World Poker Tour (WPT)

Winning World Poker Tour's 'Player of the Year' title is a major honor. Traditional as well as online poker world's most talented professionals vie for this coveted title all year long. Beyond the generous monetary reward that comes along with the title, there is also the acknowledgment factor. What we mean to say is that, the entire poker industry acknowledges that the winner of this honorable title is a man with exceptional poker skills. Indeed, the title gives its winner a prominence like no other both on the poker circuit as well as outside it...

Over the World Poker Tour's five seasons (with the sixth now running and being expected to conclude by April, 2008), there have been five prominent poker players who have received the WPT 'Player of the Year' title:

Season I

Howard Lederer- 43-year-old Howard Lederer was born in Concord, New Hampshire. He is a professional poker player who is widely known for his analytical style of play and multiple wins at the poker table. Lederer is the brother of Annie Duke, a highly respected female poker pro. Lederer holds two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets as well as two World Poker Tour (WPT) titles. As of 2007, he has collected a total of over $3,400,000 in live tournament winnings.

Season II

Erick Lindgren- Erick Lingren, of Burney, California, authored a poker book called 'World Poker Tour: Making the Final Table.' Nicknamed 'E-Dog,' the poker pro won his first major poker tournament at the Bellagio Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in 2002. Since then, Lindgren has become a highly prominent poker player. In June 2006, Lindgren nabbed the $600,000 first prize in the FullTiltPoker.net Poker Pro Showdown competition, beating such top poker pros as Mike Matusow, Erik Seidel and Phil Ivey.

Season III

Daniel Negreanu- Daniel Negreanu is a highly successful poker player. Negreau, nicknamed 'The Kid,' is considered a real card shark. Winning two World Poker Tour (WPT) events as well as two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, Negreanu appeared at eleven final tables. In 2004, he was named the WSOP player of the year, and in 2005,WPT player of the year. Negreanu is the second all-time leading money winner on the WPT circuit. As of 2007, he has collected a total of over $9,650,000 in live tournament winnings.

Season IV

Gavin Smith- Canadian poker pro Gavin Smith is considered to be a late bloomer. This is because Smith started playing poker at the age of 26. His first money finish in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) came in 2003. He now boasts 13 money finishes. In 2005, he finished first in the World Poker Tour Mirage Poker Showdown in Las Vegas taking home the $1,128,278 top place prize. In 2006, Smith won the World Pro-Am Challenge tournament collecting the $500,000 first prize. As of 2007, he has collected a total of over $3,700,000 in live tournament winnings.

Season V

J.C. Tran- J.C. Tran is a Vietnamese-American poker professional. Tran has had numerous money finishes. His most notable victories include the 2003 Heavenly Hold 'em competition, the 2005 Rio Las Vegas Poker Festival and the 2006 WCOOP Main Event. Additionally, Tran has made three final tables in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). On March 28, 2007, Tran won his first World Poker Tour (WPT) title, the World Poker Challenge, collecting $683,473. As of 2007, he has collected a total of over $5,200,000 in live tournament winnings.