Given poker’s standing as one of the world’s most beloved card games, it’s no wonder that some of the most influential figures of our time consider themselves to be avid players.
In Hollywood alone, actors like Ed Norton, Jennifer Tilly, and Tobey Maguire are known for participating in the World Series of Poker (WSOP)—with Tilly winning a coveted WSOP bracelet in 2005. When it comes to sports, Olympic swimming champ Michael Phelps and F1 record-breaker Max Verstappen stand out because they go beyond simply playing the card game—they’re also brand endorsers for Global Poker, an online poker website renowned for its unique, sweepstakes-style games.
With that said, it follows that many famous musicians like playing a hand or two, as well. In fact, some of them are so good at poker that they’ve won professional tournaments! Here are some of the most successful artists on the competitive poker circuit:
Andy Milonakis
Andy Milonakis’ rap career took off in the early days of the Internet, with one of his first releases—The Andy Milonakis Rap—posted on YouTube in the early 2000s. Though he also made music as part of the now-disbanded comedy hip-hop group Three Loco, Milonakis has released a number of EPs, mixtapes, and singles as a solo artist. He’s also featured in high-profile collaborations with other popular rappers, including Chief Keef and Gucci Mane.
In his free time, however, he loves playing poker and often streams his games on YouTube and Twitch. The most successful run he documented took place during the All In For America charity online poker tournament in 2020, which aimed to raise money for the country’s food banks. Hosted by America’s Card Room, the US’ #1 poker site, the event saw him go up against celebrities like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Tobey Maguire. In the end, Milonakis finished third, with the main prize going to America’s Card Room ambassador and poker pro Ebony Kenney. Despite that success, the rapper stayed humble, noting that he “had the honor… to play with a lot of cool celebrities.”
Scott Ian
If you like listening to metal, you probably know Scott Ian for co-founding—and being the only remaining original member of—the thrash band Anthrax. Considered one of the genre’s most influential rhythm guitarists, Ian is also popular for his other acts, including the crossover band Stormtroopers of Death, the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle, and The Damned Things, a supergroup where Ian is joined by the likes of Fall Out Boy’s Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman.
Ian is similarly famous for playing online poker on tour—like Milonakis, he also uploads his games to YouTube—as well as playing at live poker tournaments. At the VH1 Rock ‘n’ Roll Celebrity Poker Tournament in 2006, he won against other metal greats like Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul. The victory secured him a spot at UltimateBet’s Aruba Poker Classic tournament the following year, where he rubbed shoulders with pros like Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke. By 2008, UltimateBet signed Ian on as its newest online pro, and the guitarist began featuring on the guaranteed poker tournaments the poker website held every Sunday—where winners who could beat Ian would get their buy-in back.
Steve Albini
Steve Albini is remembered not only for being Shellac’s frontman but also for his legacy as one of the greatest sound engineers the music industry has ever seen. Having worked on everything from the legendary Nirvana album In Utero to the Pixies song Where is My Mind?, Albini was known for his attention to detail and preference for analog recording tools and techniques. His laser focus helped him find success in his other endeavors, including running his food blog Mariobatalivoice—and, of course, playing poker.
Albini has not one, but two WSOP bracelets to his name. In 2018, he beat more than 300 other players to nab first place at the tournament’s Seven Card Stud event. He then replicated that success in 2022, where he took home both his second bracelet and $196,089 after ranking first against 773 others at $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Nelly
Nelly is arguably one of the noughties’ biggest mainstream rappers. His sound—a blend of hip-hop, pop, and Midwestern influencers—was an instant hit with listeners, and as a result his debut studio album Country Grammar received diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. To date, he’s won three Grammy Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards.
As such, it’s no surprise that he’s found similar success in the world of poker. Most notably, he won a celebrity poker tournament hosted by Rolling Stone, which was organized to commemorate the magazine’s 40th anniversary. The skills he used to nab the top spot at that event have seen him reach none other than the finals of the 2007 and 2009 WSOP. Nelly has also qualified for other professional poker tournaments, including PokerStars’ European Poker Tour and Caribbean Adventure.
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