Chris Ferguson

aka "Jesus"

Nationality

GPI Rank 211,193

WSOP Bracelets 6

Total Live Earnings $9,584,545

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.

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.

Chris Ferguson WSOP Bracelets

Year	Event	Payout (USD)
2000	Event #9: $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud	$151,000
2000	Event #25: $10,000 NLHE WSOP Main Event	$1,500,000
2001	Event #3: $1,500 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo	$164,735
2003	Event #4: $2,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo	$123,680
2003	Event #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

DATE	EVENT	BUY-IN	PLACE	PAYOUT (USD)
May 2000	WSOP Main Event	$10,000	1st	$1,500,000
February 2005	WSOPC San Diego	$10,200	1st	$655,220
May 2008	WSOP NLHE	$1,500	3rd	$388,287
September 2005	WSOPC Las Vegas	$10,000	1st	$362,088
February 2009	LA Poker Classic	$10,000	6th	$240,538

WSOP Main Event Winners 1991-2000

YEAR	ENTRIES	CHAMPION	COUNTRY	PRIZE
2000	512	Chris Ferguson	United States	$1,500,000
1999	393	Noel Furlong	Ireland	$1,000,000
1998	350	Scotty Nguyen	Vietnam	$1,000,000
1997	312	Stu Ungar	United States	$1,000,000
1996	295	Huck Seed	United States	$1,000,000
1995	273	Dan Harrington	United States	$1,000,000
1994	268	Russ Hamilton	United States	$1,000,000
1993	220	Jim Bechtel	United States	$1,000,000
1992	201	Hamid Dastmalchi	Iran	$1,000,000
1991	215	Brad Daugherty	United States	$1,000,000

WSOP Player of the Year Winners

Year	Player	Bracelets	Cashes
2004	Daniel Negreanu	1	$346,280
2005	Allen Cunningham	1	$1,007,115
2006	Jeff Madsen	2	$1,467,852
2007	Tom Schneider	2	$416,829
2008	Erick Lindgren	1	$1,358,528
2009	Jeff Lisandro	3	$807,521
2010	Frank Kassela	2	$1,255,314
2011	Ben Lamb	1	$5,352,970
2012	Greg Merson	2	$9,785,354
2013	Daniel Negreanu	2	$1,954,054
2014	George Danzer	3	$878,933
2015	Mike Gorodinsky	1	$1,766,487
2016	Jason Mercier	2	$960,424
2017	Chris Ferguson	1	$428,423
2018	Shaun Deeb	2	$2,545,623
2019	Robert Campbell	2	$750,844
2020	Not awarded
2021	Josh Arieh	2	$1,194,061

PokerNews Covered Events

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