How Chris Moneymaker Achieved a Net Worth of $16 Million
Chris Moneymaker has cemented his status as one of the most influential names in professional poker. With a current estimated net worth of around $16 million, Moneymaker built his fortune brick by brick, primarily by doing what he does best: playing poker. Two decades after his successful run at the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, Moneymaker continues to build his wealth through his extensive involvement in the professional poker world. After all, poker enjoys a broad appeal today, with celebrities like Matt Damon, who has an estimated net worth of $170 million, playing the card game on several occasions with fellow A-listers.
From raking in massive winnings to inking several high-profile partnerships, Moneymaker has established his legacy as a successful pro poker player. But before Moneymaker achieved wealth, the poker legend had to work his way up when the cards were stacked against him. Read on to find out how one of the most prolific poker players today built his net worth.
Revolutionizing online poker
Moneymaker made history by winning the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in 2003, making him the first world champion to qualify through online poker. His win ignited the early 2000s poker boom called “The Moneymaker Effect,” creating a sudden wave of interest in online poker that led to a significant increase in net-based poker players who began competing in high-stakes tournaments in the hope of replicating Moneymaker’s success. Prior to this life-changing victory, Moneymaker worked as a full-time accountant before earning a spot at the WSOP via an $86 satellite tournament on PokerStars’ online poker card room. Despite his underdog status, Moneymaker beat 839 contenders and took home $2.5 million.
Today, Moneymaker continues to advocate for online poker legalization in the US, and the widespread popularity of poker he helped ignite has positively affected state regulations around the game. Take online poker in New York, which is fully legal and widely available across the state. While the Big Apple still has no state-licensed online poker platforms, many New Yorkers enjoy the card game’s virtual mode through Americas Cardroom – a reputable platform known for its convenience, fairness, and security – where Moneymaker is an ambassador. Meanwhile, other states like West Virginia have joined the multi-state Internet gaming agreement, allowing online poker pooling with other states with a thriving poker scene, like Nevada.
Since his huge achievement, Moneymaker has continued to become a prominent figure in the professional poker scene.
Sustained success
In 2019, Moneymaker was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, thanks in no small part to his contributions in popularizing poker through his historic 2003 WSOP Main Event win. But even after two decades since his groundbreaking victory, Moneymaker does not intend to stop playing poker just yet. He has consistently sustained his success throughout several tournaments, raking in thousands of dollars in prizes that have helped build his net worth. In 2024, Moneymaker won the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Montenegro, where he walked away with a massive grand prize of $903,000, outsmarting fellow poker greats like Adrian Mateos and Brian Kim. He also won $500,000 in the WSOP Paradise last year, where he finished 10th. In 2023, he took home $2,030,000 after finishing fifth at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London. Today, Moneymaker has $8,210,630 in total live earnings, according to his Hendon Mob database.
Inking partnerships
Aside from playing poker, Moneymaker has also inked several endorsement deals. He became an ambassador for PokerStars for 17 years before parting ways with the platform in 2020. The following year, he joined the roster of pros of Americas Cardroom, a leading online poker platform in the US. He continues to headline professional poker tournaments in partnership with Americas Cardroom, including his own Moneymaker May-Hem event, which provides opportunities for poker enthusiasts to meet Moneymaker and join the Main Event in Las Vegas this summer. The event is a month-long pre-celebration of the upcoming first anniversary since the launch of his Sunday Moneymaker, a signature weekly tournament in partnership with Americas Cardroom that offers a $300,000 guarantee every Sunday.
Apart from achieving poker glory, Chris Moneymaker has built an empire thanks to his massive wins and payouts on the felt and partnerships with top poker platforms. His contributions to the online poker space propelled him to become one of the world’s most influential and successful pro poker players.
