Most social-media-aware people are at least vaguely familiar with the name Dan Bilzerian. But even the ones who have heard of him may have trouble identifying the specifics of his life and career.
He just might be one of those colorful personalities we associate with the modern internet lifestyle. Whatever the truth, this particular celebrity seems to be enjoying himself and has no complaints about his life’s comfort.
Biography
Dan Bilzerian was born in Tampa, Florida, on December 7th, 1980. His father was a graduate of Harvard Business School. He owned a successful company and made a good salary, so his family was well taken care of. Young Dan had everything he needed growing up. The downside was his father’s frequent absence during that period, which had some impact on the boy’s behavior.
Having trouble at school didn’t stop Bilzerian from joining the Navy. With big hopes of becoming a famous Navy Seal team member, he went through harsh physical and mental training. All the hard work almost paid off. However, just a few weeks away from graduation, he was discharged for fighting with one another officer.
Things started to pick up for Dan when he enrolled in business and criminology studies at the University of Florida, which must have been a fun subject to study. He was introduced to poker around that time and fell for it immediately. Not much later, it became more than a fun activity for him.
Career
The game of poker became a gateway to fame and wealth for Bilzerian. It’s interesting because not many people associate the Instagram King with playing cards activity. Even back in the day, you couldn’t call him a professional in the sense of what the best poker players do, competing against each other at the biggest and most prestigious live tournaments.
In fact, his statistics don’t look very impressive in such regard. In one of the most important events – the World Poker Series – he was able to finish 180th in 2009. The cash prize amounted to a mere $36,626. Evidently, competing for serious titles against the best in poker business at live tournaments is just not Dan’s thing.
Therefore, most of his poker action must be happening online, which also could be a great way to achieve success in this business. The mere fact we’re talking about millions in poker winnings is enough of a reason why so many people are interested in online poker. And it’s easy, too. From what you can read on PokerNews, there are a lot of opportunities to play, starting with playing with your friends. The game is easy to access and not very hard to learn, and the promises of great rewards are tempting. After all, it clearly went pretty well for Dan Bilzerian.
The poker show
Despite not making a real mark on the professional poker scene, the notorious playboy likes to be close to the action. His involvement with significant live events might not be about playing cards. He is known to sponsor others who cannot afford the entry fee for a percentage of the winnings. It could be beneficial to both parties when backing the right individual.
However, there is a more entertaining way for millionaires to have some fun and make even more money. That would be to make a prop bet. Poker players and other celebrities tend to like making proposition bets based on a particular action. These unique wagers often take the form of a dare because rich people want to challenge each other.
It seems like something Dan Bilzerian would be delighted to do. His accomplishments in such regard are considerable. He once confessed to losing a shocking $6 million with a single coin flip and reacted as nothing happened. However, perhaps the most famous wager that attracted global attention was a bicycle ride bet. A fellow player, Bill Perkins, challenged Dan to bike 300 miles from LA to Las Vegas under 48 hours. He was able to complete the task in 33 hours.
Net worth
How great would those rewards even be? Although Bilzerian’s fortune is now not entirely a result of poker winnings, it certainly made it all possible for him. Reportedly, he was able to cash in over $50 million in 2014. He also claimed to earn $10.8 million in one sitting.
Today, with many exciting projects he is taking on, and with a more diverse financial portfolio, Bilzerian’s net worth is believed to be set at a nice sum of $200 million. It represents a steady growth of the financial state over the years. In 2013, when Dan started to attract bigger attention, and the first estimates began to appear, the assessments were valued at $50 million.
He managed to double that in the following year. His Instagram account, with over 32 million followers to date, offers a little glimpse of the things he likes to buy with that money. Besides spending on poker and customized vehicles, it would be partying, guns, traveling to exotic places, and doing all sorts of adventurous activities.
The need for speed
One of the clear signs that you achieved great success in life is the quality of things you surround yourself with. Wealthy people accumulate various valuable things – big real-estate properties and expensive cars are the obvious choices. Automobiles might be the most popular objects collected by the rich and famous. Although some of his cars come from a lease, Bilzerian fits the eccentric car collector model very well.
Cars are very important to our guy, and it is well reflected on his Instagram. There is a lot to chose from. You have your typical choices, such as the fashionable Lamborghini Aventador with a V12 engine and 700 horsepower, which he sold in 2013 for $450,000. Then there are some excellent vehicles like Bentley Continental GT Flying Spur, Rolls Royce Ghost, Eleanor Mustang, or 1970 Toyota Land Cruiser and Mercedes-Benz Brabus G63 AMG 6×6 for off-road trips.
For the latter, there are always options such as Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, M35 cargo truck, a series of dune buggies, or a customized, military-inspired Polaris RZR 900 for shooting towards things in a dessert. However, Dan’s most prized possession might be the 1965 AC Shelby Cobra 427 that is regularly tested by the owner on various racing tracks.
