New Poker Hall of Fame inductee announced

Seed, the 1996 World Series of Poker Main Event champion and four-time WSOP bracelet winner, prevailed in a vote by Hall of Fame members.

“Hearing the news that I am being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame this year brought back memories of my early poker days, walking into the Binion’s Horseshoe, about to start a poker session, admiring all the Poker Hall of Famers on the wall,” Seed said in a statement. “It feels good to be included with all the poker legends that I once idolized and competed against over the years. Thank you everyone.”

Seed, 51, has more than $7.6 million in career tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database. He won $1 million at the 1996 Main Event, defeating Bruce Van Horn heads-up.

Seed won his first WSOP bracelet in a $2,500 buy-in Pot-limit Omaha event in 1994. His other bracelets came in the $1,500 Razz in 2000 and $5,000 Razz in 2003. He also won the WSOP Tournament of Champions in 2010 for $500,000.

Seed also won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship in 2009 for $500,000.

Seed stands out in a poker room at 6 feet 7 inches tall. He was an all-state basketball player in high school and played at Caltech, where he studied electrical engineering.

Thirty of the 31 living Hall of Fame members cast ballots. They could distribute 10 points to the nominees in whatever manner they chose (all 10 for one person, diving among several, etc.).

Seed received 76 of the 300 votes. Longtime tournament director Matt Savage finished second with 51 votes. Isai Scheinberg, the founder of the online poker site PokerStars, was third with 45.

The rest of the voting was as follows:

— Eli Elezra: 30

— Antonio Esfandiari: 23

— Lon McEachern and Norman Chad: 20

— Ted Forrest: 20

— Mike Matusow: 17

— Patrik Antonius: 15

— Chris Ferguson: 3

A formal induction ceremony will be held next year.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.