For years, true poker champions were the property of smokey backrooms at a Vegas casino, professionals far removed from the hordes of tourists feeding their quarters into hungry slots. Even if you had the makings of a great player, weekly games in your garage with a few friends werent exactly the fast track to poker stardom. Enter the Internet. With nearly every personal computer in the world connected, poker players suddenly found a new outlet to show off their skills. It brought a touch of egalitarianism to the game, and suddenly, serious players were popping up across the globe. Superstars were born.

Chris Moneymaker

Arguably, the aptly named Moneymaker has had a lot to do with the recent surge in the popularity of online poker. The Tennessee native was in his 20s and working as an accountant in 2003 when he ponied up $39 to enter a tournament at PokerStars.com. It was his first poker tournament ever, and his subsequent victory earned him a spot in the main event of that years World Series of Poker. That alone would have been an honor for any player, but Moneymaker didnt stop there. He went on to beat out several professional players to win the tournament and took home the $2.5 million top prize. Needless to say, Moneymaker quit his day job.

Greg Raymer

Raymer proved to the world that what Moneymaker did wasnt a fluke. The next year after Moneymaker turned the poker world on its ear, Raymer won another victory for the online community, winning the World Series of Poker and $5 million. Raymer won his spot in the series from a $160 buy-in at a Poker Stars satellite tournament. Raymer had played in the series before, winning $1,500 in 2001, but this was his first major victory and one that established him as a poker celebrity.

Michael Mizrachi

Still only 25, Mizrachi is one to watch. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Robert, who found some success online, Mizrachi quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He started out with small potatoes limit Holdem, and soon graduated to big money online games. With two back-to-back appearances at the final table in the World Poker Tour including a first place $1.5 million finish Mizrachi has started out 2006 with a bang and is poised to score some impressive results once again. Known to fans as The Grinder, Mizrachi has proven that hes not afraid to take on the most seasoned poker veterans.

Nick Schulman

A mere baby compared to some professional players, Schulman was only 21 when he took the top spot at the World Poker Tour finals, cinching nearly $2.2 million in prize money. A professional player since age 18, the win made Schulman the young player ever to win the WPT. Schulman regularly played online before his big wins, and still does. Youll often find him taking on challengers at Poker Stars and Ultimate Bet.