Fabian Moritz Gregorius

Fabian Moritz Gregorius is a German financial consultant and recreational poker player who gained international attention in December 2023 after an improbable qualification run to the WSOP Paradise $25,000 GGMillion$ event. He is not a professional high-stakes grinder but rather a hobbyist who turned a free online ticket into a life-changing live tournament experience.

In late November 2023, Gregorius, a 30-year-old financial advisor from Germany, received an email from online poker offering a free $250 ticket for satellites to the $25,000 GGMillion$ at WSOP Paradise. On December 3, he began his session and first won a $2,650 satellite, then qualified for the online Day 1 of the GGMillion$. With 43 entries and only six paid spots, Gregorius survived against a field of professionals including David Peters, Daniel Dvoress, and Matthew Stumpf. He eliminated German bracelet winner Christian Rudolph to burst the bubble, securing his seat and a cash prize of nearly $60,000. He then woke his fiancée with the news: "Du Schatz, wir müssen auf die Bahamas!" ("Honey, we have to go to the Bahamas!")

Despite the excitement, the journey was not without complications. Gregorius's fiancée had her passport stolen weeks earlier, requiring an emergency express passport from the Oberhausen citizens' office. Since flights via the USA were not possible without a visa, they obtained an online visa for Canada and flew from Frankfurt to Toronto, then to Nassau. They arrived Wednesday morning and spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach at Atlantis, realizing their dream had come true.

Outside of poker, Gregorius works as a Senior Consultant at tecis Finanzdienstleistungen AG, a financial services company, where he has been employed since December 2018. He also holds a license as an insurance and investment specialist (34d & 34f). In January 2022, he began studying Finance and Management (B.A.) at Hochschule Ruhr West, balancing his career with education.

Fabian Gregorius's story is a testament to the allure of satellite poker, where a recreational player can compete on the world's biggest stage. While his online presence is limited to low buy-in tournaments (up to $25), his ability to navigate a high-stakes live event against the best in the world has made him an inspirational figure in the poker community.