The Purple Jacket: History & Champions of the Poker Masters

Sports are defined by iconic trophies. Hockey players bleed for the Stanley Cup, tennis professionals dream of hoisting the Wimbledon trophy, and the world's greatest golfers battle for the legendary Green Jacket at The Masters.

In professional poker, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet has represented the absolute pinnacle of the game for decades. While the prestige of a WSOP bracelet remains unquestionable, a new "holy grail" has emerged in recent years for the tight-knit, ultra-elite high roller community: the Purple Jacket.

Awarded to the overall champion of the Poker Masters series, this custom-tailored garment is much more than a trophy. It is a status symbol that broadcasts a clear message to the poker world: you are the best-performing player in the most difficult environment imaginable. But how did this tradition begin, how is the winner decided, and which legendary players have earned the right to wear it?

The Origin Story of the Purple Jacket

The concept was born in 2017. Poker Central (now PokerGO) executives created an exclusive tournament series for the world’s best and wealthiest poker players. They wanted to build a made-for-television spectacle that featured an instantly recognizable, iconic grand prize.

The inspiration was clearly drawn from the golf world, specifically the Green Jacket awarded at the Augusta National Golf Club. For poker, the organizers chose purple - a color historically associated with royalty, wealth, power, and exclusivity.

The jacket isn't just pulled off a rack. Renowned fashion designer Waraire Boswell crafted the original design, dressing global superstars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. When the winner is crowned at the end of the series, the jacket is custom-tailored to their exact measurements, turning it into a personalized suit of armor for the high-roller tables.

How the Poker Masters Series Works

The Poker Masters is not a single tournament; it is a high-stakes festival spanning roughly a week and a half. It is traditionally held in the early fall at the state-of-the-art PokerGO Studio, located within the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

The structure of the series is built on three main pillars:

• The Buy-ins: The Poker Masters features high-stakes tournaments, with buy-ins varying by edition. Recent series have included events ranging from around $5,000 to $25,000, although the schedule can change from year to year.

• The Formats: The festival usually consists of 8 to 12 separate high roller tournaments. The live Poker Masters series primarily features No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments. The schedule and number of events can vary by year.

• The Field: While a massive WSOP event might feature anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 amateurs and pros, the Poker Masters fields are highly intimate. Tournaments generally attract 40 to 100 entries, but almost every player in the room is a world-class professional or a billionaire enthusiast.

The PGT Leaderboard: Winning the Jacket

You cannot win the Purple Jacket by simply running hot for one afternoon. The trophy goes to the player who accumulates the most leaderboard points throughout the festival, officially earning the title of "Player of the Series".

The official PokerGO Tour (PGT) point system tracks scoring. Players earn points every time they finish In The Money (ITM) during a series event. The official PGT point system tracks scoring. Players earn points for in-the-money finishes in qualifying events. Points depend on the player's cash and the tournament's buy-in category, with larger cashes generally earning more points. Naturally, winning a tournament outright grants a massive points boost.

This system forces absolute consistency. Alongside the Purple Jacket, the series leaderboard winner has also received a PGT Passport, with the bonus amount varying by edition.

The Hall of Legends: Champions Up to 2025

The roster of champions is practically a Poker Hall of Fame in its own right. The players who have worn the iconic jacket to date:

• 2017 – Steffen Sontheimer: The inaugural Poker Masters was completely dominated by the German superstar known as "Goose". Sontheimer was an unstoppable force, making four final tables and winning two events (including the $100k finale) to cement his legacy as the first-ever Purple Jacket winner.

• 2018 – Ali Imsirovic: This was the breakout series for the young phenom. Imsirovic took the high roller scene by storm, winning back-to-back $25,000 and $50,000 events and proving that the new generation of solver-trained crushers had arrived.

• 2019 – Sam Soverel: Known primarily as a ruthless cash game player, Soverel put on a clinic of consistency. He cashed in almost every event in the series, using an aggressive, highly exploitative style to comfortably lock up the leaderboard.

• 2020 – Alexandros Kolonias and Eelis Parssinen: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Poker Masters was held online, with separate No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha series. Kolonias won the No-Limit Hold'em series, while Parssinen topped the PLO leaderboard.

• 2021 – Michael Addamo: The Australian genius brought perhaps the most terrifyingly aggressive form in poker history to the tables. Addamo's dominance was absolute; he closed out the series by winning the two most expensive tournaments back-to-back, leaving his opponents mathematically drawing dead for the jacket.

• 2022 – Sean Winter: In one of the most dramatic finishes in Poker Masters history, Winter entered the final $50,000 event trailing on the leaderboard. He had to win the final tournament outright to snatch the jacket from his rivals - and he did, completing an epic comeback.

• 2023 – Stephen Chidwick: The British poker legend, widely regarded by his peers as one of the greatest No Limit Hold'em players ever, finally claimed the prize he had long deserved. His flawless execution throughout the 2023 series easily secured him the title.

• 2024 – Jim Collopy: Known for his incredible versatility and calm demeanor, "Wash" put together a spectacular run in 2024. By consistently navigating the brutal fields and locking up crucial deep runs, Collopy secured his spot in high roller history and donned the custom Purple Jacket.

• 2025 – David Coleman: The young American professional dominated the series from start to finish. After immediately taking down the opening $1 Million Showcase event, his momentum never faded. By finishing runner-up in the $25,000 finale, he locked up an insurmountable lead on the leaderboard, rightfully claiming the custom Purple Jacket and etching his name in high roller history.

Why the Purple Jacket is Harder to Win Than a WSOP Bracelet

The poker community often debates which trophy carries more weight. The WSOP Main Event bracelet is undeniably the most famous and offers the most life-changing money. However, from a purely technical standpoint, the Poker Masters Championship is a much purer metric of raw skill.

• No "Dead Money": In a massive summer tournament, the field is packed with recreational players who easily surrender chips to the professionals (referred to as "dead money"). At the Poker Masters, there are no easy spots. You are staring down players like Phil Ivey, Adrian Mateos, and Justin Bonomo. Every single mistake costs tens of thousands of dollars.

• Consistency Over Luck: In a 5,000-player field, variance is extreme. A recreational player can catch a hot run of cards and win. The Poker Masters point system, however, demands that a player perform at a world-class level for ten consecutive days against the top 50 players on earth.

• Mental Endurance: Risking anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 every single afternoon requires incredible bankroll management and ironclad psychological resilience.

Conclusion

In a remarkably short time, the Poker Masters Purple Jacket has become one of the most coveted and fiercely contested status symbols in professional poker. It cannot be bought, and it cannot be won by luck alone.

When a player slips their arms into the custom-tailored Purple Jacket under the bright lights of the PokerGO Studio, it sends an undeniable message to the poker universe: for that year, in that room, they were the undisputed king of the high rollers. And as long as the elite gather in Las Vegas every autumn, the legend of the Purple Jacket will keep growing.