Chris Moneymaker, 2003 WSOP Champion
Chris Moneymaker launched the Texas Hold ‘Em boom back in 2003 when he went from online tournament buy-in guy to bracelet-holding World Series of Poker (WSOP) champion.
His feat inspired boatloads of online players to up their game and make a serious run at the money. In doing so, they lined the pockets of plenty of poker affiliates and operators.
Success on the poker tables didn’t carry over to Moneymaker’s personal life and, by 2004, his first wife had moved on. She wasn’t interested in being married to poker player and he wasn’t interested in going back to his old life as an accountant.
Moneymaker is still playing poker and currently lives in Las Vegas with his second wife.