Josh Turner passes away at the age of 46, with 7 WSOP Circuit rings and over $2.4 million in live prize money.

On September 28, 2026, PokerNews reported that American professional poker player Josh "JT" Turner passed away on September 2 at the age of 46. Turner, from St. Louis, Missouri, won seven WSOP Circuit championship rings and accumulated more than $2.4 million in live tournament winnings. He was a familiar face at the tables of the Midwest Circuit and The Lodge Card Club.

Turner's mother announced on his social media account that her son had passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. The family chose to release the news several weeks after his death, and many friends in the poker community have also posted messages to remember this professional poker player who was active in live tournaments in the United States for many years.

Josh Turner passed away on September 2nd, and the poker world learned of the news weeks later.

Josh Turner was born on December 20, 1979, and will pass away on September 2, 2026.

According to PokerNews, Turner's mother announced his death through his X account, revealing that he had been battling cancer for about two years. The family initially chose to remain discreet, so the news didn't become public until several weeks later.

Turner's friend, WSOP Circuit multiple champion Daniel Lowery, also shared the news on Facebook.

Lowery stated that he knew Turner was unwell, but he was unaware that the illness had progressed to such a serious stage. In his tribute, he described Turner as one of the most genuine and trustworthy people on the tour.

Turner's memorial service was held on September 8 at the Kutis Affton Chapel in St. Louis, Missouri.

Over $2.4 million in career prize money, seven WSOP Circuit championship rings

If you only look at his tournament record, Josh Turner has a fairly complete record on the US Live Poker Tour.

According to The Hendon Mob, his accumulated live tournament winnings exceed:

$2,400,000

His highest single prize in his career was:

$294,760。

According to PokerNews statistics, Turner has won a total of:

7 WSOP Circuit Championship Rings

His most recent WSOP Circuit victory came in 2018. The official WSOP Planet Hollywood series data from that year lists him as a seven-time Circuit champion, noting his win of the $400 No-Limit Hold'em event and $15,235.

Josh Turner's career highlights

The 2018 WSOP saw a highlight: Double Stack took third place and earned $294,000.

Turner's biggest prize came at the 2018 World Series of Poker.

He participated in the purchase:

$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack Event #34

This event has the following components:

5,700 participants

Total prize pool:

$5,130,000。

Turner made it all the way to the final three and ultimately finished third:

$294,760

This prize money also became the highest single-win result in his entire live tournament career.

In the final three-person stage, Turner entered the final day with a short yard.

He ended up with KQ against Robert Peacock's 33 in a pre-flop showdown, and pocket threes gave him the lead, eliminating Turner in third place. Peacock went on to defeat Nicholas Salimbene and win the WSOP bracelet.

Top three in 2018 WSOP $1,000 Double Stack

Reaching the WSOP final table three times in the same year, marking the peak of his career.

The 2018 WSOP was also one of Turner's most outstanding summer series in his career.

PokerNews points out that he reached the WSOP bracelet final table three times that year. In addition to finishing third in the Double Stack event, he also finished 9th in the $3,000 NLHE Shootout and again in the later stages of the series at the $1,500 The Closer.

The Closer's 9th place finish brought him $52,465, further solidifying his achievements that summer.

This period also marked Turner's transition from a regular on the US regional circuit to achieving significant success on the WSOP stage.

Not only WSOPC, but RGPS and HPT also left championship records.

Turner's professional experience is not limited to WSOP and WSOP Circuit.

PokerNews points out that he has also won championships in the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) and Heartland Poker Tour (HPT), and has participated in live tournaments in different cities across the United States for many years.

His playing experience spans multiple poker markets, including Las Vegas, the Midwest, and Texas, but St. Louis has always been a key base for his professional career.

Over the years, The Hendon Mob has accumulated more than 280 live tournament results from Turner.

The Lodge became an important card room in his later years, and his final achievements in the game came from here.

In recent years, Turner has frequently appeared at The Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas.

PokerNews described The Lodge as one of his favorite poker rooms, and his final live tournament winnings record was also achieved at The Lodge a month before his death.

Even during his illness, he continued to appear at poker tournaments.

Therefore, after the news of his death was officially announced, not only his old friends in St. Louis, but also players who had played against him on tours across the United States, shared their memories and condolences through social media.

Daniel Lowery reminisces about his old friend; his popularity on the field becomes another record he left behind.

For many players familiar with Turner, what he left behind was more than just seven WSOP Circuit rings and over $2.4 million in prize money.

Upon hearing the news, Daniel Lowery specifically mentioned Turner's character, recalling that his longtime friend had always been a reliable and frank presence on the tour.

When announcing the news, Turner's mother described her son's attitude towards the illness in the style of his poker, saying that he remained strong in the final stages of his life while undergoing treatment.

These memories from family and friends became the main content of PokerNews' obituary, rather than simply listing a professional poker player's tournament numbers.

Seven rings and $2.4 million in prize money: Josh Turner leaves behind nearly two decades of tour footprint.

Josh "JT" Turner's live poker career spans nearly two decades.

From the US regional circuit to winning the WSOP Circuit seven times, and then reaching the Final Table for the third time in the 2018 WSOP, he has maintained a high frequency of competitions and accumulated more than $2.4 million in live tournament winnings.

His third-place finish at the 2018 WSOP $1,000 Double Stack, along with $294,760, was his biggest single-event result; while his seven WSOP Circuit championship rings are a significant mark of his many years competing on the US tour.

On September 2, 2026, Turner passed away at the age of 46 after a battle with cancer. The news was officially announced weeks later, prompting the American poker community to once again reflect on the tournament record and friendships left behind by this St. Louis professional poker player.

For players familiar with the U.S. circuit, Josh Turner is not just a name in the prize money and number of wins, but also a familiar figure who has appeared frequently at the tables of WSOP Circuit, RGPS, HPT, and The Lodge over the years.

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