Dominick “Dino” French set an unusual record in 2024
Dominick “Dino” French collected 48 flags in a single year. On average, he secured an ITM finish in a new country every seven days. His background and the idea of leading the flag-hunting rankings are worth exploring.
Dominick French learned to play card games with grandparents at age 5
Born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, Dominick French later moved to Victoria, British Columbia. He learned to play poker at the age of five with his grandparents. His grandfather introduced him to cribbage, a game where he would deduct points every time French made a mistake, reinforcing the learning process.
French was introduced to poker at the age of seven, playing Seven-Card Stud, High Chicago, Low Chicago, Kings and Little Ones, and Five-Card Draw. These were standard poker games popular about 40 years ago.
He never became a professional poker player. His career began as a cook at A&W, the world’s first fast-food restaurant chain, where he developed a love for quality burgers. He then worked at Safeway supermarkets before founding a real estate investment company that continues to fund his poker bankroll.
It took Dominick French six months to overtake Timothy Adams
French’s decision to lead the flag-hunting rankings was spontaneous. In 2023, while reviewing the rankings, he noticed that Timothy Adams was leading among Canadians with 22 flags. With 12 or 13 flags at the time, he decided to surpass Adams, which he achieved in just six months.
In 2024, he cashed in tournaments across all continents — South America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. One of his notable achievements included ITM finishes on three different continents within a week: Africa, Asia, and Europe.
His goal for 2024 was to become the top flag-hunter, a goal he successfully achieved. Initially, he aimed to accomplish this in 2023 but grew exhausted after playing the full World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and stopped traveling at 11 flags. French also has a WSOP Circuit ring and aspires to win a WSOP bracelet, a common goal for many players.
Dominick French’s 2024 statistics
- 80 ITM finishes
- 46 final tables
- 6 third-place finishes
- 2 second-place finishes
- 10 victories
- Best result: $4,679 for winning the $400 Venetian DeepStack Showdown
- Total earnings: $78,520
Throughout his career, he has accumulated $654K in prize money, with his best result being $39.5K for finishing 74th in the $25K WPT World Championship in 2008.
In 2024, he collected 48 flags, surpassing the previous record of 21. The countries where he cashed that year include Australia, Austria, Åland Islands, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Mauritius, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Poland, North Macedonia, USA, Slovenia, Taiwan, Uruguay, Wales, Finland, France, Philippines, Croatia, Switzerland, Scotland, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, and Estonia.
Each country had something unique to offer. He found Brazil beautiful, enjoyed the scenery in Argentina, and appreciated playing in Manila. Denmark was the most challenging country to secure a flag due to the limited number of tournaments held there.
In November 2024, he set another record by securing his 52nd flag, surpassing Casey Kastle’s record of 51 flags. Kastle passed away in March 2024, and French expressed deep respect for him, recalling their encounters at the poker tables.
Dominic French’s Most Vivid Poker Memory
One of his most memorable poker experiences took place in 2006 at Doyle’s Room in Bellagio, Las Vegas. Playing alongside Eli Elezra, Doyle Brunson, and Jennifer Harman, he was welcomed as if they had known him for years. Conversing with them and observing their play left a lasting impression, and he cherishes the memory of his interaction with Doyle Brunson.
French credits his incredible life and poker journey to God and his wife, Rhonda Shepek, who supports him throughout his travels. She also plays poker, with 11 flags and $97.9K in earnings. In an interview, she mentioned that French had personally knocked her out of tournaments multiple times.
His ultimate goal is to visit all 195 countries in the world, having already been to 161. Among his favorite poker destinations, he highlighted Brazil, Argentina, and the Philippines (Manila).
One of the biggest lessons he has learned from traveling is to remain humble, grateful, and respectful toward others. His mother taught him to treat people the way he wants to be treated, and he believes kindness is reciprocated. Above all, he emphasizes the importance of being a good person.
Dominick French can be found on social media: Facebook: Dominick French