Dan Heimiller biography
Dan Heimiller was born on June 25, 1962, and grew up with seven siblings in Livonia, Michigan, after being born in California. He attended the University of Arizona pursuing an industrial engineering degree while driving a taxi in Las Vegas to make ends meet, before abandoning the engineering track altogether to chase a living at the poker table in the 1990s.
His breakthrough came in 2002 when he won his first WSOP bracelet in a mixed Hold'em/Stud event, and he has since built one of the most durable resumes in the game, cashing at the WSOP for 25 consecutive years between 1997 and 2021. Heimiller has been remarkably candid about the financial volatility of a grinder's life, admitting he has gone broke roughly 20 times and routinely had to seek backing from fellow players to keep competing.
Rather than fading with age, he has done the opposite: he won a second bracelet in the 2014 WSOP Seniors Championship for $627,462, and, after an eleven-year drought, claimed a third bracelet in 2025 in a $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event for $106,840 at age 62, describing the win as "a long time coming." His longevity and win-rate across four decades have made him a respected fixture of the mixed-games and stud circuit.
Career summary
Three-time WSOP bracelet winner (2002, 2014, 2025) with 417 career cashes and over $7.99 million in live earnings, notable for an unmatched 25-year streak of consecutive WSOP cashes and for openly discussing the financial ups and downs of a lifelong grinder's career.
Dan Heimiller poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | WSOP $1,500 Seven-Card Stud | 1st | $106,840 |
| 2014 | WSOP Seniors Championship | 1st | $627,462 |
| 2002 | WSOP $2,000 Half Hold'em / Half Stud | 1st | $108,300 |
| 2013 | WPT Legends of Poker | 2nd | $356,115 |
| 2008 | WPT Borgata Poker Open | 3rd | $387,500 |
Verified live tournament earnings: $7,990,000+ from 417 cashes, plus 3 WSOP bracelets.
Dan Heimiller playing style
A patient, disciplined mixed-games and Stud specialist whose longevity comes from consistent, low-ego decision-making rather than high-variance aggression.
Cash games
A tournament specialist across Hold'em and Stud disciplines with no significant public profile in tracked high-stakes live cash games.
Business & sponsorships
Drove a taxi in Las Vegas while studying industrial engineering at the University of Arizona before committing fully to professional poker in the 1990s.
Why Dan matters
A blue-collar grinder's grinder who has openly admitted to going broke roughly 20 times over three decades, only to keep rebuilding his bankroll and adding WSOP bracelets deep into his 60s.
FAQ about Dan Heimiller
How many times has Dan Heimiller gone broke during his poker career?
He has stated publicly that he has gone broke approximately 20 times over the course of his career, often needing backing from other players to keep playing, yet he has always found a way to rebuild.
What made Heimiller's 2025 WSOP bracelet especially meaningful?
It came eleven years after his previous bracelet win and made him a three-time champion at age 62, defeating David Bach heads-up in a $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event for $106,840.
How much has Dan Heimiller won playing poker?
Dan Heimiller has won $7,990,000+ in live tournament earnings. Total cashes: 417.