With a week of the 2024 World Series of Poker in the books, the nomination process for the next class of the Poker Hall of Fame has opened.
“With the poker world losing original participants of the 1970 WSOP in the last two years, it’s more important than ever to celebrate the history of the game,” said Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the World Series of Poker, in Tuesday’s press release. “The Poker Hall of Fame is meant to make sure legends who paved the way for today’s record-setting fields are never forgotten, and we thank poker fans for their help putting forth worthy candidates during the nomination process.”
Those two legends Stewart mentioned are Doyle Brunson, who passed away in May 2023, and Crandell Addington, who the poker world just lost in April.
Criteria to be consider for the Poker Hall of Fame are as follows:
- Must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
- Be a minimum of 40-years-old at time of nomination
- Played for high stakes, consistently well, and stood the test of time
- For non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results
Anyone can nominate a person for the Hall of Fame by going to the HOF website and filling out a form. A reason for the nomination must be provided. The public nomination window will be open through June 16.
Once all the nominations are in, the top ten vote getters will be reviewed by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council, presumably to make sure everyone is eligible (this part of the process has never been particularly transparent). When the ten finalists are set, the living Poker Hall of Fame members will cast their votes. If it works the same as in past years, the Hall of Fame voters will have ten votes which they can distribute among the finalists however they would like. They can give all ten to one person, half to one and half to another, one to each finalists, any combination.
Only one person will make the Poker Hall of Fame Class of 2024. That person will be announced on July 14. Last year’s inductee was Brian Rast.
