By Caitlyn Vinegrad
Even after attracting players from all over the world, South Florida resident Sam Sternfield won the Moneymaker Tour Main Event at Daytona Beach Racing & Card Club.
The $1,500 Buy-in NLH Main Event drew in 263 entrants over three days, bringing the prize pool to $355,000 and surpassing the initial $250,000 guarantee. Despite being more experienced in "not hold'em" games, a term for mixed games and Omaha, he managed to take home $80,855 and his second Moneymaker Tour trophy. He beat runner-up Alejandro Jauregui Reynoso, and Hyndi Kohmutetsky placed third. Sternfield also noted that this was his first big no-limit win. His top spot is more than a personal achievement to him; it's a great opportunity to give back to his family and an important cause. After the event, he mentioned how his mother had recently battled brain cancer and that his grandmother had passed away. He plans to donate some of his winnings to charity in their honor.
The Moneymaker Tour has visited Daytona Beach for three years in a row, with 2025 marking its latest return to the area. In 2024, the Moneymaker Tour was the casino's largest-ever poker event. Florida is also an important state for the tour since the inaugural tournament was held there in 2023 at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach. The tour also recently added a stop at The Casino at Dania Beach for the 2025 run. Florida has become a popular stop for the Moneymaker Tour, expanding beyond popular poker hotspots like Las Vegas. Players can also get a chance to win a seat in the state by winning packages. Americas Cardroom, the leading US poker site that tour founder and poker legend Chris Moneymaker represents as Team Pro, offers exclusive Moneymaker Tour packages that can send winners to any destination of their choice, including the Florida venues. By playing in the Beast Tournament Mega Satellites, they can potentially win a package worth $2,500, with a $1,500 buy-in towards a 2025 Main Event of their choosing and $1,000 towards airfare, hotel, and spending money.
Poker in Florida
Sam Sternfield's win at the Moneymaker Tour stop in Daytona Beach may have been supported by the state's burgeoning poker scene. The gross gaming revenue of casinos in Florida in 2023 was $690.88 million. Live poker tournaments and cash games are widely available at licensed cardrooms and casinos all over the state. The poker rooms in Miami and Tampa are known for their high-energy atmosphere.
Sternfield himself has often played in Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, one of the most popular poker venues in the state; there, he won events like a $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Deep Stack and a $2,700 Mixed Games Event. Aside from live tournaments, online poker in Florida is also flourishing. Though there aren't any state-licensed online poker rooms, Florida players can use reputable and well-established poker sites to play. Americas Cardroom is a top site for Florida and US players looking for a diverse and exciting experience, whether they want to play huge tournaments or low-stakes cash games. Top-notch features allow players to play on their own terms and enjoy perks like fast payouts, account protection, and fair play. Online poker is also an avenue for players to hone their skills and earn a spot at live games and tournaments. Online satellites can offer top players packages to major events all over the world, such as the Moneymaker Tour.
The booming tourism industry can also help fuel poker's growth in Florida. Between January and March of 2023, 37.9 million tourists visited the Sunshine State, the largest number of visitors ever recorded in a single quarter. Many visitors enjoy the wide range of entertainment activities and experiences Florida offers, and the local poker scene can be a big draw for players looking to expand their horizons and play somewhere exciting.
The expanding Moneymaker Tour
Florida is a significant destination for the Moneymaker Tour, which started in 2023 and has been steadily expanding since. The tour will head to Canada for the first time in 2025, right after another Florida stop at Palm Beach Kennel Club. Canada is the second international destination for the Moneymaker Tour, contributing to its growth. The Canada leg of the tour boasts a guaranteed prize pool of CAD$1.4 million across 23 trophy events. The ever-expanding Moneymaker Tour that adds more stops each year is a great testament to the popularity of poker, especially with online sites like Americas Cardroom becoming more advanced and player-centered. More venues in different countries also create more opportunities for local players like Sam Sternfield to achieve meaningful wins without traveling far to play.
For more on the latest in Apopka and Florida, visit The Apopka Voice.
Author bio: Caitlyn Vinegrad is a freelance writer. She often covers various poker events and other gaming tournaments all over the US. Aside from writing, she spends her time hiking with friends and painting.
