Rick Salomon

Richard Allan Salomon was born on January 24, 1969, in Neptune Township, New Jersey, where he was raised in a Jewish family. He later moved to Hollywood, California, and began playing poker in the early 2000s. Before his poker career took off, Salomon owned an online gambling site, which provided both capital and insight into the gaming industry.

Salomon first appeared on the tournament scene in the mid-2000s, cashing in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event (WSOP) – finishing 196th out of 8,773 entrants for $42,882. The following year, he placed 60th in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event with rebuys at the WSOP, earning $8,232. He also recorded a cash at the 2010 World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Championship, taking 9th place for $54,378.

His breakout came in the ultra-high-roller world. In 2014, Salomon entered the WSOP's $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop and finished fourth for $2,800,000. Two years later, at the Monte-Carlo One Drop Extravaganza, he improved to third place, collecting €3,000,000 (approximately $3,307,206 at the time – his largest single cash). He replicated his fourth-place finish in the 2018 WSOP Big One for One Drop, earning $2,840,000. These three seven-figure scores account for the vast majority of his $9,906,283 in live tournament earnings, ranking him 160th on the all-time money list and 7th among California-based players.

After 2018, Salomon recorded no further tournament cashes, though he continued playing high-stakes cash games and appeared on televised poker programs.

Salomon is primarily known as a high-stakes cash game specialist. He made regular appearances on PokerGO shows, including WSOP coverage, Super High Roller Bowl coverage, Rob's Home Game, and Poker After Dark. In 2021, he joined the cast of High Stakes Poker Season 8, appearing in the first eight episodes. During the season, he played one of the largest pots against Bryn Kenney: Salomon flopped a straight against Kenney's set and won $868,200, a hand that was widely discussed among poker fans.

His aggressive playing style – characterized by frequent raises and re-raises both pre-flop and post-flop – is designed to apply constant pressure on opponents. He is adept at reading opponents and adjusting his strategy on the fly, particularly in cash games where he can exploit weaknesses. Salomon's willingness to make large bets in marginal situations keeps opponents off balance, but it can also lead to volatile results.

Salomon's personal life has often overshadowed his poker achievements. In 2003, a sex tape featuring him and then-girlfriend Paris Hilton was leaked online. Salomon initially filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Hilton family, alleging they tried to tarnish his reputation by suggesting he had exploited Hilton. Hilton later sued the distribution company, and the matter was settled when Salomon and the distributor agreed to pay Hilton $400,000 plus a percentage of sales. Salomon himself released the tape under the title "1 Night in Paris" through Red Light District Video.

His marital history includes four marriages to three high-profile women. He married voice actress E.G. Daily in 1995; they had two daughters before divorcing in 2000. In 2002 he married actress Shannen Doherty, but the union was annulled after nine months. He then married actress Pamela Anderson in October 2007, separating less than ten weeks later; the couple briefly reconciled before Anderson filed for divorce in December 2007. Salomon and Anderson remarried in 2014 and divorced again in 2015. These relationships, combined with the sex tape, have made Salomon a recognizable figure outside of poker.

Within poker, Rick Salomon is regarded as a fearless high-stakes cash game player who thrives on adrenaline and large pots. His three deep runs in the $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop demonstrate his ability to compete against the world's best tournament players. While his tournament activity has waned, he remains a presence on high-stakes televised poker and is often cited as a crossover celebrity who brought outside attention to the game. His aggressive style and psychological resilience offer lessons for players looking to succeed in high-pressure environments.