Top Poker Players to Follow on Twitch

When Twitch first rose to prominence, it was through video games. Viewers wanted to watch other people play live games, and also be able to chat to them and the other members of the audience.

Now the streaming service has branched out into other walks of life, hosting talk shows, podcasts and cooking shows, as well as a other kinds of gaming, including betting markets on live Twitch streams and Twitch poker streams that continue to get better.

Online poker pros and talented new players found a way to diversify by streaming on Twitch. Many broadcast themselves playing online poker, while others stream real poker games. A few have now become so well known on Twitch that they make videos about the game of poker, offering hints and tips on strategy and reading other players.

One player even streamed 1,000 hours of online poker in 125 days. With all these players, it's important to find the select few that stand out in an increasingly crowded field of gamers. As Twitch poker streams continue to get better, here are a few names you should start following on Twitch immediately.

1. Lex Veldhuis - 'LexVeldhuis'

   This Dutch poker pro has over 95,000 followers on his Twitch channel. Like Grospellier, he’s a former StarCraft player who turned to poker, and was introduced to the game by the Czech player at an eSports event.

   He streams medium- and high-stakes poker tournaments, often playing multiple games at once. His Twitch streams used to take place in the evening, but he’s now made Twitch his daytime job to give himself a better work/life balance.

2. Randy Lew - ‘nanonoko’

   The American poker pro has over 50,000 on his Twitch feed, who follow his multi-table antics that often see him running over 20 games simultaneously. He set a world record for playing the most hands online in eight hours of play, managing to tally up over 14,500 hands. He recently got engaged to fellow poker player Celina Lin.

3. Parker Talbot - ‘TonkaaaaP’

   Another Canadian to add to the list, Talbot may not have as many videos as the others, but he is considered to be one of the best high-stakes streamers on Twitch and signed wtih 888poker.

   He’s amassed over 75,000 followers, and with $3 million in online cash wins, it’s easy to see why. It’s not just his undeniable talent that’s a draw, but also his animated personality and cynical attitude – a winning combination for a bright Twitch star.

   His humour may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it does make for very watchable streams. His followers are equally colourful, and the community page often makes for humorous reading during the tournaments that broadcast all hours of the day.

4. Courtney Gee - ‘courtiebee’

   Courtney's channel is actually listed under her online alias ‘courtiebee’, with her dedicated fans known collectively as ‘The Swarm’. "My stream wouldn't be what it is without my amazing viewers who make up the chat community and the Swarm", she said in a 2016 interview with Poker News.

   The Swarm now stands at over 30,000 followers. Vancouver resident Gee turned poker pro in 2010, but her interest in the game waned after fighting Lupus disease. She started streaming on Twitch because of the community aspect, and now has over 220+ videos to watch on her channel.

5. Jamie Staples - 'PokerStaples'

   This Canadian poker player runs the Twitch channel PokerStaples, and has so far gathered over 100,000 followers, offering them more than 250 videos to watch. This makes him one of the most-watched single-poker streamers on Twitch.

   He placed first, second and third in three different tournaments at the Run It Up Reno VI in March 2018. Like Jason Somerville, he sells merchandise with the PokerStaples brand, as well as holding auctions to be part of his online poker streams.

6. Jason Somerville - ‘JCarver’

   Jason originally ran a Twitch channel under his own nickname ‘JCarver’, before becoming the founder of Run It Up TV, which now has over 220,000 subscribers. The WSOP bracelet-winner has pocketed over $3.9 million in live tournaments, and offers players the chance to play against him by signing up for the Run It Up Home Games.

   The channel features poker tutorials as well as competitions where the winners can play in their upcoming tournaments. You can even buy Run It Up apparel to show your brand loyalty.