In an unexpected move, six-time WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu announced on Twitter that he stepped down as an ambassador with PokerStars. Kid Poker, who is second on the all-time money list with $39.8 million, ended his 12-year relationship with PokerStars as a pitchman and consultant. This abrupt news comes one week before the start of the 2019 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Kid Poker is dunzo. Daniel Negreanu and PokerStars used to be like peas in a pod. Kid-n-Play. Peanut Butter and Jelly. Clyde and Pearl. Kid Poker and PokerStars. Alas, after twelve years as a pitchman, sponsored pro, and poker ambassador... it's time for Negreanu to bid a fond farewell to the red spade.
Daniel Negreanu posted something on Twitter this morning that came to a surprise to almost everyone in the business. Negreanu said he was leaving Stars after twelve years. He recently got hitched to Amanda Leatherman and his focus is on starting a family. Negreanu is a strong enough player that he didn't need the sponsorship, but it felt like he genuinely loved being an ambassador for poker and PokerStars.
I for one thought he'd go to his grave as a member of the red spade (so long as he never launched his own site again... which would never happen until the US gets their crap together and legalizes online poker on a federal level).
Negreanu, 44, is second on the all-time tournament winnings list with $39.8 million in earnings. He was about to pass the $40M mark, which only Justin Bonomo passed. ZeeJustin is the all-time money winner with $44.6 million and counting.
According to Hendon Mob, Erik Seidel is third overall with $35.3 million. Bryn Kenney is crushing it this year and he's moved into fourth overall with $34.8 million after a strong performance at the Triton Super High Roller Montenegro. Along with David Peters and Fedor Holz (with approximately $32 million each), Negreanu is one of six players on the planet with $30M or more in poker tournament winnings.
Negreanu had a quiet 2019. His last major scored happened last year at this time when he took second place in the $300K buy-in Super High Roller Bowl at Aria. Kid Poker banked $3 million for a runner-up finish after losing heads-up to Justin Bonomo.
Negreanu is a six-time bracelet winner at the World Series of Poker. He also won two WPT titles. He does not have a "Triple Crown" despite making five final tables on the EPT.
Despite numerous prop bets the last few years, Negreanu has not won a bracelet since 2013. That year, he posted a donut in Vegas but he still won two of them. One win occurred at the WSOP Asia while the other happened at the WSOP Europe.
During the poker boom, Negreanu won two bracelets with wins in Limit Hold'em in 2005 and 2008. Pre-Moneymaker, Negreanu won two bracelets with his first one happening in pot-limit hold'em in 1998. He won his second bling in 2003 with a SHOE bracelet.
I have an announcement I’d like to share with you all about my time with @pokerstars pic.twitter.com/qqY3ABPOTw
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) May 23, 2019