The Poker Hall of Fame recently inducted its 38th member, Mike Sexton. Sexton won out over the other nominees, which included poker greats Barry Greenstein, Dan Harrington, Phil Ivey, Tom McEvoy, Men Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu and Erik Seidel.

There is no doubt in my mind that Sexton was the best choice for this year’s inductee. He meets all the criteria set for Poker Hall of Famers. He has been winning at poker consistently for almost 30 years, playing against other world-class players and is well respected in the poker community. Sexton boasts over $3.7 million in poker tournament winnings, and has taken home a WSOP bracelet. He is also a respected poker commentator and has been announcer at the World Poker Tour and has promoted the game of poker through a number of channels.

Most respectably, Sexton is a philanthropist and recently co-founded PokerGives.org. Poker Gives is an organization that provides a way for the poker world to give back to the community through charitable organizations. Just a few of the organizations that Poker Gives works with include the Special Olympics, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

As someone who is not only a skilled poker player who has stood the test of time, but also a promoter and spokesperson for the game, Sexton surely deserves his newfound title. Kudos Mike!