WSOP announces 10 finalists, two first timers, for 2024 Poker Hall of Fame

Haley Hintze Author Photo
Haley Hintze
Posted on: July 2, 2024 11:05 PDT

Caesars Entertainment and the World Series of Poker have announed the ten 2024 finalists for induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. The ten prominent poker figures include two first-time finalists in Barny Boatman and 'Miami' John Cernuto, who are joined by seven returning finalists from the 2023 election cycle, and an eighth prior finalist, Patrik Antonius, who was absent from the 2023 finalist ballot.

In alphabetical order, the 2024 finalists are as follows:

  • Patrik Antonius
  • Josh Arieh 
  • Barny Boatman
  • 'Miami' John Cernuto
  • Ted Forrest
  • Kathy Liebert
  • Mike Matusow
  • Matt Savage
  • Isai Scheinberg
  • Bill Smith

In 2023, Brian Rast was selected as the PHOF's sole enshrinee, adhering to the Hall's practice in recent years of honoring just one individual in each annual cycle. Two other 2023 finalists, Jeremy Ausmus and the commentating team of Norman Chad and Lon McEachern, did not make this year's finalist list.

Honoree to be chosen by vote among living Hall members

The announcing of the ten finalists follows a public-nominantion window in mid-June, followed by a vetting process to ensure all finalists are eligible and provide a representative cross-section of the poker world. The process now moves on to a vote among the living members of the PHOF; each voter receives a bloc of ten votes that can be distributed among one or multiple finalists.

The winner of the 2024 vote will be announced during the Main Event later in July. The 2024 selection will also have his or her picture enshrined with all earlier PHOF enshrinees inside the WSOP Hall of Fame Poker Room at Horseshoe Las Vegas.