The latest stop of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Paris awarded more than $42 million in prize money from Feb. 18 through March 1, and French players made sure plenty of it stayed home.
Leading the charge — as he has for years — is Jean-Noel Thorel, the 78-year-old businessman turned high-stakes force who sits comfortably atop France’s all-time tournament earnings list with more than $28.1 million in career cashes.
That total gives him a staggering $12.5 million cushion over second-place Bertrand Grospellier.
The Relentless Rise of Thorel
A pharmacist and biologist by trade, Thorel built his fortune as the founder of NAOS skincare before diving deep into tournament poker. Though he first appeared on the live circuit in 2008, the past decade has seen him become a fixture in the game’s biggest buy-ins.
At EPT Paris, Thorel added another notable result — fourth place in the €100,000 Super High Roller for $319,780 — pushing his lifetime earnings past $28 million.
His résumé features six seven-figure scores, including a colossal $6 million runner-up finish in the 2025 World Series of Poker Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event.
Remarkably, nearly all of his million-dollar cashes came in second-place finishes — a testament to his consistency in ultra-elite fields.
Even more eye-catching: Thorel has amassed his fortune across just 104 career cashes, giving him an average payout of roughly $271,000 per in-the-money finish.
While much of his biggest money has come in runner-up results, he does own four titles — including a €30,000 High Roller victory at the 2024 European Poker Tour Barcelona worth $568,731.
ElkY: France’s Most Decorated Champion
Though he trails Thorel in total earnings, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier remains one of France’s most accomplished players.
With $15.6 million in career cashes across 181 finishes, Grospellier is the only French player to capture poker’s coveted Triple Crown — winning titles on the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour, and the World Series of Poker.
His biggest payday came in the 2017 WSOP $111,111 One Drop High Roller, where he finished runner-up for nearly $2.3 million after falling heads-up to Doug Polk.
While ElkY has been less active on the live circuit recently, his legacy as one of France’s pioneering stars remains secure.
Pollak and Saout: Main Event Millions
Benjamin Pollak sits third on the French list with $13 million in career earnings. A massive chunk — $3.5 million — came from his third-place finish in the 2017 WSOP Main Event. Pollak also owns seven career titles, including a €50,000 High Roller win at EPT Barcelona in 2018 worth over $1.1 million.
Just behind him is Antoine Saout, whose $10.4 million career haul is highlighted by two WSOP Main Event final tables. He finished third in 2009 for nearly $3.5 million and added another $2 million with a fifth-place finish in 2017.
The Next Wave of French Stars
Several more French standouts are closing in on eight figures:
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Alexandre Reard ($9.6M), a two-time bracelet winner
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Rui Cao ($9.3M), boosted by a $3.4M Triton Montenegro win
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David Benyamine ($8.5M), long respected in both tournaments and cash games
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Sylvain Loosli ($8.4M), a 2013 WSOP Main Event finalist
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Thomas Santerne ($7.6M), with a $1.7M Triton runner-up finish
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Johan Guilbert ($7.4M), who secured his first bracelet at WSOP Paradise in 2025
A Gap That Keeps Growing
France has long produced elite tournament talent, but Thorel’s dominance at the top is striking.
With selective appearances, ultra-high buy-ins, and extraordinary efficiency, the businessman-turned-high-roller has built a lead that may take years — and several massive scores — for anyone to threaten.
At 78 years old, Jean-Noel Thorel isn’t just France’s all-time money leader.
He’s redefining what a late-career poker surge can look like on the global stage.
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