Raymond Rahme

Raymond Rahme was born in 1945 in South Africa. He left school at the age of fifteen, stating, "I have no formal education behind me ... but I guess you could say I've been streetwise since an early age." He bought his first car with money earned from illegal gambling dens in Hillbrow, Gauteng. As an adult, he became a successful businessman involved in construction, car dealerships, nightclubs, bookmaking, restaurants, and more.

In 2006, Rahme took up online poker as a retirement hobby after being introduced by a friend. Initially frustrated with cash games, he tried satellites and paid R77 to enter a tournament, eventually winning a seat to the All Africa Poker Championship in Swaziland. He finished in the top four there, earning a travel package to the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.

At age 62, Rahme entered the 2007 WSOP Main Event, a field of 6,358 players. He entered the final table in fourth place and was largely overlooked by the poker-watching public. He played a reserved style, staying out of early confrontations. A key hand saw him eliminate Jon Kalmar with jacks against ace-king. Rahme made it to three-handed play with the second-largest stack against Tuan Lam and chip leader Jerry Yang. In a critical pot, he three-bet Yang with kings and check-raised all-in on an ace-high flop. Yang called with ace-five, and Rahme was eliminated in third place, earning $3,048,025 — the largest cash by any South African poker player. He was strongly supported by a vociferous throng of his countrymen, who broke into a rendition of "Shosholoza" after he eliminated Alexander Kravchenko.

After the WSOP, Rahme decided to make a career of poker to avoid being a "one-hit wonder." He has since won events at Gold Reef City and Emperor's Palace in South Africa, as well as in Sanremo (Italy), Swaziland, and the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, Australia. As of 2009, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,500,000; his five WSOP cashes account for $3,098,287. Hendon Mob reports his total live earnings at $3,550,057 as of the latest update.

Rahme and his late wife Bernadette have six children. He plays online poker as a member of "Team PokerStars" under the screen name "Ray Rahme" but admits he does not enjoy internet poker, calling it impersonal. His contract requires him to play online for sixty hours per month. He remains South Africa's all-time money leader and the first African to reach a WSOP Main Event final table.