List of World Series of Poker Main Event champions
| Year | Winner | Nickname | Hand | Prize | Entrants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Daniel Weinman | K♣ J♦ | 12,100,000 | 10043 | |
| 2022 | Espen Jørstad | Q♦ 2♠ | 10,000,000 | 8663 | |
| 2021 | Koray Aldemir | 10♦ 7♦ | 8,000,000 | 6650 | |
| 2020 | Damian Salas | K♦ J♠ | 1,550,969 | 1379 | |
| 2019 | Hossein Ensan | K♥ K♣ | 10,000,000 | 8569 | |
| 2018 | John Cynn | K♣ J♣ | 8,800,000 | 7874 | |
| 2017 | Scott Blumstein | A♥ 2♦ | 8,150,000 | 7221 | |
| 2016 | Qui Nguyen | Tommy Gun | K♣ 10♣ | 8,005,310 | 6737 |
| 2015 | Joe McKeehen | A♥ 10♦ | 7,683,346 | 6420 | |
| 2014 | Martin Jacobson | 10♥ 10♦ | 10,000,000 | 6683 | |
| 2013 | Ryan Riess | Riess the Beast | A♥ K♥ | 8,359,531 | 6352 |
| 2012 | Greg Merson | K♦ 5♦ | 8,531,853 | 6598 | |
| 2011 | Pius Heinz | A♠ K♣ | 8,715,638 | 6865 | |
| 2010 | Jonathan Duhamel | A♠ J♥ | 8,944,138 | 7319 | |
| 2009 | Joe Cada | 9♦ 9♣ | 8,574,649 | 6494 | |
| 2008 | Peter Eastgate | Isser | A♦ 5♠ | 9,152,416 | 6844 |
| 2007 | Jerry Yang | The Shadow | 8♦ 8♣ | 8,250,000 | 6358 |
| 2006 | Jamie Gold | Q♠ 9♣ | 12,000,000 | 8773 | |
| 2005 | Joe Hachem | 7♣ 3♠ | 7,500,000 | 5619 | |
| 2004 | Greg Raymer | Fossilman | 8♠ 8♦ | 5,000,000 | 2576 |
| 2003 | Chris Moneymaker | 5♦ 4♠ | 2,500,000 | 839 | |
| 2002 | Robert Varkonyi | Q♦ 10♠ | 2,000,000 | 631 | |
| 2001 | Carlos Mortensen | El Matador | K♣ Q♣ | 1,500,000 | 613 |
| 2000 | Chris Ferguson | Jesus | A♠ 9♣ | 1,500,000 | 512 |
| 1999 | Noel Furlong | 5♣ 5♦ | 1,000,000 | 393 | |
| 1998 | Scotty Nguyen | The Prince of Poker | J♦ 9♣ | 1,000,000 | 350 |
| 1997 | Stu Ungar | Stuey or The Kid | A♥ 4♣ | 1,000,000 | 312 |
| 1996 | Huck Seed | 9♦ 8♦ | 1,000,000 | 295 | |
| 1995 | Dan Harrington | Action Dan | 9♦ 8♦ | 1,000,000 | 273 |
| 1994 | Russ Hamilton | K♠ 8♥ | 1,000,000 | 268 | |
| 1993 | Jim Bechtel | J♠ 6♠ | 1,000,000 | 220 | |
| 1992 | Hamid Dastmalchi | 8♥ 4♣ | 1,000,000 | 201 | |
| 1991 | Brad Daugherty | K♠ J♠ | 1,000,000 | 215 | |
| 1990 | Mansour Matloubi | 6♥ 6♠ | 895,000 | 194 | |
| 1989 | Phil Hellmuth | The Poker Brat | 9♠ 9♣ | 755,000 | 178 |
| 1988 | Johnny Chan | Orient Express | J♣ 9♣ | 700,000 | 167 |
| 1987 | Johnny Chan | Orient Express | A♠ 9♣ | 625,000 | 152 |
| 1986 | Berry Johnston | A♠ 10♥ | 570,000 | 141 | |
| 1985 | Bill Smith | 3♠ 3♥ | 700,000 | 140 | |
| 1984 | Jack Keller | Gentleman | 10♥ 10♠ | 660,000 | 132 |
| 1983 | Tom McEvoy | Grand Rapids Tom | Q♦ Q♠ | 540,000 | 108 |
| 1982 | Jack Straus | Treetop | A♥ 10♠ | 520,000 | 104 |
| 1981 | Stu Ungar | Stuey or The Kid | A♥ Q♥ | 375,000 | 75 |
| 1980 | Stu Ungar | Stuey or The Kid | 5♠ 4♠ | 385,000 | 73 |
| 1979 | Hal Fowler | 7♠ 6♦ | 270,000 | 54 | |
| 1978 | Bobby Baldwin | The Owl | Q♦ Q♣ | 210,000 | 42 |
| 1977 | Doyle Brunson | Texas Dolly | 10♠ 2♥ | 340,000 | 34 |
| 1976 | Doyle Brunson | Texas Dolly | 10♠ 2♠ | 220,000 | 22 |
| 1975 | Brian Roberts | Sailor | J♠ J♥ | 210,000 | 21 |
| 1974 | Johnny Moss | The Grand Old Man of Poker | 3♥ 3♠ | 160,000 | 16 |
| 1973 | Walter Pearson | Puggy | A♠ 7♠ | 130,000 | 13 |
| 1972 | Thomas Preston | Amarillo Slim | K J | 80,000 | 8 |
| 1971 | Johnny Moss | The Grand Old Man of Poker | 6 6 | 30,000 | 6 |
| 1970 | Johnny Moss | The Grand Old Man of Poker | N/A | N/A | 7 |