Chris Ferguson

Chris Ferguson

aka "Jesus"
Nationality
United States
United States
GPI Rank 211,193
WSOP Bracelets 6
Total Live Earnings $9,584,545
The Hendon Mob Data provided by The Hendon Mob

Biography

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson is an American poker player who won the 2000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.

He is also known for his involvement in the Full Tilt Poker Scandal, an online poker company that Ferguson founded and was a director of.

During his career he has won six WSOP bracelets and the 2008 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship. In 2017, the year he won his sixth WSOP bracelet, he was named WSOP Player of the Year.

Biography

Ferguson was born in Los Angeles, California on April 11, 1963. He attended UCLA and earned a Ph.D. in computer science in 1989.

Having first started playing poker as a child, his first recorded cash came in March, 1993. He regularly travelled around California to play poker tournaments, and cashed in his first WSOP event in 1995.

Having picked up the nickname "Jesus" because of his long brown hair and beard, Ferguson regularly wore sunglasses and a trademark cowboy hot, and was considered almost unreadable by his opponents.

His first six WSOP cashes were top 10 finishes in various formats, including Razz, A-5 Draw as well as No-Limit and Pot-Limit Hold'em.

2000 WSOP Main Event

He won his first WSOP bracelet in 200 in a $2,500 Seven Card Stud tournament, and followed that up with a win in the 2000 WSOP Main Event for $1,500,000. He defeated T. J. Cloutier heads-up, handing Cloutier his fourth top-five finish in the Main Event, and his second runner-up finish after losing to Bill Smith in 1985.

The final table of the 2000 WSOP Main Event was immortalized in the 2004 book 'Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker' by Jim McManus.

Full Tilt Poker Scandal

Many believe that Ferguson's many poker accomplishments are tainted by his involvement in the Full Tilt Poker scandal. On April 15, 2011, a date that became poker's 'Black Friday', the United States Department of Justice issued an indictment against the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker charging bank fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling

Later that year, this complaint was amended to include allegations that Ferguson, along with Ray Bitar, Howard Lederer and Rafe Furst had defrauded players, and that Full Tilt Poker was a "global Ponzi scheme."

The DOJ detailed that approximately $390 million was owed to Full Tilt Poker Players worldwide, including about $150 million to American players. Ferguson denied the allegations through a lawyer, and the case was ultimately dismissed after PokerStars bought Full Tilt and negotiated a plan with the U.S. Department of Justice to pay back players.


Read More
2011: Reactions to Online Poker’s Black Friday
2012: The Black Friday Timeline: One Year Without Online Poker
2016: Black Friday: Reliving Poker’s Darkest Day Five Years Later
2021: 10 Years After Black Friday: Where Poker's Been and Where it's Going


Return and 2017 WSOP Player of the Year

"I'm just here to play poker" —Chris Ferguson at 2016 WSOP

The scandal resulted in Ferguson retreating from the poker limelight. However, in June 2016 he stunned the poker world by returning to the WSOP, entering the $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Championship. In total, he cashed 10 times at the 2016 WSOP.

In 2017, Ferguson amassed 23 WSOP cashes and won his sixth bracelet at the 2017 WSOP Europe €1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. His performances saw him named 2017 World Series of Poker Player of the Year.


Read More: Top 10 Stories of 2017, #1: Chris Ferguson Wins World Series of Poker POY


Chris Ferguson WSOP Bracelets

YearEventPayout (USD)
2000Event #9: $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud$151,000
2000Event #25: $10,000 NLHE WSOP Main Event$1,500,000
2001Event #3: $1,500 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo$164,735
2003Event #4: $2,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo$123,680
2003Event #10: $2,000 Limit Hold'em & Seven Card Stud$66,220
2017 [E]Event #7: €1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better€39,289

Chris Ferguson Top Five Poker Cashes

DATEEVENTBUY-INPLACEPAYOUT (USD)
May 2000WSOP Main Event$10,0001st$1,500,000
February 2005WSOPC San Diego$10,2001st$655,220
May 2008WSOP NLHE$1,5003rd$388,287
September 2005WSOPC Las Vegas$10,0001st$362,088
February 2009LA Poker Classic$10,0006th$240,538

WSOP Main Event Winners 1991-2000

YEARENTRIESCHAMPIONCOUNTRYPRIZE
2000512Chris FergusonUnited States$1,500,000
1999393Noel FurlongIreland$1,000,000
1998350Scotty NguyenVietnam$1,000,000
1997312Stu UngarUnited States$1,000,000
1996295Huck SeedUnited States$1,000,000
1995273Dan HarringtonUnited States$1,000,000
1994268Russ HamiltonUnited States$1,000,000
1993220Jim BechtelUnited States$1,000,000
1992201Hamid DastmalchiIran$1,000,000
1991215Brad DaughertyUnited States$1,000,000

WSOP Player of the Year Winners

YearPlayerBraceletsCashes
2004Daniel Negreanu1$346,280
2005Allen Cunningham1$1,007,115
2006Jeff Madsen2$1,467,852
2007Tom Schneider2$416,829
2008Erick Lindgren1$1,358,528
2009Jeff Lisandro3$807,521
2010Frank Kassela2$1,255,314
2011Ben Lamb1$5,352,970
2012Greg Merson2$9,785,354
2013Daniel Negreanu2$1,954,054
2014George Danzer3$878,933
2015Mike Gorodinsky1$1,766,487
2016Jason Mercier2$960,424
2017Chris Ferguson1$428,423
2018Shaun Deeb2$2,545,623
2019Robert Campbell2$750,844
2020Not awarded  
2021Josh Arieh2$1,194,061

PokerNews Covered Events

Event Place Prize
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #80: People's Choice Event [Pros Vote]
9th $14,404
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #78: $1,000 Turbo No Limit Hold'em 6-Handed
116th $2,951
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #70: $25,000 NLH POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD
21st $85,446
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #68: $500 Deepstack No-Limit Hold'em
257th $1,187
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #62: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
105th $3,476
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #59: $2,500 Double Stack No Limit Hold'em
78th $6,411
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #58: $5,000 No Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Championship
71st $12,511
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #55: HK$8,000 No Limit Hold'em Asia Championship, HK$8M GTD
272nd $2,855
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #48: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER, $5M GTD, $1M to 1st
619th $2,459
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #31: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship
102nd $2,626
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #28: $1,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 6-Max
77th $1,546
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #26: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Grande Finale
262nd $1,013
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #19: $400 No-Limit Hold'em
216th $825
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #16: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo
26th $3,507
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #15: $1,000 PLO 8-Max HR
56th $2,016
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Freezeout
65th $2,867
2020 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #4: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo
133rd $796
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Las Vegas
$1,700 Main Event
57th $2,947
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #15: €550 Colossus No-Limit Hold'em
23rd €6,221
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #9: €1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha/No-Limit Hold'em Mix
9th €6,893
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #3: €1,350 Mini Main Event No-Limit Hold'em
70th €2,115
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #84: The Closer - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
216th $3,308
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #75: $1,000+111 Little One for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em
872nd $1,500
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #69: $1,000 Mini Main Event
313th $2,762
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
5th $33,948
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #62: $10,000 Razz Championship
3rd $131,194
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
343rd $1,704
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #56: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo Bounty
69th $3,269
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #43: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet
20th $4,843
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #31: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed
90th $4,667
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #27: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
62nd $2,337
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #19: Millionaire Maker - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
591st $3,713
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #25: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack
312th $1,026
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #20: $1,500 Seven Card Stud
41st $2,262
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
92nd $2,328
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #3: BIG 50 - $500 No-Limit Hold'em
1476th $1,600
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #7: €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed
22nd €3,518
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #6: €1,650 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha/No-Limit Hold'em
23rd €2,878
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #5: €1,100 MONSTER STACK No-Limit Hold'em
74th €1,738
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #3: €550 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed
27th €1,418
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #2: €1,650 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Deepstack
17th €3,726
2018 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #1: €550 COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold'em
150th €1,515
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #75: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold'em (30 minute levels) - $1 Million Guarantee
137th $4,021
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #71: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (30 minute levels)
53rd $8,701
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #68: $1,000 + 111 The Little One for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em
328th $2,493
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #6: $365 GIANT No-Limit Hold'em
792nd $699
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #60: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
13th $25,695
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #53: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
78th $2,857
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #43: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
4th $161,371
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #40: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet
31st $3,777
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
109th $2,641
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #31: $1,500 Seven Card Stud
4th $29,999
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #30: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
112th $2,255
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #19: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha
249th $927
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #7: $565 COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold’em
1638th $832
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #13: $1,500 Big Blind Antes No-Limit Hold'em
170th $2,334
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #8: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball
48th $3,721
2017 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #7: €1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
1st €39,289
2017 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #6: €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha
29th €3,215
2017 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #4: €1,650 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed
26th €2,771
2017 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #3: €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo Bounty Hunter
36th €1,302
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #74: The Little One for One Drop - $1,000 +111 No-Limit Hold'em
96th $3,997
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #72: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship
2nd $151,700
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #66: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
241st $2,494
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #60: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed
277th $3,611
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #58: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
96th $3,410
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #51: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
4th $150,929
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #47: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em MONSTER STACK
855th $2,496
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #48: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
12th $22,396
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #42: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Championship
43rd $15,516
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #40: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
49th $2,795
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #39: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo BOUNTY
135th $1,374
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
118th $4,068
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #27: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed
117th $4,594
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #18: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha
87th $2,627
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #5: THE COLOSSUS III - $565 No-Limit Hold'em
449th $4,129
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #11: $1,500 Dealers Choice 6-Handed
44th $2,335
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #48: $2,500 Mixed Event
48th $4,573
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #41: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better
75th $2,847
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
30th $16,607
2009 PokerStars.com EPT London
£5,000 EPT London Main Event
37th £14,200
2009 World Series of Poker Europe
Event 1 - £1,000 No Limit Hold'em
15th £6,980
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 57 - $10,000 World Championship No Limit Hold'em
561st $23,196
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 34 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em
206th $2,745
2009 L.A. Poker Classic
$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship
6th $240,538
2009 Aussie Millions
Event 16 - $10,200 H.O.R.S.E.
2nd 65,000 AUD
2008 World Series of Poker Europe
Event 3 - £5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
7th £33,000
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 43 - $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
50th $3,341
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 33 - $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low World Championship
2nd $202,406
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 28 - $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys
10th $69,433
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 25 - $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em World Championship
51st $14,438
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 2 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
3rd $388,287
2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
$20,000 Heads-Up Championship
1st $500,000
2007 WSOP Circuit Event - Lake Tahoe
WSOP Lake Tahoe Main Event
1st $203,649
2007 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE)
Event 1 - £2,500 Horse
4th £21,700
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 5 - $2,500 Omaha/ 7 Card Stud Hi Lo
4th $50,391

Latest Videos

Related Articles