Antonio Esfandiari

Antonio " The Magician " Esfandiari ( born December 8, 1978 in Tehran, Iran Amir Esfandiari ) is a professional Iranian poker players.

He retired at the age of nine years with his family to San Jose, California. Since he was annoyed at school because of his name, he changed it to Anthony.

At age 19, he moved his name again, this time in Antonio and became a professional artist trick. While he was working as a magician, he began playing poker and won about $ 1.4 million in 2004 by winning the LA Poker Classic World Poker Tour. Shortly after, he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Pot Limit Texas Hold'em.

Esfandiari took part in the second and third season of Poker Superstars. After he was last in the second season, he made it a year later to finish the tournament on an impressive second place. He was also seen in five of the seven seasons of High Stakes Poker.

Since May 7, 2007, he was seen at the American pay-per- view channels MOJO HD in the eight-part television series "I bet you" with his best friend Phil Laak in which to complete the two crazy bets against each other. Also in the film comedy All in - all or nothing from the year 2008, he had like Laak made ​​a cameo appearance as a poker player.

In July 2012, Esfandiari was able to secure victory in the $ 1,000,000 buy-in "The Big One for One Drop" and won with $ 18,346,673, the highest prize money ever in the history of poker at the World Series of Poker. With this victory exceeded his winnings in live tournaments 22.8 million U.S. dollars. He therefore occupies the first place in the All-Time Money List.

Until the end of 2013 its profits from official tournaments amount to over $ 26.2 million.