When you think of Ben Affleck, you probably picture him as a Hollywood A-lister, an acclaimed director, or even as Batman in the DC Extended Universe. But what many people don’t realize is that Affleck is also a serious poker player, known among high-stakes grinders for his skills at the table. Unlike most actors who dabble in poker for fun, Affleck has taken the game seriously, so much so that he even has a live poker title to his name.
From blockbuster films to high-stakes poker games, Affleck has proven that he can excel in more than just Hollywood movies. Let’s take a deep dive into his poker journey and see how he stacks up against some of the best in the game.
Ben Affleck’s Poker Journey
Ben Affleck, like many Americans, was introduced to poker in his childhood. However, he didn’t take much interest in it at first. Instead, he was known to be a passionate gambler from a young age. His poker journey truly began in the late 2000s.
In 1998, Rounders—one of the most iconic poker movies ever made—was released, starring Matt Damon, Affleck’s childhood friend. The film revolutionized how people viewed poker and played a key role in sparking the poker boom in the United States. Seeing the rising popularity of the game, Affleck decided to take a shot at it. Determined to improve his skills, he even took lessons from poker pros: Annie Duke and Amir Vahedi.
Affleck’s reputation as a gamer is well known, and one legendary story exemplifies his high-stakes approach. In 2014, in a single night at Hard Rock Casino, he won a staggering $800,000 playing blackjack by betting $20,000 per hand over just three hands. This led casino floor managers to ban him, as they saw him making money.
Ben Affleck’s Poker Career Winnings
Affleck’s first recorded live poker cash came in 2003 when he finished second in the Celebrity Poker Showdown NLH Game 1, earning $5,000. He followed it up with a podium finish at the WPT Hollywood Home Game V, pocketing $4,000.
However, his biggest poker achievement came in 2004, when he outlasted a field of 90 players to win the California State Poker Championship $10,000 NLH Main Event, taking home a career-best $356,400. This remains his only major recorded live tournament victory, as he seemingly stepped away from live events after that year—likely due to his busy Hollywood schedule, which made it difficult to commit to long poker tournaments.
Playing Cash Games
Beyond tournaments, Affleck has also made a name for himself in high-stakes cash games. Reports suggest that he was a regular participant in the infamous Molly’s Game—the underground high-stakes poker games run by Molly Bloom at The Viper Room in the early 2000s.
These exclusive games attracted Hollywood’s biggest names, including Tobey Maguire, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Affleck was one of the notable players at the table, proving that his poker skills extended beyond just tournaments.
Furthermore, Ben Affleck was also one of the victims of the Ultimate Bet Scandal in which he reportedly lost close to half a million. In 2003, investigators exposed Ultimate Bet for a cheating scheme enabling insiders to view other players’ hands, however, Affleck denied the news, claiming it was far from the truth. Reports also claimed he lost $400k in private cash games against Hollywood Insiders, which the actor later denied. Due to the controversy surrounding his gambling and poker life, Ben Affleck now rarely comes up in the news with anything related to it.
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