Chris Moneymaker is back in a familiar place: the middle of the World Series of Poker Main Event conversation.
The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion and current ACR Poker pro appeared on WSOP Countdown, joining Jeff Platt, David Williams, and Joe Stapleton during Main Event week in Las Vegas. The appearance gave fans another chance to hear from one of the players most closely tied to poker’s modern boom, while also showing that Moneymaker’s story is still very much connected to the game today.
Hall Of Fame Career
Moneymaker’s breakthrough remains one of the most famous stories in poker history. In 2003, he turned an $86 online satellite into a $2.5 million Main Event victory. The Tennessee accountant topped a field of 839 players and helped inspire a generation to chase their own shot through online qualifiers.
That victory became more than just one player’s unlikely title run. It helped change how people viewed online poker, live tournament dreams, and the idea that an everyday player could succeed on the biggest stage in the game. The “Moneymaker Effect” became shorthand for a new era in poker, one where online satellites could turn small buy-ins into life-changing opportunities.
Money Talks
During his WSOP Countdown appearance, Moneymaker revisited several moments from that historic run, including his famous bluff against Sammy Farha. He joked that he did not even know what blockers were at the time and reflected on how the hand became one of the most replayed moments from poker’s televised boom.
He also discussed how the 2003 broadcast was edited months after the tournament and shared one of the stranger details from his breakthrough win, when ESPN initially questioned whether his last name was real. According to Moneymaker, he had to repeatedly prove his name during the coverage process.
The interview also gave him a chance to compare the Main Event he first entered at Binion’s with the massive modern version players know today. He remembered a much smaller room, a lower ceiling, and even a whiteboard that was used to track players. More than two decades later, the Main Event has grown into a much larger spectacle, but Moneymaker’s connection to it remains unmistakable.
Bubble Boy
Unfortunately for the Poker Hall of Famer, his four-day run in this year’s Main Event came to an end in dramatic fashion. Moneymaker ended up being one of three players eliminated on the money bubble.
Fans can also catch up and follow his summer through a new YouTube vlog series, which offers a closer look at his 2026 WSOP experience. The series follows Moneymaker around Las Vegas and gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at life around the tables during the busiest stretch of the poker calendar.
More From Moneymaker
This September, the Moneymaker Poker Tour returns to Aruba, and ACR Poker is giving players a chance to win their way to the live series. The tour stop features a $400,000 guaranteed Main Event, adding another live tournament destination to Moneymaker’s growing presence away from the online felt.
ACR Poker is guaranteeing 20 Aruba prize packages in total. Each package is worth $5,000, creating $100,000 in total package value. The packages give players a chance to turn an online tournament run into a live poker trip connected to one of the game’s most recognizable names.
Players can qualify through the $95 Beast Tournament on Sunday, July 12, and Sunday, July 19, at 5:05pm ET. Each of those tournaments will guarantee 10 Aruba prize packages, with the first 10 awarded this Sunday.
About ACR Poker
About ACR PokerACR Poker has been a leader in online poker since 2001, serving players across the U.S., Latin America, and beyond. The online poker site is renowned for massive tournament guarantees and innovative formats. ACR also has a rewarding loyalty ecosystem, including rakeback, reload bonuses, and leaderboard races.
- Photos by WSOP – Monique Marestein
