Efren about to be knocked off the top of the all-time money list

[jokrswylde]

On the surface, not much money made in an eighteen-year career, especially since this is gross income and not net income after expenses. However, he's probably made at least as much from his cue deals and other sponsorships over the years, lessons given, gambling earnings, and appearance money for exhibitions.

My wild guess (and yes, it's pure speculation) is that his gross income from pool is more like $5,000,000, which comes to about $280,000 per year.

Props to Shane, a player that has shown sustained excellence over a long career. Well done!

I saw him at a tourney in Bham. He was playing people best 2/3 racks for $200 bucks. The line of people waiting was very long. I estimate there were upwards of 40 people on the list waiting to play him. He was also selling autographed 8x10 pics for 20 bucks, posing for pictures for 10 (I heard...not for sure), and raffling a cue for 20 bucks a ticket.

I would be shocked if he didn't make 10-12k just that Saturday. No idea how much goes to his backers, but imagine doing that every other weekend.

Still, the GOAT at his age should be able to kick back in the lap of luxury. Not hustling around trying to make his nut.

 

[BRussell]

So 30± years of playing pool at the top is less than what I made in my last 3 years of working..........

If we ever meet, you’re buying the drinks.

 

[iusedtoberich]

if you do a google search the top 10 players above have NET worth of several million dollars
among the next 5 seems not all info is available as net worth is estimated 1-5 million

Well, that just shows how wrong those net worth estimators are on Google, and you can throw them all out the window.

 

[iusedtoberich]

So 30± years of playing pool at the top is less than what I made in my last 3 years of working..........

Can I hold a hundred?

 

[iusedtoberich]

I saw him at a tourney in Bham. He was playing people best 2/3 racks for $200 bucks. The line of people waiting was very long. I estimate there were upwards of 40 people on the list waiting to play him. ...snip....

That must have been $20 for a race to 2.

 

[jokrswylde]

That must have been $20 for a race to 2.

Just went back and double checked my original post. It was actually $150 per race to 2. You would not believe the number of young kids whose parents paid to let them play...I guess one day they will be able to say they played the greatest...

He was also playing people chess for 20 bucks a game. I only saw him lose one game of chess, but he lost several racks of nineball to the kids...

 

[iusedtoberich]

Just went back and double checked my original post. It was actually $150 per race to 2. You would not believe the number of young kids whose parents paid to let them play...I guess one day they will be able to say they played the greatest...

He was also playing people chess for 20 bucks a game. I only saw him lose one game of chess, but he lost several racks of nineball to the kids...

Wow! That is amazing! I would have bet anything you had a typo there. Good for Efren.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Earl would need to be on there.

He did "earn" 1 million once, the subsequent smaller payout notwithstanding

 

[CanadianGuy]

speaking of which, that run seems to have been removed from CJ 's website
anybody know where I can get a copy?

 

[bbb]

Well, that just shows how wrong those net worth estimators are on Google, and you can throw them all out the window.

what do you base your comment on?

 

[L.S. Dennis]

What about adjusting for inflation? Who would be on the all-time money list then?

That's a good question, my guess would probably be Sigel given the fact that he won so many tournament during his career (well over 100 if I'm not mistaken) but all those tournaments in those days barely paid around $10,000 if that for first place finishes. Also interesting to note that Earl is not even on the list, in spite of the fact that he won the million dollar (I think he got something a little over half of that after all the legal wrangling ) back in CJ's PCA event in the nineties. Varner, Rempe, Buddy, Sigel all won tons of tournaments over the years they just didn't pay anything back then.

 

[tomatoshooter]

It's interesting to imagine a world where Trudeau wasn't a crook and the IPT became a mainstay in pool. Imagine multiple events annually paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars for first place.

Assuming it was still ongoing from 2005, would pro pool have twice as many good players now? I wonder what type of money would move the needle in terms of participation and pro aspirations from the masses.

In addition to the professional appeal, I think the big prize money attracts coverage and that generates interest. More people would see the game and want to play, even without professional aspirations.

 

[iusedtoberich]

what do you base your comment on?

Do you really think the guys in the screenshot are multi-millionaires? Pool players??? Come on. Maybe, just maybe, a couple of them if they invested immediately in a business or otherwise their winnings, but knowing pool players, they probably spent it immediately.

 

[tomatoshooter]

Also interesting to note that Earl is not even on the list, in spite of the fact that he won the million dollar (I think he got something a little over half of that after all the legal wrangling ) back in CJ's PCA event in the nineties.

I think I heard he got $600K lump sum. He would have got more total if he had taken the annuity, although not the full million. So about $55k per rack. Not what it was supposed to be, but still a nice payout.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

I think I heard he got $600K lump sum. He would have got more total if he had taken the annuity, although not the full million. So about $55k per rack. Not what it was supposed to be, but still a nice payout.

That 600K sounds about right or pretty close to what I remember. I remember the insurance company tried to get out of paying and there a legal fight that ensued. Too bad Earl didn't invest the money to buy his own little pool room down in North Carolina someplace with a pink neon sign that read "Earl's" over the front door!

 

[MitchAlsup]

Can I hold a hundred?

Here is a hundred gains of sand........

 

[Quesports]

I am in total 100% agreement with everyone else congratulating SVB on his accomplishments in pool. He is and has always been a humble, quiet professional. A wonderful ambassador of USA pool. We could not have a better example of how to win and lose with grace and honor.

Congratulations Shane you earned it the old fashioned way!

 

[Stevexjfe]

That's a good question, my guess would probably be Sigel given the fact that he won so many tournament during his career (well over 100 if I'm not mistaken) but all those tournaments in those days barely paid around $10,000 if that for first place finishes. Also interesting to note that Earl is not even on the list, in spite of the fact that he won the million dollar (I think he got something a little over half of that after all the legal wrangling ) back in CJ's PCA event in the nineties. Varner, Rempe, Buddy, Sigel all won tons of tournaments over the years they just didn't pay anything back then.

Sigel did win over 100 tournaments, but a common misconception, they weren't all $10,000 tournaments, 60% of them were $500-$1000 tournaments, still impressive. But yes if the tournament results were recorded in the 70s, 80s and 90s (which there not) Sigel, Varner, Earl and Buddy would be close to the top of the money list.

 

[sammylane12]

You can`t compare money winnings from different eras. Hell, there are guys that have never won a tournament that have won more prize money than Jack Nicklaus

 

[spartan]

Probably someone from 1900. ha ha ha.

Says here that Michael Phelan won $15K in 1859 https://bca-pool.com/page/39 That is almost $2 Million in today's money