Editor
“Miami” John Cernuto, who has more recorded live tournament cashes than anyone in the history of poker, has died at age 81 from colon cancer.
It was announced late last week that Cernuto had entered hospice care and was at peace, surrounded by friends and family.
Actor and poker player James Woods was amongst the first to share the sad news early Tuesday morning. Tributes have since flooded social media from all over the poker world.
Cernuto had been battling cancer under wraps for quite some time, undergoing several surgeries and rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. After realizing that the cancer was incurable, Cernuto accepted this and lived out his life on his terms before entering hospice care.
Cernuto certainly made his mark on the poker world and is currently the leader in all-time tournament cashes (excluding recurring events) with 597. He also recorded an incredible 89 victories, amongst the leaders in that statistic as well.
Miami John’s presence at WSOP was always felt, recording an impressive 107 WSOP cashes in his career for over $2 million. He took home three bracelets and two Circuit rings on the felt.
Proving age was just a number, he nearly won a fourth bracelet this past summer, recording a third-place finish in the $1,500 8-Game Mix for $57,249.
