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Bonomo, Deeb, and Scheinberg Lead the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame Finalists

By Mrinal Gujare

3 hours ago

Mrinal Gujare 3 hours ago

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WSOP reveals 8 Poker Hall of Fame finalists for 2026, including big names and industry leaders.
New voting rules could see up to 6 inductees, easing candidate backlog.
Rule change boosts non-player candidates like Isai Scheinberg.

Image by: WSOP.com

The WSOP announced eight nominees for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame, including Isai Scheinberg, Justin Bonomo, and Shaun Deeb. Overhauled voting rules allow up to six inductees, potentially easing a candidate logjam when winners are announced at the Main Event.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has officially announced the shortlist for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame induction class, following the conclusion of the public voting round.

A total of eight nominees have advanced to the final stage of the selection process. The 2026 finalists are:

Justin Bonomo
Shaun Deeb
Isaac Haxton
Jason Koon
Mike Matusow
Isai Scheinberg
Chris Moorman
Scott Seiver

The remaining 33 living members of the Poker Hall of Fame will cast the deciding ballots. Under a newly overhauled final voting process for 2026, each living member is allocated four votes. Any nominee who secures 22 or more votes will automatically earn induction.

In the event that no individual reaches this 22-vote threshold, the nominee with the highest overall vote count will be inducted.

This structural change allows for up to six individuals to be inducted this year, a shift designed to ease a growing logjam of qualified candidates.

The backlog has been intensified by a wave of prominent players turning 40 this year and becoming eligible for the first time.

Among these first-time eligible nominees are Shaun Deeb, Justin Bonomo, and Jason Koon, all of whom possess strong credentials for first-ballot induction. Notably, Deeb enters the conversation fresh off winning the 2025 WSOP Player of the Year title.

The revised voting structure is also viewed by many within the poker community as a viable pathway for PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg to gain entry after years of near misses.

Previously, a strict one-person induction limit made it difficult for non-players and industry contributors to compete against a long list of accomplished players. Prominent figures have openly advocated for Scheinberg's inclusion.