JAMIE GOLD made the big time in 2006 after winning the World Series of Poker and has since built up a portfolio of business ventures, including in the metaverse.
But what’s the story behind Gold’s rise to prominence, and what is his net worth?
Who is Jamie Gold?
Jamie Gold was born on August 25, 1969 in Kansas City, Missouri.
He was born under the name Jamie Usher but later changed his surname by court order in order to take the surname of his stepfather who helped to bring him up.
Gold’s mother Jane was an eager cards player and taught him to play poker as a youngster. His maternal grandfather was also a champion gin rummy player.
At the age of 16, Gold interned at Michael Bloom & Associates Talent Agency and became a talent agent himself before the age of 21.
Alongside his job in the entertainment sector, he attended the University of Albany, graduating in 1991 before then studying entertainment law at the University of California, Los Angeles.
While working as a talent agent, the young American represented clients including the early careers of Jimmy Fallon, James Gandolfini, Donnie Wahlberg and others.
In 2005, at the age of 36, Gold decided to take a year out of work to focus on caring for his ill father. At the same time, he started taking part in poker tournaments. Raking in $10,000s in winnings.
In 2006, he entered the World Series of Poker, with online casino Bodog.com paying his entry fee in return for marketing and a share of any winnings.
Over a ten day period he dominated the field of 9,000 players to win the tournament and its $12million prize fund.
“He transformed table talk and poker play into an art form,” according to one magazine write-up of the event.
After the win, Gold refused to share his winnings as previously contractually agreed with Bodog.com. The poker champion had $6million of his winnings frozen by a US judge as a result. The disagreement was later settled out of court.
Following his 2006 win, Gold has spent his time focusing on a mix of business interests and philanthropic pursuits, playing poker only occasionally.
He said in 2017: “I love poker and wish I had more time to dedicate to playing.
“I’m lucky that when I can focus on it I have had some success, but there are organisations and businesses I’ve made a commitment to, and I must make those my first priority.
“One of the things I love most about poker is that it’s always there and available when I have free time.”
Jamie Gold and blockchain, NFTS, and the metaverse
Jamie Gold is now directly involved in a number of projects which focus on Web 3.0 technology.
His official website states that he is “now focused at the intersection of gaming/ blockchain/media and content, proudly serving on the Board of several innovative transmedia companies”.
This includes SimWin Sports, which says it is: “The first professional sports league in the world where the teams are the NFTs, owned by sports legends and celebrities.”
The league is based in the metaverse and allows fans the chance to watch teams go head-to-head virtually.
As well as being on the company’s board, Jamie Gold is also the owner of SimWin’s Ninjas team.
What is Jamie Gold’s net worth?
Jamie Gold’s net worth is thought to be $14million. While a significant proportion of his wealth came from his poker winnings, his other business pursuits have also played a key role.