Poker is full of big personalities who have succeeded at the felt, yet no story can arguably match that of Chris Moneymaker. His unexpected win at the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP), walking away with $2.5 million, is arguably the most famous victory in the famed tournament’s history.
His journey has inspired a whole generation of poker players and is even credited with the online poker boom of the early 2000s. Everything about Chris Moneymaker, from his name to his winning personality, has made him a poker icon recognized and admired globally. Today, he is not only entering big poker tournaments but also hosting his own, all while continuing to inspire new poker players to take up the game and hopefully follow in his footsteps.
Accountant to Poker Champion
Aside from his name, money has always been a part of Moneymaker’s life. According to the poker legend, his family used to make silver and gold coins, which is where the name came from. Following in his ancestor’s footsteps, Moneymaker became an accountant and looked set to have a career managing other people’s money. However, destiny had other plans. Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, Moneymaker had a passion for poker, and playing was a regular occurrence. An entry into a $86 online satellite tournament would make him a global figure in poker, although it is not what Moneymaker was looking to achieve. After winning the satellite tournament, he progressed to another tournament where a seat at the famed WSOP was at stake. However, Moneymaker was more concerned with finishing fourth because he wanted the $8,000. A friend told him to take the seat at the WSOP, and the rest is poker history. Moneymaker reached the final table, knocking out top poker pros Johnny Chan and Phil Ivey. He eventually beat Sam Farha with a bluff that landed him $2.5 million and the title of World Champion. The final table was shown live on ESPN, making him a household name. Although the WSOP has changed channels to CBS, many people still watch hoping to see another Moneymaker moment.
Rise as a Poker Pro
After his famous win, Moneymaker’s poker career took off, and he is now as recognizable as the poker stars he knocked out of the 2003 WSOP tournament. The famous victory even led to the poker star releasing a book called Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker – (an interesting side note is that the $40 figure in the title is incorrect. It was $86).
Moneymaker was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2019, cementing his status as a top poker player. In 2021, Moneymaker took his career to the next level by joining Americas Cardroom as their top poker pro and the face of the brand. His role has helped establish the poker platform as the USA’s number 1 poker site, and he has played a major part in creating a large poker community through his inspiring story. Since joining Americas Cardroom, Moneymaker won big again, this time walking away with $2,030,000 after coming 5th at the $250,000 + 12,500 No Limit Hold’em – Luxon Invitational in London in 2023.
Moneymaker Tournaments
As one of poker’s biggest names, Chris Moneymaker is attracting more players to the game by hosting his own tournaments. In May, he will host Moneymaker May-Hem on Americas Cardroom. The winner will get a trip to Vegas for a $10,000 seat at the Main Event alongside Chris Moneymaker himself. Following that is the Moneymaker Tour, a 13-day series featuring 27 trophy events at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach from October 25 to November 6. Buy-ins will range from $86.00 to $1500 and more than $500k in guarantee payouts. It will also feature events that are priced at the magic level of $86 to commemorate Chris Moneymaker’s satellite poker win in 2003. This shows how far Moneymaker has risen, from entering a satellite poker tournament to hosting his own tournaments that celebrate his famous win. It is why Moneymaker is one of the most recognizable names in poker.
