Thomas Koral is a highly respected American poker professional who has been a consistent winner on the tournament circuit for two decades. Based out of Skokie, Illinois, he first developed his skills in the online poker world before transitioning into one of the most versatile live players in the game. Koral is widely recognized for his mastery of mixed games, though he has proven he can win at the highest levels of No Limit Hold’em as well. With multiple gold bracelets and millions in earnings, he has established himself as a true veteran and a permanent fixture in the global poker rankings.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

According to The Hendon Mob, Thomas Koral has total live earnings of over $3.1 million. His most significant career achievement is winning two WSOP gold bracelets. His first came in 2017 when he won the $1,500 Seven Card Stud event for $96,907. He followed that up with an even bigger win in 2019, taking down the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Double Stack for a career best $530,164.

Koral has also performed exceptionally well on other major tours. He recorded a deep run at the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, finishing 8th in the Main Event for $201,300. He is also a regular on the WPT circuit, where he has notched numerous scores, including a 3rd place finish in the $1,100 Limit H.O.R.S.E. at the 2025 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown and a 6th place finish in the 2023 $970 + 130 Limit Omaha 8 or Better Championship at the WPT World Championship.

Thomas Koral poker — Thomas Koral (credit: PokerNews photographer Alicia Skillman)

Biography & Poker Background

Thomas Koral was born in 1983 and resides in the Chicago area. He got his start in poker during the early years of the boom, famously turning a small $75 online deposit into a six figure bankroll within just one year. Before becoming a full time pro, he was a college student studying finance, a background that clearly helped him manage the mathematical side of the game.

Since he began recording live results in 2005, Koral has shown remarkable longevity. While many of his peers from the early days have moved on, he has remained a top tier competitor by constantly evolving. He is a frequent face at the WSOP in Las Vegas every summer, where he is known for playing a massive schedule of both Hold’em and mixed game events. Outside of poker, he is an avid golfer and enjoys traveling, often bringing his family along to support him during major tournament series.

Play Style & Strategy

Thomas Koral is best known for his versatile and technical style of play. Because he is an expert in mixed games like Stud, Omaha, and H.O.R.S.E., he has a much wider range of skills than the average tournament player. This allows him to stay patient and wait for the right moments, especially in formats that require a deep understanding of different game rules and strategies.

His strategy is built on adaptability and precision. In mixed games, he focuses on disciplined hand selection and exploiting opponents who may not be as familiar with the specific game being played. When he switches back to No Limit Hold’em, he uses that same discipline to navigate through huge fields. Koral himself has noted that winning a bracelet in Hold’em was particularly special to him because it proved he could still dominate the most popular game in the world despite being labeled a “mixed game specialist.”

Social Media & Online Presence

Thomas Koral maintains a professional presence in the poker community and his results are documented across all major platforms. You can check his full history of tournament cashes and current rankings through these links:

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

Biography & Poker Background

Play Style & Strategy

Social Media & Online Presence

Video Highlights:

Event	Entries	Buy-In	Prize	Place	SPI
WSOP 2026 Las Vegas $1,500 8-Game Mixed 2026.06.28	766 ITM: 115	$1,500	$3,010	91	318.86
WSOP 2026 Las Vegas $1,500 Big O 2026.06.05 - 2026.06.08	2150 ITM: 294	$1,500	$75,600	6	2,067.89
WSOP 2025 Las Vegas MAIN EVENT No-Limit Hold'em World Championship 2025.07.02 - 2025.07.15	9735 ITM: 1462	$10,000	$17,500	1041	643.09

Full Thomas Koral Poker History: Earnings, Cashes & Rankings