Credit: @cmoneym21 on Instagram

Since it started in the 1970s, the WSOP has evolved into elite poker’s most prestigious tourney, associated with many headline-spawning feats. For instance, last year’s Main Event winner, Jonathan Tamayo, was globally celebrated after beating a record field of over 10,000 other players. Undoubtedly, though, one of the most memorable moments from the WSOP has to do with Nashville’s own Chris Moneymaker.

Originally an accountant, Moneymaker went on to make his mark on the WSOP and the broader poker industry. Today, the poker pro continues to encourage and inspire more people to pick up the classic card game while maintaining his Nashville residence. But just who is the man behind the poker myth? Read on to find out.

From Georgia accountant to Nashville living legend

Born in 1975, Moneymaker spent most of his formative years in the American South. Similar to the route that Nashvillian hip-hop artist Dolewite took, Moneymaker was originally from Atlanta, Georgia. Unlike the musical artist who only transferred to Tennessee in his adulthood, though, Moneymaker actually made the move much earlier as a high schooler. Later, he would take on his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. Afterwards, Moneymaker went on to work as an accountant, which would be his career until poker became his primary focus.

This shift to playing poker professionally would come in 2003, when he entered the WSOP. At the time, poker was dominated by more established players who had better experience and financial backing. Moneymaker shattered this dynamic by first qualifying through an online satellite with only a $86 buy-in. At the time, such an approach was novel, although it allowed the then-unknown accountant to make it all the way to the Main Event. There, he faced off against Sammy Farha, who holds multiple WSOP bracelets of his own. Much to everyone’s surprise, Moneymaker was able to defeat Farha through what was later called “the bluff of the century”, ultimately taking home the $2.5 million prize pool. This win would effectively cement his status as a poker celebrity and spark what’s been dubbed as “the Moneymaker Effect”. Through this, many others from similarly humble origins were inspired to take up poker more seriously. More specifically, Moneymaker’s use of accessible online means similarly helped push its popularity, giving rise to the early ’00s online poker boom.

Following his foray into playing poker professionally, Moneymaker decided to move to the more metropolitan Nashville, where he’s been residing for the last several years. Now considered a native by most locals, he maintains his Southern roots by also keeping a family home in Mississippi and various poker clubs in Kentucky.

The Moneymaker Effect’s ongoing legacy

Despite thousands of new players entering the pro poker scene, Moneymaker’s impact and relevance have not waned. If anything, it only continues to expand thanks to various timely initiatives. Notably, Moneymaker has retained his presence on the tourney circuit as a poker pro for Americas Cardroom. Recognized as the US’ premier online poker site, the operator is lauded for its secure banking methods, huge tourneys, crypto adoption, and roster of high-stakes poker players. Since he was first signed on in this capacity in 2021, Moneymaker has quickly become one of the site’s most influential personalities. As such, Americas Cardroom has even created a new weekly tourney named after him. Called the Sunday Moneymaker tourney, it’s designed to be a tribute to how the star helped make poker success more attainable for the everyday player. Marked by more budget-friendly buy-ins, the tourney aims to bring participants their own “ordinary-to-extraordinary moments.”

Apart from this, Moneymaker has also channeled his renown into his own series of poker events. Aptly named the Moneymaker Tour, the events are now in their third year and are co-organized by the aforementioned operator. Aside from visiting US locations, the tour has also started branching out into international destinations. As of 2025, this includes Canada and Aruba. To date, the tour has been so successful that its Main Events now include guarantees of over $1 million. In anticipation of the high number of participants, the organizers have also offered special satellite games where winners receive special Moneymaker Tour packages. Through these, aspiring players can choose to be flown out to any Moneymaker destination of their choosing, where they can join in the Main Event with their expenses paid. 

Although there is no formal announcement yet, this tour expansion bodes well for a future Nashville stop. This is especially true considering that the tour already visited the South via Texas in 2024. Should this pan out, it would mark yet another way that Moneymaker continues to honor his Southern and Nashvillian heritage through his poker endeavors.

For more on Nashville’s most impressive locals, please check out the other articles at Nashville Fit Magazine.