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New Jersey may not have the clout in the gambling world that Las Vegas has, but between Atlantic City and the many other casinos in the state, a lot of big-name poker players have come from here. Today, we're looking at some of the finest poker faces coming out of New Jersey and the stories behind how each of them reached the heights they have.

Amanda Musumeci

The biggest female name in poker to come out of New Jersey has to be Amanda Musumeci, a player who learned the game relatively late but found rapid success. Convinced to give online poker a try by friends, she put down $150 as a deposit and in just a few weeks managed to multiply that up into the thousands.

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What's most fascinating is that hers is a story that could belong to anyone. A surprising number of those who go on to find a talent for the game and carry on into a pro career started with humble games online or among friends. That's perhaps unsurprising given the broad popularity of the game and the many ways to access it.

Many people know someone who knows how to play and can get started with a casual game at home. Others like to try the game out at their own pace on sites offering online poker. Such sites often structure their poker tables and tournaments by level of experience and, to get players over the threshold, they have regular deals and partnerships. You could take up the PokerStars deposit bonus to try out the game with real money and see if it's for you. These providers want you to come along and play at their site, so they're aiming to make it an intuitive experience for all kinds of players.

Tom Marchese

Not to be confused with Thomas Marchese, the award-winning indie film director, Tom Marchese is a pro player out of Parsippany who is, unlike Musumeci, still an active player. In fact, 2023 saw him claim his first-ever World Series of Poker bracelet, with many analysts expecting him to add to that tally.

He ranks second on the all-time list of poker earnings for New Jersey players and at the time of writing is approaching $20 million in lifetime earnings. Considering he started out in a $5 game with friends and ended up ranking in his first professional tournament in 2010, that means he's averaging well over $1 million in winnings per year, and that's just in live earnings alone. The only thing stopping him from reaching New Jersey's top spot is just how far ahead our next entry is.

Phil Ivey

There is very little chance of the top name in New Jersey losing that title any time soon, particularly considering he's considered to be up there with some of the greatest players of all time and has had a place in the Poker Hall of Fame since 2017. Phil Ivey started his pro career all the way back in the year 2000, making him the most veteran player on our list, and his list of achievements matches it.

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In terms of tournament awards, he lays claim to 11 WSOP bracelets including three in one year in 2002, plus 36 appearances at the final table. His winnings are currently sitting over $40 million, but to poker fans, his biggest accomplishment is still that he was the first person ever to beat the legendary Amarillo Slim at the table at his very first WSOP appearance.

With this much inspiration to go from, the next generation of New Jersey poker greats is waiting just in the wings. Maybe in a few years, there may even be someone to challenge for Ivey's crown!