Nationality
Dan Harrington is an American poker player with United States citizenship.
- Direct message
- Leave a review
- Bookmark
- Share
- Report
- prev
- next
Born (date and place of birth)
Dan Harrington was born on December 6, 1945, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
Residence (current location)
Dan Harrington currently resides in Santa Monica, California, United States.
Education (institution, specialization)
Dan Harrington was educated in law, working as a bankruptcy lawyer. He was also a U.S. chess master and won the 1971 Massachusetts State Chess Championship, demonstrating strong strategic and analytical skills.
Children (number, ages)
No publicly available verified information exists about Dan Harrington’s children. Many professional players choose to keep family information private.
Year started playing poker
Dan Harrington began serious poker involvement by the mid-1980s, with noted activity at the Mayfair Club during that period.
Age when started playing
Dan Harrington started serious poker play around age 40, given his birth year (1945) and play documented in the mid-1980s.
Year turned professional
He transitioned to professional poker status around 1995, the year he won the WSOP Main Event, marking his rise in the poker world.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
His first significant tournament victory was the 1995 WSOP Main Event, winning $1,000,000. He also won a $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em bracelet the same year for approximately $249,000.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
No specific mentor is publicly documented. His early poker experience came from playing at New York’s Mayfair Club alongside players like Howard Lederer and Erik Seidel, reflecting peer learning common in professional circles.
First important tournament
Details of Dan Harrington’s first important tournament are not specifically recorded. His early recognized WSOP cashes began in the late 1980s and early 1990s leading to his 1995 win.
Main motivation for turning pro
Dan Harrington’s primary motivation for poker is financial gain rather than fame, valuing money and intellectual challenge over public recognition.
Initial bankroll
Specific starting bankroll details are unavailable; typically poker professionals start with personal funds and grow bankrolls through disciplined play and winnings.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Dan Harrington is well known as a poker author, co-writing the "Harrington on Hold'em" series that focus on tournament strategy, reflecting formalized poker education through his writings rather than formal courses.
First sponsor/backing
No public record exists of Dan Harrington’s initial sponsorship; players of his era frequently competed without major early sponsorship deals.
Total live tournament winnings
Dan Harrington’s total live tournament earnings exceed $6.4 million.
Number of tournament wins
He has 5 recorded major tournament victories including WSOP titles and a WPT title.
Number of final tables
Dan Harrington has appeared in 43 final tables in major live tournaments.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
His largest single tournament cash is $1,599,865 at the 2007 Legends of Poker WPT Championship event.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Dan Harrington has won 2 WSOP bracelets: 1995 Main Event and 1995 $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em event.
WSOP cashes (number)
He has at least 15 WSOP cashes documented.
WSOP final tables
He has 5 final table appearances at WSOP events.
Best WSOP Main Event result
He placed 1st in 1995, 3rd in 2003, and 4th in 2004 at the WSOP Main Event.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No records of $100K+ buy-in Super High Roller event results.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No publicly documented wins in $25K-$100K high roller events.
Online tournament winnings
There is no significant public record of online tournament winnings by Dan Harrington.
Major online titles
No recorded major online tournament titles.
Poker team
Dan Harrington is not currently affiliated with any poker teams or stables; he is a part-time player focused on business interests.
Main cash game limits
Public details of cash game limits played are unavailable; often tournament specialists participate in a range of stakes for practice but exact limits are not public.
Highest stakes played
No public information about highest stakes cash games played is available.
Notable high stakes sessions
There are no publicly known notable high stakes cash game sessions documented involving Dan Harrington.
"Big Game" participation
No known participation in famous televised "Big Game" high stakes cash games.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Estimated cash game profits are not publicly available.
Country ranking
Within the U.S. poker community, Dan Harrington is recognized as one of the elite players historically, but no official ranking lists are public.
All Time Money List position
Dan Harrington ranks among the top live tournament earners globally on the All Time Money List with over $6.4 million earnings.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Specific tournament ROI for Dan Harrington is not publicly calculated; tournament pros with prolonged success usually maintain positive ROI through disciplined play.
Average tournament win
His average tournament cash is typically in the tens of thousands of dollars, reflecting multiple large cashes amid total earnings.
ITM percentage
Public ITM (in-the-money) percentage not available; professional tournament players often have ITM rates from 10% to 25%.
Final table percentage from cashes
Based on 43 final tables and over 213 total cashes, Dan Harrington’s final table appearance rate is approximately 20%.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Highlights include peak performances in 1995, 2003, 2004, and 2007 with major wins and deep Main Event runs; recent activity has been more sporadic.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Specializes in No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments, especially large-field live tournament play.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily a tournament specialist with limited public information on cash game or online specialization.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Prefers full ring tables consistent with Main Event style tournaments (9-10 players).
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Primarily competes in No-Limit Hold’em; proficient in mixed-limit formats such as Limit/No-Limit Hold’em.
Specialization limits
Typically plays mid-to-high buy-in tournaments ranging from $1,000 to $10,000+.
Online rooms where plays
Not known for regular competition on online poker rooms.
Favorite casinos/locations
Prefers prestigious venues like the WSOP in Las Vegas, Bellagio, Wynn, and similar top poker rooms.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Known for a tight-aggressive (TAG) style—conservative with strategic pressure.
Known for bluffs/traps
Has a reputation for infrequent but well-timed bluffs leveraging his tight image.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Takes a mathematical and disciplined approach grounded in chess and backgammon strategic thinking.
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable with a rational mindset and strong understanding of variance and opponent tendencies.
Playing strengths
Exceptional patience, positional awareness, disciplined hand selection, and chip stack management.
GTO strategy usage
Pre-dates formal GTO strategy but employs principles aligned with game theory optimal play.
Poker software usage
No public information on software use; older pros generally rely heavily on study and experience.[general]
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Appeared on televised WSOP events, WPT final tables, and instructional poker shows including coverage of his 1995 WSOP Main Event win.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
No public record of participation in "High Stakes Poker" show.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
No publicly documented appearances on Poker After Dark.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Featured in various poker documentaries and educational videos, though no widely known dedicated documentary.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Interviewed by major poker media outlets such as PokerNews and CardPlayer across his career.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Occasionally a guest on poker podcasts, though no detailed public records of specific episodes are available.[general]
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
No known personal podcast or video channel hosted by Dan Harrington.
Facebook (account link)
No significant official Facebook presence is publicly documented.[general]
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
No personal YouTube channel, but instructional content based on his books is available on third-party channels.[general]
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
No Twitch streaming channel or activity known.[general]
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
No TikTok presence publicly known.[general]
LinkedIn profile (link)
No publicly known LinkedIn profile associated with the poker player Dan Harrington.[general]
Posting frequency in social media
Social media activity and posting frequency are very low or nonexistent for Dan Harrington.[general]
Type of content in social media
When sharing content, focuses mainly on poker strategy and educational materials via published books.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No current public sponsorship deals are widely reported; he is largely independent.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
No documented historic sponsorship deals publicly known.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
No recorded poker site ambassador roles.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Co-founded Anchor Loans, a real estate hard money lending company; served as first CEO and remains a shareholder.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No public record of specific investments in poker-related projects beyond business ventures.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
Does not publicly offer coaching; educational contributions mainly through his book series.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable as no public coaching services offered.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
Authored the "Harrington on Hold'em" series and "Harrington on Cash Games," renowned poker strategy educational books.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
No known affiliate program partnerships.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No personal merchandise product lines are publicly known.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
Authored "Harrington on Hold'em" Volume 1 (2004, ISBN 978-1880685334), Volume 2 "The Endgame," Volume 3 "The Workbook," and "Harrington on Cash Games" (2008) published by Two Plus Two Publishing.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
His books serve as foundational training series; no formal online training series owned by him documented.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
No publicly documented masterclass or seminar presentations.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
Primarily an author and player; no documented coaching platform engagement.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No public record of notable coaching students.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
Educational videos based on his books exist on third-party channels but not produced by him.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Featured in interviews and articles in poker media such as PokerNews and CardPlayer.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
No regular poker magazine columns attributed to him.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
Occasionally speaks at poker conferences, but specific engagements are not widely documented.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
No involvement in known poker scandals.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations reported.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No publicly known conflicts with casinos or poker rooms.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No publicly known legal issues related to poker.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
No public disputes documented.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No known tournament rule violations.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
No public tax-related issues known.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
Some poker community critics consider his style too tight or old-school, though respected for discipline.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Harrington has defended his style as rational, effective, and disciplined.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2010.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Inducted into Poker Hall of Fame in 2010, recognizing his contributions and achievements.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Highly respected by peers such as Howard Lederer for mental toughness and strategic integrity.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
No specific poker publication awards other than Hall of Fame induction.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
1995 WSOP Main Event Champion, multiple deep WSOP runs, influential author, and successful entrepreneur.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
One of the few players with multiple deep WSOP Main Event runs: 1st (1995), 3rd (2003), 4th (2004).
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Influential through educational books and disciplined playing style emphasizing strategic patience and positional awareness.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
No specific publicly documented charity tournament participation.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Known for pioneering tight-aggressive tournament strategy and key educational poker literature still used worldwide.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Popularized strategic tournament concepts like M-ratio, Q-ratio, and advanced positional play, influencing poker's modern era.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
2024 | USA | 55th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em | 1,000 | 346 | 2,001 | 3,362 | | |||| 2024 | USA | 55th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $5,000 Champions Reunion No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout (8-Handed) | 5,000 | 37 | 11,017 | 493 | | |||| 2014 | USA | 45th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo | 1,000 | 82 | 2,532 | 1,473 | | |||| 2012 | USA | 43rd Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $2,500 Mixed Hold'em Limit/No-Limit Hold'em | 2,500 | 45 | 4,229 | 393 | | |||| 2009 | USA | 40th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship | 10,000 | 252 | 32,963 | 6,494 | | |||| 2004 | USA | 35th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship | 10,000 | 4 | 1,500,000 | 2,576 | | |||| 2003 | USA | 34th Annual World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship | 10,000 | 3 | 650,000 | 839 | |
No regular known tournament commentary work.