There were a total of 15 awards, including Poker Moment of the Year, Tournament Performance of the Year, Media Person of the Year and more.
The second American Poker Awards was held after the GPL Draft and it nominated players and industry workers in a total of 11 categories. The nominees were determined by a 80-man committee that also included players and media workers.
American Poker Awards 2016 nominees (winners highlighted)
Tournament Performance of the Year
Jonathan Duhamel, WSOP One Drop High Roller
Mike Gorodinsky, WSOP Poker Players’ Championship
Joseph McKeehen, WSOP Main Event
Anthony Zinno, WPT L.A. Poker Classic
Poker Moment of the Year
Anthony Zinno’s back-to-back WPT wins, WPT Fallsview, WPT L.A. Poker Classic
More than 22,000 players in the WSOP Colossus
Phil Hellmuth wins 14th bracelet in WSOP Razz Championship
Daniel Negreanu finishes in 11th place at WSOP Main Event
Breakout Performance of the Year
Joshua Beckley
Asher Conniff
Cate Hall
Kelly Minkin
Event of the year (buy-in up to $2,000)
WSOP The Colossus, Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
WPT500, ARIA, Las Vegas
WSOP Millionaire Maker, Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
WPTDeepStacks DSPT Championship, Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, Calgary
Event of the year (buy-in over $2,000)
Super High Roller Bowl, ARIA, Las Vegas
WSOP Main Event, Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
WSOP One Drop High Roller, Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Hollywood, FL
Industry Person of the Year
Jack Effel, WSOP VP and Tournament Director
William Mason, Seminole Hard Rock Poker Director
John Pappas, Poker Players Alliance Executive Director
Matt Savage, TDA founder, WPT Executive Director
Charitable initiative of the year
Chad Brown Memorial Tournament
Charity Series of Poker
Tiger’s Poker Night
WSOP One Drop High Roller / Litte One for One Drop
Media person of the year
Joey Ingram
Kevin Mathers
Donnie Peters
Jason Somerville
Poker presenter of the year
Sarah Herring
Kara Scott
Joseph Stapleton
David Tuchman
Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year
Poker Central 24/7 TV channel
SHRPO livestream four final tables at once
WSOP online event with live finale
A WSOP introduces Colossus event
Media Content of the Year
BUST, an Insider’s Account of Greenville’s Underground Poker Scene (Brad Willis)
Faraz Jaka: Homeless Poker Millionaire, CNN Money (Jaka, Gayles, Carson)
Jason Somerville WCOOP stream in September 2015
Joe Giron’s photo about Daniel Negreanu’s elimination in the WSOP Main Event
Jury Award: Kevin "Kevmath" Mathers
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mike Sexton
2015 GPI Player of the Year: Byron Kaverman
2015 GPI Female Player of the Year: Kelly Minkin
