| Year | Winner | Prize (US$) | Runner-Up | Notable Others |
| 1987 | Johnny"Oriental Express"Chan (Winning Hands) ![]() |
625,000 | Frank Henderson |
Howard"The Professor"Lederer(5) Dan Harrington (6) Jay Heimowitz (11) Humberto Brenes (14) Walter "Puggy" Pearson (17) Bobby Baldwin (21) John Bonetti (23) Johnny Moss (26) Berry Johnston (32) |
| 1986 | Berry Johnston | 570,000 | Mike Harthcock |
Jesse Alto (4) Bill Smith (5) Roger Moore (6) Dewey Tomko (10) Jim Bechtel (11) |
| 1985 | Bill Smith (Winning Hands) ![]() |
700,000 | T. J. Cloutier |
Berry Johnston (3) Hamid Dastmalchi (5) Jesse Alto (6) Johnny Moss (7) |
| 1984 | "Gentleman" Jack Keller | 660,000 | Byron "Cowboy" Wolford |
Jesse Alto (3) |
| 1983 | Tom McEvoy (Winning Hands) ![]() |
580,000 | Rod Peate |
Doyle"Texas Dolly"Brunson (3) "The Don" Donnacha O'Dea (6) |
| 1982 | Jack "Treetop" Straus (Winning Hands) ![]() |
520,000 | Dewey Tomko |
Berry Johnston (3) Doyle" Texas Dolly"Brunson (4) Brian "Sailor" Roberts (8) |