“Miami” John Cernuto, poker’s all-time tournament cashes leader, has passed away after a battle with colon cancer.
The longtime grinder with nearly 600 in-the-money finishes, 76 tournament wins, and more than $6.3 million in earnings was 81 years old.
Cernuto first learned to play poker with his family around the kitchen table.
“We played seven card stud,” he told Card Player in 2020. “Deuces were wild if mom was dealing, and tens were wild if grandma was dealing. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents were all players, and it was fun.”
He continued to play while in college and during his time in the army. The Jersey City, New Jersey native then moved to South Florida, where he worked as an air traffic controller. When President Reagan fired air traffic controllers during their 1981 strike, he turned to poker to pay the bills.
He found plenty of action in Las Vegas, where he quickly became known as ‘Miami’ John.
“I decided to use it the day I won my first big event. It was a seven card stud event at the Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker at Caesars Palace. I entered as ‘Miami John’ and won this event, going wire-to-wire and only losing two pots. It was like magic, so I kept the name. I didn’t want to tempt fate.”
Although he was 43 when he picked up his first recorded cash, Cernuto caught the tournament bug early, and would often take advantage of bonuses awarded to the best player of the series. Since he had no problem playing every event, he was usually in contention.
“I enjoyed a streak of winning one event at almost every venue I attended for nearly two decades.”
“Another thing I am also proud of is that there was a period of time where tournaments were trending downward, but myself and a group of about 50 continued to support them while most others were understandably supporting cash games. In a sense, we became the new pioneers of the tournament industry and held it together until it got very fashionable to play tournament poker again. Now, it’s big business.”
He won the first of his three WSOP bracelets in 1996, taking down the $1,500 stud eight-or-better tournament.
“Winning my first bracelet was surreal,” he recalled. “I was a prop player for the LV Hilton poker room and I quit the job because they wanted me to prop a $15-$30 stud eight-or-better game. I didn’t like the game at the time and I kept losing at it. I had a new appreciation for it after [winning the bracelet].”
Cernuto added another bracelet the next year in the $2,000 no-limit hold’em event and his third in 2002 in the $1,500 limit Omaha event.
So I’m playing only my fourth tour of 2024 and the dealer points out that I have 3 bracelets to my older opponent, who says he has a few too. The dealer replied, “life alerts don’t count”
— John Cernuto (@MiamiJohnC) April 18, 2024
The player dubbed ‘The Ironman of Poker’ was determined to keep playing until the end despite his health issues. Even with Octogenarian status at last summer’s WSOP, Cernuto racked up six cashes, including a third-place finish in the $1,500 eight-game mix.
Cernuto’s passing may be the spark needed for the Poker Hall of Fame to increase their induction rate from a single entry each year. He was a finalist nominated for the honor for the last two years, but ultimately lost out to high-stakes pros Brian Rast and Patrik Antonius.
Cernuto joined Card Player’s Poker Stories Podcast back in 2022 to talk about his legendary career. You can listen to the full episode below.
The Poker World Reacts
Rest in peace “Miami” John Cernuto. 2024 Hall of Fame finalist and 3x bracelet winner — one of the top tournament players of all time. pic.twitter.com/YJTgQr1Ldh
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) February 11, 2025
Put Miami John Cernuto in the poker hall of fame (posthumously now), please. This year. Please. pic.twitter.com/YPaJmJmtlw
— Mark Seif (@markseif) February 11, 2025
Suggestion to the @WSOP:
In addition to Player of the Year, award the Miami John Cernuto Trophy to the player with the best mixed-game results.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) February 11, 2025
HOF needs an overhaul along common sense lines where a slate of old school guys like Thor Hansen and Miami John get in and to accommodate the upcoming influx of young worthy inductees.
(Well done on inducing an opinion from me on this) https://t.co/bI6VIYFyHb
— Shane Schleger (@ShaneSchleger) February 11, 2025
Rest in peace to our dear friend. It’s been a personal pleasure of mine to compete with Miami John so many times over the past few years. He will be missed
— Ari Engel (@AriEngelPoker) February 11, 2025
“Miami” John Cernuto has the most poker tournament cashes all-time. He is now on hospice in Las Vegas. I count myself lucky to have played and even cashed with him several times over the last 20+ years. This picture, taken by @BJNemeth, was from a WPT tournament in 2005. pic.twitter.com/eK1XO0bBbd
— Andy Bloch (@Andy_Bloch) February 10, 2025
*Photos by Erik Fast, Joe Giron
