The most popular poker players in Nebraska

Poker in the United States is booming—again.

Last year, the World Series of Poker accepted a record 10,043 entrants, who each had to fork over $10,000 to sit at the no-limit hold 'em tournament with a $93.4 million purse, including $12.1 million for the winner.

The event, which started in 1970 with seven participants, took off in 2003 when Chris Moneymaker burst onto the scene, The Financial Times reported. The Tennessee accountant won $2.5 million after qualifying for the main event in an $86 online satellite tournament, and poker hasn't been the same since.

The World Poker Tour, which arranges and hosts international poker tournaments, was launched the previous year. Added to that, the increased availability of broadband internet plus unregulated online poker rooms and the entertainment value of televised events helped foster a rise that lasted until the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 prevented businesses from accepting payments from people participating in illegal gambling.

Online poker took another huge hit in 2011, when the Department of Justice on what is known as Black Friday seized the domains of super sites PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker, and Ultimate Bet—and $34 million from players. It made a comeback, however, when the coronavirus pandemic led to the sprouting of new platforms, and subsequent developments and innovations made the game more attractive.

Still, it's been a slow burn, and while poker has seen its share of ups and downs as the gambling industry ebbs and flows, more and more players are sitting down to ante up.

To see which players had the most eyes on them, Clubs Poker compiled a ranking—based on a national analysis—of the most popular poker players in Nebraska using data from The Hendon Mob. Players residing in Nebraska were ranked according to the unique pageviews on the website starting from Jan. 1, 2008. Data about each player's live cash earnings were added as supplementary insights. Data is as of March 13, 2024.

#10. Mike Vanier
- Total live earnings: $1,963,067
--- 1,269th highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $595,000
- Residence: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 12,141

#9. Scott Buller
- Total live earnings: $1,412,779
--- 1,903rd highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $500,000
- Residence: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 13,663

#8. Elizabeth Montizanti
- Total live earnings: $424,465
--- 7,152nd highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $61,560
- Residence: Hastings, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 13,684

#7. Brandon Fish
- Total live earnings: $459,456
--- 6,461st highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $62,640
- Residence: Kearney, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 13,699

#6. Bob Slezak
- Total live earnings: $1,352,710
--- 1,948th highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $429,114
- Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 14,067

#5. Phil Mader
- Total live earnings: $912,356
--- 2,993rd highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $185,694
- Residence: Grand Island, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 15,786

#4. Jeff Banghart
- Total live earnings: $1,164,168
--- 2,298th highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $237,865
- Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 16,403

#3. Eric Rodawig
- Total live earnings: $932,293
--- 2,923rd highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $442,183
- Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 17,388

#2. Ryan Phan
- Total live earnings: $1,814,592
--- 1,400th highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $725,000
- Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 25,565

#1. Daniel Sindelar
- Total live earnings: $2,251,254
--- 1,069th highest live poker earnings of all time
- Best live cash: $1,236,084
- Residence: Lincoln, Nebraska
- Unique hits: 26,043

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Mike Taylor, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.