- Tom Dwan’s $50-bill 17th birthday gift from his father appreciated to $15,000 after he invested it in online poker
- He paid his way to college with the money from poker when he gained admission into Boston University to study engineering
- The New Jersey-born poker player quit college in his second year to pursue poker, a decision that paid off with a net worth of $10 million as of 2022
The American poker player, Tom Dwan raked an impressive net worth of $10 million from his professional poker career by mostly paying online. He started the journey before clocking 18 with the money he received as a birthday gift.
Well-known by his on-screen moniker “Durrrr”, Dwan used proceeds he made from poker to finance his college education. However, he quit along the way to focus more on poker.
His journey has been laced with big money wins and huge losses, running into millions of dollars. He is yet to win poker’s most prestigious trophy, the WSOP bracelet, only coming close in 2010 after a second place finish. However, he won his first live tournament trophy at the Triton Series Madrid in May 2022.
Early Background And Education Of Tom Dwan
It was on the 30th day of July 1986 that he was born Thomas Dwan Jr. to his parents in Edison, New Jersey. While growing up, he learned that hard work is what pushes people to go far in life.
He had his high school education at Edison High School, where he was active in sporting activities, playing both soccer and tennis. Away from school, he fancied card games and that’s how he fell in love with poker.
In 2004, his love for poker pushed him to invest the $50 his father gifted him on his 17th birthday in the online poker site called “Paradise Island”. It was here that the moniker “durrrr” was created for his online identity.
Dwan first started playing site’s minor tournaments that didn’t go beyond $6, but as he succeeded, he decided to try big cash games. This decision proved to be the best as he started earning continuously, and made a reported $15,000 within 4 months.
Interestingly, The 38 year-old New |Jersey native had better plans for what he was making from poker. He used what he earned to finance his college education when he got admitted to Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts to study engineering.
Despite having good grades in his first at Boston, his passion for poker took hold of him. So, he left college in his second year to pay more attention to his poker career.
Several years later, his decision to leave paid off handsomely, with millions of dollars to his name.
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From A College Dropout To A Multi-Millionaire
Many people may be tempted to think that Dwan’s professional poker career took off after dropping off from college. However, his professional journey started before that period.
At the age of 19, he played his first ever live tournament earning more than $12,000 at the €3,000 No Limit Texas Hold’em main event of the 2005 European Poker Tour after a 12th place finish.
After turning 21 in 2007, the poker player gained eligibility to participate in tournaments in the US. That same year, he won $324,000 in prize money for finishing 4th in the World Poker Finals. Similarly, he finished 2nd in the 2008 Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City and went home with $226,000.
Additionally, he earned over $180,000 at the Five Star World Poker Classic and won a $1.1 million pot from Phil Ivey in 2009. Three years later, he won another $3.8 million in Macau, China.
Although the New Jersey native is yet to win a WSOP bracelet, he won his first live tournament trophy in 2022 at the Triton Series Madrid. For winning, he earned $304,500. As of 2022, his poker earnings are around $5 million.
Regardless of the huge amount he earned, he has also lost significantly. The biggest of the losses happened in 2009 he lost about $5 million to Swedish poker player, Victor Blom. Others include; $2 million in 2007, $3.5 million in early 2009, and $2 million.
He Is Into Philanthropy
While Tom Dwan has an estimated net worth of $10 million, he has been donating to charity. His philanthropic gestures are not targeted at charitable organizations alone but are extended to his family and friends as well.
He has donated to organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the Wounded Warrior Project among others.
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