While dropping out of high school is seldom a good career choice, it ended up being quite the positive move for Daniel Negreanu. He said goodbye to formal schooling when he was just a few credits shy of graduation and decided to spend more time polishing his poker skills. He worked relentlessly at it, finding illegal games all over Toronto. Twenty years and four World Series of Poker (WSOP) Bracelets later, Negreanu is now the second-highest in all-time career earnings.

He was born in Toronto to Romanian parents who fled the Communist regime of their homeland in 1967. At an early age, Negreanu seemed destined for an unconventional life, as he would spend all his free time playing pool and cards. Negreanu’s first love was pool, but he appreciated the challenge poker offered and eventually focused on becoming a professional poker player.

Thinking he had sufficient cash to compete in Las Vegas, he fled Toronto for Vegas when he was 21 in an attempt to be a professional poker player. He was unsuccessful in his first time around. He had to go back to Toronto after a short while to rebuild his bankroll.

The next trip proved much more successful. In 1997, Negreanu won two events at the World Poker Finals, earning him $55,064. The following year, Negreanu added to his success by winning $169,460 at the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em event in the 1998 World Series of Poker. He became the youngest player to ever win a WSOP bracelet, earning him the nickname, "Kid Poker."

Over the next few years, Negreanu’s success continued. He won two World Poker Tour events, another three World Series bracelets, and appeared at 12 final tables. His best year was in 2004. He won a gold bracelet in the WSOP - for Limit Hold'em - and made it to the money in five other events. Negreanu was named Player of the Year by ESPN for his accomplishments.

Negreanu is also notable for his outgoing personality. He can regularly be seen talking and laughing at the table during tournaments. He is a featured columnist in CardPlayer Magazine, consistently writing well-thought-out articles filled with key insights from some of his real-life experiences. He is happy to teach others how to play and has published a book, Power Hold’em Strategy, in which he and several other professionals share their winning secrets. He also maintains a blog which he updates regularly with whatever is on his mind.

His outgoing personality and great reputation have helped him to become arguably the most marketable poker player in the sport. When the Wynn Casino opened in 2005, they signed Negreanu to be their "Poker Ambassador," meaning he would play for any stakes in their poker room. In 2006, he was named "Favorite Poker Player" and was featured in the video game "Stacked with Daniel Negreanu." He is currently the star of the poker game show Million Dollar Challenge.