How poker star Justin Bonono started his journey

Kateryna Skrypnyk August 26, 2024

SiGMA news

How poker star Justin Bonono started his journey

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event wasn’t a victory for Justin Bonomo this time. Nevertheless, with lifetime earnings surpassing $60 million, Bonomo remains one of the most successful tournament players in history. Interestingly, few people know that his first step into high-stakes poker was funded by selling an EverQuest character.

Bonomo’s journey began with Magic: The Gathering

By the age of 14, Justin Bonomo was excelling at Magic: The Gathering, winning thousands of dollars in college scholarships, and triumphing in the Junior Super Series before advancing to the Pro Tour. It was through his friends who played Magic that he discovered EverQuest, and he was instantly captivated.

“I fell in love with the game and became completely obsessed,” Bonomo said in a recent interview. “I played as much as I could, but we had dial-up internet, so when I played, no one else could use the phone. Because of that, I was only allowed to play for two hours a day, but I eagerly looked forward to those two hours and dreamed of playing longer.”

He dedicated as much time as possible to EverQuest and soon aimed to be among the best. He reached the maximum level, joined the top raid guild on his server, and eventually sold his character through AOL Instant Messenger for $500.

Jumping into poker with friends

Some time later, Bonomo’s friends from Magic: The Gathering transitioned to poker. It’s common for former Magic pros to achieve great success in major poker tournaments. Players like Brock Parker, Dave Williams, and Eric Froehlich made the switch, applying the strategic skills they developed in Magic to win poker prizes. Similarly, Bonomo sold his druid character, used the money as his first poker bankroll, and began playing.

It didn’t take long for him to make a significant impact. After getting accustomed to online poker, Bonomo started participating in live tournaments. At just 19 years old, he became the youngest player to reach a televised final table at the 2005 EPT French Open.

Bonomo on handling pressure

“Sometimes in poker, people ask if I get nervous under pressure. I tell them that I played my first $1,000 game at the age of 14 in the final of a Magic tournament. I’ve been competing at the highest level all my life, so I feel very experienced and comfortable.” he said.

With three WSOP bracelets to his name, one might think Bonomo has no time for the classic MMO game that started his journey. However, he still plays EverQuest and even participated in the infamous Sleeper awakening on Project 1999 Green. Like many players, he has a deep affection for this universe. “EverQuest will always have a special place in my heart. Every time I think about it or tell someone about it, I feel nostalgic.”

EverQuest recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and with private servers thriving and official development ongoing, there are plenty of opportunities to relive those nostalgic moments and create new stories in Norrath.

Focus on Eastern Europe

Very soon, the attention of the gaming world will turn to Budapest, with the SiGMA Eastern Europe Summit 2024 being held from September 2-4 with the support of Soft2Bet.