Chris Moneymaker Back in the Spotlight with ACR Poker

Chris Moneymaker is once again making headlines during WSOP Main Event week. The ACR Poker Pro is still chasing big fields in Las Vegas, sharing his WSOP journey through a new vlog series, and helping build momentum for the upcoming Moneymaker Poker Tour Aruba packages.

The WSOP in Las Vegas is in full swing, and the Main Event is moving toward one of its most exciting stages: the money bubble. One familiar name is still right in the mix. More than 20 years after turning an online qualifier into one of poker’s most iconic stories, ACR Poker Pro Chris Moneymaker is back in the WSOP Main Event spotlight.

Earlier this month, we took a closer look at his YouTube-Channel, where Moneymaker gives fans a behind-the-scenes view of life at the World Series of Poker. Now the focus shifts back to the felt: can the poker legend still battle through massive Main Event fields and make another deep run?

Moneymaker Back in the WSOP Spotlight

Chris Moneymaker is once again part of the World Series of Poker Main Event conversation. The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion and current ACR Poker Pro appeared this week on the WSOP Countdown Show alongside Jeff Platt, David Williams, and Joe Stapleton during Main Event week in Las Vegas. For poker fans, it was another reminder that Moneymaker’s story is not just part of poker history, it is still closely tied to the game today.

His 2003 victory remains one of the most iconic moments poker has ever seen. Moneymaker turned an $86 online satellite into a $2.5 million Main Event title, defeating a field of 839 players and helping spark a new era for online poker. The famous “Moneymaker Effect” showed that an everyday player could qualify online and turn a small buy-in into a life-changing result on poker’s biggest stage.

During the Countdown Show, Moneymaker looked back on key moments from that run, including his legendary bluff against Sammy Farha. He joked that he did not even know what blockers were at the time, while reflecting on how the hand became one of the defining clips of poker’s televised boom.  He also shared some behind-the-scenes memories from the 2003 broadcast, including the unusual fact that ESPN initially questioned whether “Moneymaker” was his real last name. According to him, he had to prove it several times during the coverage process.

The interview also highlighted how much the WSOP Main Event has changed. Moneymaker remembered the old Binion’s setup, the smaller room, the lower ceiling, and even a whiteboard used to track players. More than two decades later, the Main Event has become a much larger global spectacle, but Moneymaker’s connection to it remains unmistakable.

And he is not only looking back. Moneymaker is still active on poker’s biggest stage. He played Day 1D of the 2026 WSOP Main Event and bagged 39,500 chips to advance to Day 2, putting the Poker Hall of Famer back in the mix while representing ACR Poker in Las Vegas.

Fans can also follow his summer through a new YouTube vlog series, which gives a closer look at his 2026 WSOP experience. The series follows Moneymaker around Las Vegas and offers behind-the-scenes access during one of the busiest and most exciting stretches of the poker calendar.

Moneymaker Poker Tour Aruba Packages Up for Grabs

The Moneymaker story will continue beyond the WSOP this summer. In September, the Moneymaker Poker Tour returns to Aruba, and ACR Poker is giving players a direct path to the live series. The stop is headlined by a $400,000 guaranteed Main Event, creating another major live poker opportunity linked to one of the game’s most iconic names.

ACR Poker will award 20 Aruba prize packages in total, each worth $5,000. That adds up to $100,000 in total package value, giving online players the chance to turn a strong tournament run into a live poker trip. Players can qualify through the $95 Beast Tournament on Sunday, July 12 and Sunday, July 19 at 5:05pm ET. Each event guarantees 10 Aruba prize packages, with the first 10 seats awarded this Sunday.

ACR Poker Sponsors Kicking Back

ACR Poker is adding another high-profile layer to its 25th anniversary campaign as an official sponsor of Kicking Back, a new High Times docuseries connected to the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Rather than focusing only on the action inside the stadiums, Kicking Back will explore the culture around the tournament. The series will highlight local fan communities, city stories, cannabis culture, matchday energy, and the personalities shaping the World Cup experience away from the pitch.