Chris Moneymaker

Chris Moneymaker, born on November 21, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American poker player whose victory at the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is credited with igniting the online poker boom. 

As an amateur player who qualified through an online satellite tournament, his success story captivated audiences worldwide and inspired countless aspiring players to pursue their dreams at the poker tables.

Coupled with the coincidence of his perfectly apt surname, Moneymaker has become one of the most famous players in the history of poker and is continuing to make headlines in 2024 with a string of high profile victories in high stakes tournaments.

In 2003, Moneymaker, then an accountant from Tennessee, entered an $86 satellite tournament on PokerStars to win a seat in the WSOP Main Event. Despite being a relative unknown in the poker community, he navigated his way through the field of 839 players to reach the final table. 

In a dramatic heads-up match against professional player Sam Farha, Moneymaker executed a memorable bluff that turned the tide in his favour. He ultimately secured the championship and a life-changing prize of $2.5 million, marking his first live poker tournament victory.

Moneymaker's triumph had a profound impact on the poker industry. His victory demonstrated that anyone, regardless of their background or experience, could achieve success in the game. 

In the following years, the WSOP Main Event field grew exponentially, with the number of entries increasing from 839 in 2003 to 8,773 in 2006. Thousands of players were living the dream of “it could be you” and Moneymaker was not the last amateur player to capture the biggest prize in poker.

This surge in participation was largely attributed to the rise in popularity of online poker and the "Moneymaker Effect," which inspired countless players to take their shot at the WSOP. 

Poker was already on a rising path when Chris Moneymaker won and arguably it may have grown anyway without his win, but it was the perfect storm at the right time to be the catalyst for the online poker boom of the mid-Noughties.

Following his 2003 win, Moneymaker became a prominent figure in the poker world. He partnered with PokerStars as a sponsored player and brand ambassador, a role he held for 17 years until 2020. 

During this time, he participated in numerous promotional events, tournaments, and media appearances, helping to solidify PokerStars' position as a leading online poker platform. 

At a time when PokerStars had dozen of pros on their books, Moneymaker was noticeably one of their hardest working ambassadors, taking time to play in many lower stakes grassroots events as well as high roller events on his sponsor’s dime.

He played a crucial role in promoting the accessibility of poker to a broader audience, exemplifying that anyone could achieve success in the game, much like he did.

His natural and laid back interactions with players of all levels has earned Moneymaker the respect of the entire poker community.

After a long and successful partnership, Moneymaker parted ways with PokerStars in 2020. This decision marked the end of an era, as he had been synonymous with the brand during its rise in the online poker industry.

In 2005, Moneymaker published his autobiography titled "Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker." The book chronicles his unexpected rise in the poker world and the events leading up to his historic win. 

It is worth noting that there was a slight error regarding the buy-in for the satellite tournament he won to gain entry to the WSOP Main Event, which he remembered as $40 instead of the correct amount of $86.

It’s a small detail, which only ended up in the title of the tome. We blame the ghostwriter ;)..but seriously its a great read and PokerWired highly recommends it to anyone planning on making their first trip to the WSOP.

As of 2024, Moneymaker continues to be actively involved in the poker community. He has joined Americas Cardroom (ACR) as a brand ambassador, allowing him to engage with a different segment of the online poker audience while promoting the game he loves. 

Additionally, Moneymaker has ventured into the realm of live poker, with the Moneymaker Tour now an established mid-major poker series, which holds 4-6 events per year, all attended by Chris himself.

Throughout his career, Moneymaker has achieved several notable poker results:

Chris Moneymaker's journey from an amateur player to a world champion is a well-known and often told story.

His victory in 2003 sparked a global phenomenon known as the "Moneymaker Effect," which significantly increased the popularity of poker and inspired countless players to pursue their dreams at the tables. Moneymaker's enduring legacy and influence on the poker community continue to be felt to this day.