Chris Moneymaker
Nobody could argue that Moneymaker played the best poker of his life in the 2003 WSOP, but there is plenty else to debate.
Chris Moneymaker, the amateur professional. An accountant from Tennessee who became an overnight sensation in 2003 when he won the World Series of Poker main event. It is largely because of Chris Moneymaker’s fairytale story that poker became such a sensation. Everyone plays now. The number of websites, house games and casino tournaments has multiplied indefinably. Poker is popular. Moneymaker’s win proved that anyone could be a poker champion and win the big prize.
The World Series of Poker main event in 2003 was Chris’ first live tournament. Before that he had only played online. It was in an online tournament that he won his seat to the main event. That’s right, a $39 online satellite tournament through Poker Stars. He said he was amazed just to make it through the first day, and that the rest was all just a dream. After winning two and a half million dollars from the main event he decided to quit his job. He was then given numerous offers from casinos, poker websites and others to represent them and become their spokesperson. He decided to become a spokesman for Poker Stars since that was where it all began. He also became a spokesman for the Harrah’s Entertainment chain.
Chris published a book in 2005 entitled Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker. Fairly self-explanatory I think. Although he has played in numerous tournaments around the world since his big win he has found little success. His largest payout was the following year at the World Poker Tour’s Shooting Star No Limit Hold’em Tournament where he placed second and took home $200,000. Perhaps that’s why he’s doing as many promotional gigs and hosting jobs as he can possibly book. Chris currently speaks every Thursday morning on Playboy’s Radio Morning Show on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Whether Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 win was a fluke or not is a hot topic for debate. The fact that he made it through a week of professionals, pre-professionals and hobbyists shows that he does have some talent. However, the fact that he has been unable to prove his worth since then does lend itself to question. The one thing he has done for sure is promote poker and create a cultural phenomenon. Now, everyone thinks they can be the next hotshot to win. Who knows if a true professional poker player will ever again win the World Series main event. With the onslaught of wanna superstars the field becomes more and more complicated each year. So much is based upon luck and chance now. But only time will tell. Meanwhile, Chris Moneymaker will continue to find fortune in endorsement deals.