From Jennifer Tilly to Ben Affleck, 5 of the Best Celebrity Poker Players

Poker is a game that requires some level of cunning, perseverance, and luck. Everyone loves to play poker, especially celebrities. Poker appeals to their sense of style and glamour. Poker’s popularity has increased significantly in the last decade or so, with television shows and movies dedicated to poker.  So it’s no surprise that even Hollywood actors and actresses try their luck at this classic table game where fortunes can be won or lost on one turn of the card or roll of the dice. These stars love poker because it’s fashionable and fun, but also for another reason: They love to win!

Here is a list of celebrities who play poker and win.

Jennifer Tilly

Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly (Bullets Over Broadway) is poker personified. One of poker’s most beautiful and talented stars, the Bound and Chucky star has found fame both as a poker player and an actress. Together with her husband Phil Laak, Jennifer has helped to “raise the profile” of poker by appearing in advertisements for Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet. She turned her attention to poker in 1996 and won a bracelet in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) (and $158,000) by the end of that year. In 1998 she came in first place at the Bellagio Cup earning her other winnings of $3 million dollars. Jenifer Tilly net worth is estimated to be around $18 million dollars in 2012 according to Forbes Magazine.

Sam Simon

Samuel Michael Simon, known as Sam Simon, was an American film director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist who was also a co-developer of The Simpsons. He donated the majority of his poker winnings to charitable organizations that rescue and protects. In 2007, he won the main event of World Series of Poker No-Limit Texas Hold ’em poker tournament and became poker’s first multi-millionaire as a holder of poker world championship title. Incidentally, Simon was married to Jennifer Tilly from 1984-1991.

Tobey Maguire

Our former Spider-Man, Maguire has been a successful actor as well as a film producer. When the news about Maguire playing poker came to light, it looked interesting too much because he had never made this thing known to outside world before his poker play came into media light. The actor became interested in card games very early at a time when he was studying at Three Village’s schools where he learned how to play cards from seniors who were having fun by playing cards during their free time. He is a poker player since 2004 and won poker titles such as NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championships and now he is playing poker with the help of an assistant device.

Matt Damon

Matt Damon isn’t just an Oscar-winning American actor, film producer and screenwriter, he’s also known for his poker skills. He became interested in poker during his time as a struggling acting student at Harvard University. Damon first started to play poker in 1998 when he competed in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). He played against poker pro Doyle Brunson who was famously known as Texas Dolly. The latter won the game and eliminated Damon from the competition. The actor managed to win $10,000 by playing poker during that time period. He won his first-ever WSOP bracelet at the 2010 World Series of Poker in the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em event.

Ben Affleck

Batman-actor and Oscar winner Ben Affleck is one of the most famous poker players in Hollywood. Affleck has played against well-known poker pro’s like Annie Duke and Amir Vahedi, both well known for their educational books about Texas Hold’em specifically targeting beginners. He has been playing in cash poker tournaments for over a decade and he has tried his luck several times in the World Series of Poker (WSOP). In 2013, Ben Affleck won a €1,650 No Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw event at the WSOPE in Rozvadov where he beat Chino Rheem to win €196,400 ($255K). The list of cashes by Ben Affleck also includes a 3rd place finish in a 2009 €10k Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys High Roller Event.

Photos: Kathy Hutchins/Everett Collection/Shutterstock

• Author
• Recent Posts

Staff Writers

Latest posts by Staff Writers (see all)

• Are Gangster movies still popular in 2022? - March 11, 2022
• What to expect from the 94th Academy Awards - February 15, 2022
• 3 of the best true-story films on Amazon Prime - January 27, 2022