Chris Moneymaker

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Chris Moneymaker
Nickname(s) None
Hometown Tennessee
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s) 1
Money finishes 3
Highest ITM main event finish Winner (2003)
World Poker Tour
Titles None
Final tables 1
Money Finishes 2

Christopher Bryan Moneymaker (born November 21, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American professional poker player who won the main event at the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP). [1] [2]

Moneymaker attended the University of Tennessee and earned a masters degree in accounting. He was working as an accountant in Tennessee when he won a seat into the main event of the 2003 WSOP by spending US$39 to enter a satellite tournament at the PokerStars online poker card room. He went on to win the first prize of $2.5 million, instantly garnering poker superstar status. It was his first live poker tournament. His most memorable hand came heads-up against Sam Farha, when on the river he bluffed all-in with King high. Farha folded a pair of nines, quickly changing the momentum of the match. Moneymaker eventually won the WSOP when his 5♦ 4♠ beat Farha's J♥ 10♦ on a board of J♠ 5♠ 4♣ 8♠ 5♥, giving Moneymaker a full house. Farha did however win a rematch on Pokerstars a month later. Moneymaker has since played on the World Poker Tour, finishing second at the Shooting Stars event, earning $200,000.

After winning the WSOP, he quit his job to serve as a celebrity spokesman for Series owner Harrah's Entertainment as well as PokerStars. He also began traveling to play in more large buy-in tournaments.

Moneymaker is married and has a daughter named Ashley, born 3 months before his WSOP win.

Moneymaker can be heard Thursdays on Playboy Radio's Morning Show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

His autobiography, Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker was published in March 2005 (ISBN 0-06-076001-X).

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World Series of Poker Main Event Winners
Moss - Moss (2) - Slim - Pearson - Moss (3) - Roberts - Brunson - Brunson (2) - Baldwin - Fowler - Ungar - Ungar (2) - Straus - McEvoy - Keller - Smith - Johnston - Chan - Chan (2) - Hellmuth - Matloubi - Daugherty - Dastmalchi - Bechtel - Hamilton - Harrington - Seed - Ungar (3) - Nguyen - Furlong - Ferguson - Mortensen - Varkonyi - Moneymaker - Raymer - Hachem - Gold