By Houston Molnar
In 2003, Chris Moneymaker entered the 2003 World Series of Poker. He’d won a ticket to the event at an online tournament with a buy-in of $650.
At the time, Moneymaker was an unknown. Few people thought the accountant from Spring Hill, Tennessee, could win against legends like Robert Varkonyi, Dan Harrington, and Phil Ivey.
But to the surprise of everyone, Moneymaker took home the $2.5 million grand prize.
It’s considered one of the greatest upsets in gaming history – akin to Buster Douglas’ epic knockout of Mike Tyson in February 1990.
At the time, “Iron Mike” was the undisputed heavyweight champion. With 33 knockouts under his belt, he entered the match a 42-1 favorite against Douglas.
According to the defunct website Poker Listings, Moneymaker was the first person to win the World Series after qualifying online.