Poker is a game that attracts players from all industries and backgrounds, and no matter their level, they all have a chance to compete and win at the biggest tournaments.
Most new players hope that they can replicate the success of someone like Chris Moneymaker, who went from being an amateur online poker player to winning $2.5 million. However, it is not just those who are looking for poker to pull them out of an ordinary life who are drawn to the poker table. The game particularly enamors celebrities across the entertainment industry, and they can often be found at official poker tournaments or hosting their own.
In 2023, Jennifer Lopez famously hosted a secret poker game for fellow entertainers at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas for a charitable cause. Below, we will look at five musicians from across the industry who have also tuned their skills and succeeded at the felt.
Steve Albini
It is one thing to turn your hand to poker outside of your regular career, but being so successful that you are considered a poker pro is another thing entirely. Steve Albini was as famous for his time at the poker table as he was for working with the biggest names in music, such as the Pixies, PJ Harvey, and Nirvana, and collaborating with indie bands, such as V13 on their album Traqueurs. Albini’s love of poker was well-documented in the music industry, and he would often hold poker nights with fellow band members. Yet, it is his success at World Series of Poker tournaments where he cemented his place as a poker great. Albini is one of the rare few poker players who has won more than one WSOP Bracelet, reaching the number 1 spot in 2018 and 2022. This puts him on par with poker greats such as Chris Moorman. To put this into perspective, Moorman is the all-time leader in career online poker tournament earnings and a top pro for Americas Cardroom, the number 1 poker platform in the USA.
No other poker pro representing Americas Cardroom has achieved the feat of winning multiple bracelets, including the aforementioned poker legend Chris Moneymaker. This is why Albini is considered the greatest musician to ever play poker.
Scott Ian
Like Albini, Scott Ian of Anthrax fame is a musician who takes poker as seriously as his music. During his illustrious career, Ian has made time to improve his poker game and has even taken breaks from playing with Anthrax to dedicate time to competing in poker tournaments.
The hard work and dedication have paid off throughout Ian’s career. In 2007, he walked away with $307,325 after entering the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic.
In the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event, Ian finished 634th out of 6,494 players. This led to him becoming a poker ambassador for a prominent poker brand.
Nelly
Nelly has quietly been making a name for himself at the poker table and has been successful in several poker tournaments.
In 2007, he won the Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and donated all his winnings to a charitable cause. In the same year, he entered the Main Event at the World Series of Poker, though he didn’t walk away with any money.
The singer has continued to maintain his poker career and has competed in the PokerStars European Poker Tour and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. He has also hosted events for the poker brand, cementing his place as a serious poker player.
Sully Erna
The Godsmack lead singer has had an illustrious poker career with $370,477 in total career winnings. His big win came in 2007 when he placed 2nd in the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas. He walked away with $307,325 and the reputation as a musician to watch at the felt. He has also cashed twice at WSOP events.
While Erna took a break from poker after his success, he was drawn back to the poker table and continued to pursue his favorite pastime. With his experience in big tournaments, we will hopefully see him winning big again in the near future.
Frank Sinatra
It should come as no surprise that Vegas legend Frank Sinatra was an avid poker player. As a member of the Rat Pack, he would host poker games at his Los Angeles mansion known as the Farralone, which Architectural Digest calls the Hollywood Golden Age Party Spot. While Sinatra may not have seriously tried his hand at becoming a poker pro, his poker games were legendary in the sixties. Guests included Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop. Burt Reynolds famously told a story of playing poker with Sinatra in the back of a restaurant and the singer paying a dollar for every glass broken. At the end of the evening he owed $1,000.
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