United States Poker 2025 SPI Review: Top Ten USA Poker Players
TThe 2025 poker season has served as a powerful reminder of the relentless talent coming out of the American circuit, with the top ten USA poker players asserting their dominance across both domestic stops and major international festivals. According to the Somuchpoker Poker Index (SPI) , the 2025 leaderboard highlights a year where American professionals combined massive volume in Las Vegas with surgical precision in elite stops across Korea , and Taiwan .
The following table breaks down the consistency and raw earning power that defined the seasons for the top ten USA poker players in 2025.
2025 SPI Score: United States Top Ten
| Rank | Player | 2025 SPI Score | Total SPI Earning | ITM | Festivals | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calvin Lee | 18,526 | $2,792,660 | 15 | 11 | 22 |
| 2 | Joseph Cheong | 18,025 | $780,575 | 24 | 13 | 44 |
| 3 | Isaac Haxton | 17,724 | $5,184,300 | 11 | 4 | 14 |
| 4 | Kaifan Wang | 11,772 | $206,366 | 21 | 8 | 33 |
| 5 | Robert Kiss | 10,061 | $114,117 | 20 | 8 | 32 |
| 6 | Daniel Lei | 9,925 | $143,410 | 22 | 4 | 30 |
| 7 | Alex Foxen | 9,761 | $1,470,740 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| 8 | Peter Kiem | 9,026 | $93,636 | 20 | 9 | 30 |
| 9 | Aram Oganyan | 8,514 | $987,345 | 7 | 3 | 9 |
| 10 | Dylan Linde | 8,349 | $1,001,530 | 8 | 2 | 9 |
Player Profiles
1. Calvin Lee
Sitting at the summit of the top ten USA poker players for 2025 is Calvin Lee . Lee’s season was a masterclass in high-stakes efficiency, navigating 11 festivals to accumulate a dominant 2025 SPI Score of 18,526. His calculated approach resulted in SPI earnings of $2,792,660.
With total live earnings now exceeding $6.5 million, Lee’s 2025 highlight was a massive podium finish in a Super High Roller event in Asia, which added a significant mark to his already impressive resume. His outstanding performance occurred in the Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju with a runner-up finish in the WPT Global Slam for $1,185,000, setting a new benchmark in his career.
2. Joseph Cheong
Ranked second among the top ten USA poker players is the legendary Joseph Cheong . A true veteran of the grind, Cheong recorded 24 cashes across 13 festivals to reach a 2025 SPI Score of 18,025. His SPI earnings of $780,575 reflect a year of hard-earned consistency across the global circuit.
With more than $20 million in total live earnings, Cheong remains one of the most respected and accomplished players in the game. His standout result in 2025 came in Las Vegas, where he won the PokerAtlas Champ Title event at the Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza IV for $200,706. His career-best score, however, still stands at $4,130,049, earned for his third-place finish in the 41st World Series of Poker Main Event in 2010, a result that remains the defining highlight of his career.
3. Isaac Haxton
Isaac Haxton secures the third spot with a 2025 SPI Score of 17,724. Haxton remains the “Final Boss” of high-stakes poker, generating the highest financial return in the top ten with staggering SPI earnings of $5,184,300 from just 14 events.
Currently sitting with over $61 million in his lifetime earnings, his 2025 pinnacle was a 1st-place finish in the PLO – Main Event at the Triton series in Jeju , setting a benchmark for precision that few can match. Impressive as it is, his career-best score came from the Super High Roller Bowl V, where he claimed the title in the $300,000 No Limit Hold’em event in 2018.
4. Kaifan Wang
Occupying the fourth position, Kaifan Wang recorded a strong 2025 SPI Score of 11,772. Wang proved to be a resilient force in mid-to-high stakes fields, turning 33 event entries into 21 cashes and SPI earnings of $206,366. Known for his technical adaptability, his 2025 run has pushed his total earnings significantly higher, making him a player to watch as he continues to climb the global rankings.
With over $600,000 in total live earnings, his career-best live cash of $150,660 was achieved in June 2025 at the 56th World Series of Poker (WSOP) , where he finished 9th in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker, marking a highlight moment in his year.
5. Robert Kiss
Rounding out the top five of the top ten USA poker players is Robert Kiss with a 2025 SPI Score of 10,061. Kiss utilized a dedicated schedule across 8 festivals to secure SPI earnings of $114,117. His ability to navigate large tournament fields into the final stages resulted in 20 cashes throughout the season, establishing him as one of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit.
Kiss has accumulated total live tournament earnings of over $724,000, his highlight in 2025 came from a deep run in the 56th WSOP The Closer event for $20,015. His career-best score, however, stands still at $83,896, which he earned with a 3rd finish in the 2023 APT Taipei High Roller 8 Max event.
6. Daniel Lei
Daniel Lei holds the 6th spot with a 2025 SPI Score of 9,925. Lei displayed incredible efficiency in 2025, recording 22 cashes from only 4 festivals attended. This high-impact schedule led to SPI earnings of $143,410. His tactical depth was on full display in several deep runs across major West Coast series, boosting his career live results to cross the $500,000 milestone.
With over $624,000 in total live earnings, Lei has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the global high roller scene. His career best live cash of $349,562 was achieved in June 2025 at the 56th World Series of Poker (WSOP) , where he finished 5th in the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Monster Stack.
7. Alex Foxen
A World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and a two-time GPI Player of the Year, Alex Foxen , takes the 7th position among the top ten USA poker players with a 2025 SPI Score of 9,761. Foxen was remarkably clinical, playing only 8 events but generating massive SPI earnings of $1,470,740.
With over $54 million in total live earnings, he currently ranks 6th on the United States All Time Money List. His 2025 momentum reached its peak at the 56th World Series of Poker, where he secured a runner-up finish in the Super High Roller event for $3,060,314. However, his career-defining score remains $4,563,700 he earned for winning the Super High Roller at the 53rd World Series of Poker in 2022.
8. Peter Kiem
Peter Kiem ranks 8th with a 2025 SPI Score of 9,026. Kiem was a constant presence in regional stops, attending 9 festivals to secure SPI earnings of $93,636. His year was defined by sheer persistence and final table volume, recording 20 cashes and proving that the regional grind is a viable path to the elite national rankings.
With total live tournament earnings of over $617,000, Kiem’s biggest career score came in June 2025 at the 56th World Series of Poker (WSOP), where he finished 5th in the $5,000 Seniors High Roller for a massive $155,498, marking a highlighted moment of the year.
9. Aram Oganyan
Aram Oganyan ranks 9th among the top ten USA poker players with a 2025 SPI Score of 8,514. Oganyan matched the consistency of the leaders by generating SPI earnings of $987,345 from a selective schedule of just 9 events. With total live earnings nearing $9million, his 2025 season was highlighted by a deep run in a marquee high-roller event in Las Vegas.
In mid 2025, Oganyan secured a 5th finish in the High Roller (8-Handed) event at the 56th World Series of Poker for his career-best score of $1,766,099, surpassing his previous record of $989,501, set in 2024 with his 3rd finish in the 8-Handed Silver Main at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju in 2024 .
10. Dylan Linde
Rounding out the list is a 3-time WSOP bracelet winner, Dylan Linde , with a 2025 SPI Score of 8,349. Linde focused purely on high-value stops, generating SPI earnings of $1,001,530 from just 9 event entries. With total live tournament earnings nearing $15 million, Linde’s 2025 performance further solidifies his reputation as one of the best theoretical minds in modern poker.
Currently ranking the top 50 on the United States All Time Money List, Linde’s career-best live score of $2,146,414 came from a massive victory in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, capping off his year in style.
Where to Play in the USA
The United States remains the global epicenter for live poker, offering world-class action from coast to coast.
- Las Vegas, Nevada : The uncontested capital of poker, featuring iconic rooms like the Resorts World Las Vegas and Aria Resort & Casino , which host high-stakes action and elite festivals year-round.
- The Commerce Casino (Los Angeles): Known as the world’s largest poker room, it serves as the primary hub for the Southern California scene and major series like the LAPC.
- Seminole Hard Rock (Hollywood, Florida): A premier destination for East Coast players, hosting massive WPT and Hard Rock Poker Open festivals that consistently break field records.
USA’s Premier Poker Festivals
- World Series of Poker (WSOP): The biggest and most prestigious festival in the world, held annually in Las Vegas, where the world’s best compete for the iconic gold bracelets.
- WPT World Championship: A record-breaking year-end festival at the Wynn Las Vegas that has quickly become one of the most important stops on the professional calendar.
- PokerGO Tour (PGT): A high-stakes circuit based in Las Vegas designed specifically for the elite tier of professional players, focusing on high-roller and mixed-game formats.
As 2026 gets underway, the race for the top of the SPI leaderboard is already heating up. With the top ten USA poker players of 2025 setting such a high bar for volume and earnings, the competition to be the top-ranked American player this year promises to be the most intense in recent history.
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