Last Updated on August 11, 2026 by Bala Kumar
Dario Sammartino is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted poker players to come out of Europe in the last two decades. Known throughout the poker world as “Super Dario,” the Italian pro built his reputation through relentless mixed-game versatility, deep tournament runs, and a level of composure that few players match, most famously on display during his heads-up battle for the 2019 WSOP Main Event title.
Sammartino sits atop Italy’s all-time money list by a commanding margin and, after years as one of the most talked-about players never to have won a WSOP bracelet, finally broke through in 2024. He remains an active, respected presence on the international mixed-game and high-roller circuit today.
Dario Sammartino Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
| Full Name | Giuseppe Dario Sammartino |
| Poker Nickname | Super Dario |
| Date of Birth | April 5, 1987 |
| Birthplace | Naples, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Profession | Professional Poker Player, Mixed-Game Specialist |
| WSOP Bracelets | 1 |
| WSOP Circuit Rings | 3 |
| EPT Titles | 1 (2019, per published bio sources) |
| Total Live Tournament Earnings | $17.1M+ (as of June 2026) |
| Italy All-Time Money List Rank | #1 |
Dario Sammartino Early Life & Poker Beginnings
Dario Sammartino was born on April 5, 1987, in Naples, Italy. Per published poker biography sources, he began playing in Italy’s live poker clubs in the mid-2000s while simultaneously building a presence online, registering on PokerStars under the screen name “Madgenius87.” His game developed through a mix of live grinding and high-volume online play, and by the early 2010s he was a recognizable name on the European tournament circuit.
His first major live result arrived in 2013, when he won the High Roller event at the Italian Poker Tour (IPT) Sanremo for €35,000 — his first significant title. That same year, he made his first appearance at the WSOP and finished runner-up in the IPT Main Event, setting the tone for a career defined by deep, repeated tournament runs.
Dario Sammartino WSOP Bracelet & Notable Results
For more than a decade, Sammartino was known as one of the best players in the world without a WSOP bracelet, a narrative that followed him through numerous WSOP final-table appearances before it finally changed.
| Year | Tournament | Result / Prize |
| 2017 | $111,111 High Roller for One Drop | 3rd — $1,608,000 |
| 2019 | WSOP Main Event | Runner-Up — $6,000,000 |
| 2019 | EPT title (specific event per bio sources, not re-verified) | Champion |
| 2024 | WSOP Event #61: $2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better / Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better | 1st (Bracelet) — $222,703 |
The 2024 bracelet win came in a 507-entry field, per PokerNews and CardPlayer reporting, and a heads-up battle against Jon Kyte, himself still searching for a first title at the time. Sammartino closed the tournament out after a multi-day run, finally putting an end to one of the longest-running “best player without a bracelet” storylines in the modern game. He has spoken publicly about spending the prior year studying and playing mixed games online against top competition ahead of the win.
The 2019 WSOP Main Event: Career-Defining Moment
No result defines Sammartino’s public profile more than his 2019 WSOP Main Event run. He battled all the way to heads-up play against Germany’s Hossein Ensan, ultimately finishing runner-up for $6,000,000, still his career-best single cash and, at the time, a career-altering payday that vaulted him to the top of Italy’s all-time money list. The tournament also included a widely reported rules moment: after a dealer miscounted an opponent’s chip stack following an all-in bet, the ruling required Sammartino to call the corrected, larger amount rather than the originally miscounted figure, a moment that became a well-remembered footnote to an already historic run.
Career perspective: Sammartino’s 2019 Main Event run alone accounts for more than a third of his entire career earnings to date , a useful reminder of just how disproportionately Main Event deep runs can shape a player’s lifetime numbers.
Career Earnings (as of 2026)
According to The Hendon Mob’s live tournament results database, a historical results archive, not a live or real-time tracker, Dario Sammartino’s recorded live poker earnings stood at approximately $17.16 million as of his most recently logged cash in June 2026:
$17,164,897
This places him:
● At the top of Italy’s all-time live tournament money list, with a lead of more than $4.6 million over Italy’s #2 all-time earner, Mustapha Kanit
● Among the most successful mixed-game specialists competing today
● Firmly inside the group of European players with career earnings north of $15 million
Dario Sammartino’s Biggest Poker Cashes
| Event | Finish | Prize |
| 2019 WSOP Main Event | Runner-Up | $6,000,000 |
| 2017 WSOP $111,111 High Roller for One Drop | 3rd | $1,608,000 |
| SCOOP $21,000 NLHE High Roller (online, 2016) | Winner | $718,000 |
| EPT Grand Final Monte Carlo Super High Roller (2015) | 4th | €700,000+ |
| WSOP Event #61: $2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8/Stud Hi-Lo 8 (2024) | 1st (Bracelet) | $222,703 |
The 2019 Main Event runner-up finish remains, by a wide margin, the single largest payout of his professional career, and one of the largest WSOP Main Event cashes ever recorded by an Italian player.
Dario Sammartino’s Playing Style
The following reflects Sammartino’s general reputation among peers and poker media coverage, rather than a formal hand-by-hand strategic analysis.
Mixed-Game Versatility
Where many top tournament pros specialize primarily in No-Limit Hold’em, Sammartino is recognized for genuine mixed-game fluency — Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, and other split-pot formats where technical precision matters as much as aggression.
Discipline in Long Tournament Stretches
Sammartino has developed a reputation for disciplined decision-making during long tournament stretches, a trait commonly cited in coverage of his deep runs and final-table appearances.
Balanced Approach
His playing style is often described in poker media as balanced rather than purely aggressive or purely passive. He has spoken publicly about dedicating time to studying and improving his game ahead of his 2024 bracelet win.
Composure Under Pressure
Few moments test composure like a heads-up WSOP Main Event battle for $10 million. Sammartino’s even-keeled handling of the chip-count ruling during that 2019 final is frequently cited as an example of his temperament at the table.
Online Poker Career
According to published poker biography sources, Sammartino built a significant online résumé prior to his live results, playing under the alias “Madgenius87” and later “Secret_M0de.” Under the latter name, he is reported to have won three Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) titles, including a $21,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em high roller in May 2016 worth $718,000. These online results are not comprehensively tracked by today’s live-results databases, so figures here reflect secondary reporting rather than a primary results archive.
Why Dario Sammartino Is One of Poker’s Most Respected Players
Dario Sammartino’s standing in the poker world comes from:
● One of the largest WSOP Main Event cashes ever recorded by an Italian player
● Sustained excellence across numerous WSOP final-table appearances
● A hard-earned WSOP bracelet after years of near-misses, won specifically in a demanding mixed-game format
● A strong reputation in split-pot and mixed games, not just Hold’em
● The all-time earnings record in Italian poker history
Few players have carried the “best without a bracelet” label as publicly, or for as long, as Sammartino did — and few have closed out that chapter as convincingly as he did in 2024.
Dario Sammartino Social Media
Instagram (personal): instagram.com/dario_sammartino
Final Thoughts
Dario Sammartino’s career is a study in patience as much as talent. From his early days in Naples’ poker clubs to a heads-up battle for poker’s biggest prize in 2019, and finally to closing out his bracelet drought in 2024, his trajectory reflects steady, deliberate improvement rather than a single defining moment of luck. As of 2026, “Super Dario” remains an active and respected force on the international mixed-game and high-roller circuit, with Italy’s all-time money record still firmly in his hands.
FAQs
How much has Dario Sammartino earned in live poker tournaments?
As of his most recently logged cash in June 2026, Dario Sammartino’s live tournament earnings stood at approximately $17.16 million according to The Hendon Mob, making him the all-time money leader in Italian poker history by a wide margin.
Did Dario Sammartino ever win the WSOP Main Event?
No, Sammartino finished as the runner-up in the 2019 WSOP Main Event, losing heads-up to Hossein Ensan of Germany. The result remains his career-best single cash at $6,000,000.
Does Dario Sammartino have a WSOP bracelet?
Yes. After years of near-misses and numerous WSOP final-table appearances, Sammartino won his first WSOP gold bracelet on June 27, 2024, taking down Event #61: $2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8/Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 for $222,703 in a field reported at 507 entries.
What is Dario Sammartino’s nickname?
Dario Sammartino is often referred to as “Super Dario” within the poker community, reflecting his reputation as one of the game’s most technically skilled mixed-game specialists.
What games is Dario Sammartino best known for playing?
While best known publicly for his No-Limit Hold’em run to the 2019 WSOP Main Event final table, Sammartino has built much of his more recent tournament success around mixed-game formats, including Omaha Hi-Lo and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, the format in which he won his 2024 bracelet.
