Eli Elezra may not consider himself a poker pro, but his record tells a different story. Most poker players know him from Poker After Dark and other appearances on televised cash games, but Eli is also an active MTT player. With major tournament wins and over $5.7 million in prize money, Elezra's career is impressive, even securing him a Hall of Fame spot in 2021.
However, Eli Elezra’s reputation is far from squeaky clean within the poker community. His apparent gambling debts stretch back to the days of Full Tilt poker and could be in the millions.
We’ll cover Eli Elezra’s career, achievements, and the accusations of unpaid debts from players like Shaun Deeb and Cole South.
Eli Elezra: Quick Biography
Born in Jerusalem in 1960, Elezra dreamed of joining the infantry special forces. At 19, he achieved this goal. However, an injury in 1982 ended his military career. While recovering, Elezra learned poker basics.
In 1983, he moved to Alaska seeking new opportunities. After some business ventures, Elezra headed to Las Vegas to expand his enterprises. Though he likely played poker there in the 1980s, his first tournament cash came in 1996.
Elezra reached the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 1999. He made two final tables in limit Texas Holdem and pot-limit Omaha. Later, he appeared on High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark. His opponents included Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, and Tom Dwan. During this time, Elezra still saw himself as an amateur. His main income came from business, with poker winnings as a bonus. Like many entrepreneurs, he faced financial ups and downs. Loans affected his poker reputation, which we’ll cover soon in this article.
With five WSOP bracelets and a World Poker Tour win, Elezra entered the Poker Hall of Fame in 2021. He still regularly plays in WSOP events and has some impressive recent achievements. While poker has brought Elezra fame and substantial winnings, his business acumen shouldn't be overlooked. He's owned several successful businesses in Las Vegas, including a film processing lab and a seven-story parking garage.
Estimating Elezra's net worth is challenging due to his diverse income sources. However, considering his poker winnings and business success, his net worth is likely in the multi-million dollar range.
Top Things to Know About Eli Elezra’s Poker Results
• Over 200 cashes in live MTTs
• 18 first-place finishes
• Total winnings of $5,720,372
• Ranked 336th globally and 174th among U.S. players by total prize money
These stats are current after WSOP 2024, where Elezra cashed again. He shows no signs of retiring.
Elezra has one seven-figure prize and 15 others exceeding $100,000. His top tournament results include:
• 2004 WPT USA Main Event: 1st place, $1,024,574
• 2022 WSOP Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Championship: 1st place, $611,362
• 2021 WSOP Poker Players Championship: 4th place, $286,983
• 2018 WSOP Omaha Hi/Lo Championship: 2nd place, $258,297
• 2007 WSOP World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low: 1st place, $198,984
Eli Elezra’s Recent Poker Achievements
In recent years, Eli Elezra has continued to make waves in the poker world. His most recent WSOP bracelet came in 2022, when he won the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship for $611,362. This victory showcased Elezra's enduring adaptability in high-stakes tournaments, despite coming from the old-school poker environment.
Here are some of Eli Elezra’s other recent victories:
- Winner of the $10,000 8 Game Mix event at the WPT Five Diamond Classic in 2022 (+$57,000)
- Winner of the $10,000 + 300 Triple Stud Mix event at the 2023 PGT Mixed Games in Vegas (+$155,000)
- 3rd in the $10,000 + 200 H.O.R.S.E. event at the 2023 PGT Mixed Games II in Vegas (+$93,600)
- Winner of the $5,300 Mixed Games event at the 2023 North American Poker Tour in Vegas (+$53,540)
Although he probably plays online far less nowadays, Eli used to use “eps” as his nickname on Full Tilt Poker.
- Increased first deposit bonus
- Increased rakeback and reloads
- Help with deposits and cashouts
- Access to private freerolls
- Round-the-clock support
The Alleged Debts of Eli Elezra
Several people in the poker community have been very vocal about Eli Elezra’s unpaid debts. According to some estimates, the amount could exceed a million dollars, but we’re unlikely to have confirmation on this amount.
In 2016, Shaun Deeb opened up about several debts going back to Black Friday. In his case, he says he lent Eli $20,000 and wasn’t paid back, despite seeing him playing in $200/$400 high-stakes cash games soon after. Eli’s debt to Shaun grew to around $90,000, and a small payment was made, but not the full amount. Despite arrangements to slowly repay, Deeb says, “I wanted to help him out if he’s really struggling, but over the years, it was always constant stories of, “I’m doing this business deal, I'm selling this land, I’m selling this, I’m going to do this,” and money never came in to play. There have been plenty of stories of other high-stakes guys being owed from Eli or just taking it out of the pot and different things that have happened. Some crazy stories.”
In the same interview, Shaun told one story about Eli playing with someone else's stack when they were away from the table. After losing around $18k, he supposedly never paid it back.
“It’s pretty brutal that he’s gotten away with what he did because he owes me, along with a lot of other people in poker,” said Deeb, a multiple winner of the PokerStars WCOOP. “That’s the thing. His debt sheet, I could only imagine how big it is.”
Another professional, Cole South, echoed a similar story to Deeb on 2+2, saying he was owed $100,000 at one point. After a $60,000 payment, the money and communication from Eli stopped coming. He did write an admission on 2+2, but he was non-specific and offered little in the way of resolution. With Eli’s gradual stepping away from the limelight, how much he owes is still unclear.
Elezra's Impact on Modern Poker
Eli Elezra's influence extends beyond his tournament results. He's known for his friendly demeanor at the tables, often engaging in lively banter with opponents. This has made him a fan favorite and contributed to poker's popularity as a spectator sport.
In recent years, Elezra has become more vocal about the importance of mixed games in poker. He advocates for their inclusion in major tournaments, arguing that they test a player's all-around skill more than No-Limit Texas Holdem alone.
Elezra's success in his 60s has also inspired older players. He proves that poker is a game where experience can trump youthful aggression, especially in limit and mixed game formats.