2003 WSOP Winner Christopher Brian Moneymaker grew up in a family of competitive players. His first gaming-related experiences included playing bridge with his grandmother and, later, blackjack with his father. After graduating from the University of Tennessee and obtaining his masters degree in accounting, he started practicing his profession. In 2000, he developed a real, tangible interest in poker after watching "Rounders," a popular poker flick.

Moneymaker decided that he was no longer interested in playing Texas Hold 'em with friends and started traveling to the Goldstrike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, four hours away from his house.

Moneymaker landed a seat at the 2003 WSOP main event after winning a $40 online satellite tournament at popular online poker room PokerStars.com. When he won his seat to the WSOP, he realized he'd have to pay for hotel, airfare, and other related expenses, he loaned money from his father and friends.

The lucky 'champion-in-the-making' had to outperform a huge field of amateurs and experts to earn the $2.5 million first place prize. Chris, who, at the time, was merely an "amateur" among seasoned poker pros, received massive attention by battling his way to the main event. Moneymaker won the final hand with a full house, fives full of fours, beating experienced ring game player Sam Farha's top pair. Later, he said that this memorable event changed his life for ever.

2003 WSOP Champ Moneymaker quit his job after winning the grand event and now spends his time as a celebrity spokesperson for WSOP owner Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and PokerStars.com. In addition to 2003's World Chamionship, he participated in many popular tournaments including the World Poker Finals at Foxwoods, the Bay 101 Shooting Stars tournament, the PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure, the WPT invitationals and the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo.

In 2005, he published his autobiography, which goes by the name: "Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker." He now runs his own company, Moneymaker Gaming, and travels across the U.S. in search of larger buy-in tournaments.