Big-name poker players may seem intimidating, but there are many who use their skill to earn money for charities. Here’s a look at a few poker players who give their time, skills and winnings to support humanitarian efforts.
1 Jennifer Harman Creates CODA Following Second Kidney Transplant
Jennifer Harman founded Creating Organ Donation Awareness (CODA) after receiving her second kidney transplant through organ donation in 2004. Much of her philanthropic efforts go to this cause. Harman is also a major supporter of the SPCA, having hosted many tournaments to help this worthy cause.
2 Daniel Negreanu Donates Tournament Supplies in Name of Cancer Victim
Daniel Negreanu is known as one of the top poker professionals today and the author of a widely used poker strategy book. Among other efforts, Negreanu once donated 20 poker tables, 40 decks of cards and 200,000 poker chips to a tournament in the name of a Michigan State University student, Adam Pulling, who died of cancer in 2004.
3 Phil Ivey Headlines Major Vegas Charity Poker Event
Phil Ivey is arguably one of the most recognizable names among professional poker players. Ivey headlined a 2008 charity event held at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, raising $260,000 to support underprivileged children. He’s also given millions of dollars in donations to various causes over the years, although much of this effort goes under the radar as Ivey doesn’t publicize it. The Golden Nugget event supported an organization founded by Ivey’s mother, the Budding Ivey Foundation.
4 Victor Ramdin Holds Guyana Close to His Heart
Victor Ramdin, born in Guyana and once mentored by Phil Ivey, dedicates most of his spare time to Guyana Watch. The organization helps his communities in his native country with medical, dental and educational services and funds.
5 Barry Greenstein Takes Up Poker to Support His Family, Donates Millions to Charities
Barry Greenstein is well-known for his poker prowess and his charitable ways. Greenstein is an intellectual who earned a Ph.D. in mathematics and never considered poker a career until he needed his potential winnings to support his family.
In 2003, Greenstein made his first donation to Children Incorporated and has since donated millions of dollars to various charitable organizations. Today, Greenstein donates his net winnings from tournaments to charity at the end of each year.
6 Lisa Tenner Connects the Poker Industry with Charitable Giving
Lisa Tenner, along with fellow poker professionals Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher, founded Poker Gives, an organization which connects the poker industry to charities in several ways. For instance, Poker Gives organizes tournaments and other events within the industry to help various non-profit organizations, and it also collects donations via its Website. Tenner also created “The Queens of Heart,” a charitable extension of the ladies’ event during the World Series of Poker.
Download Sportsbook.com to start improving your poker skills – you could be the next poker professional with the capacity to give thousands of dollars to philanthropic efforts. These professionals are merely a few of the major poker names in the industry who regularly take part in charity poker events to support worthy causes.
About the author: Chris Grasso from Tampa, Florida
