What Did You Do With The Money? – Vanessa Rousso

One of the best reasons to play poker tournaments is because you can win a life-changing amount of money for a minimal investment. Poker players are known for their extravagant jet-setting lifestyles that include some of the finest trinkets money can buy. In this series, we get a glimpse into what poker players do with their cash when they’re not risking it at the tables.

Player: Vanessa Rousso

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Career Live Winnings: $3,532,798

Biggest Score: 2009 EPT Grand Final High Roller – 1st Place ($962,958)

“My first big score was actually the first tournament I played on the pro circuit. It was the $25,000 buy-in WPT Championship at Bellagio and I made the final table, finishing seventh for like $260,000. I was on scholarship in law school, but I had living expenses and things like that, so I paid off some bills. Then I invested some money for my mom, both of my sisters, and myself.”

“A couple of years later, after I broke the $1 million mark, I got myself a Lamborghini, which was obviously a big splurge. I guess it was the first of many splurges. I try hard not to go too crazy, but over the years I’ve had quite a few nice cars and put some money into my homes.”

“Most recently, it’s been my DJ equipment. My most-prized possession is my vintage Moog synthesizer from the ‘70s. Over the last six years, I finished four programs of study at the Berklee School of Music, which is how I got into producing digital music, and I basically use the Moog to make really deep, fat base sounds.”

“That synthesizer is about $6,000. It’s an original and there aren’t too many of them around nowadays. Studio equipment can be expensive, but the good thing about it is that it doesn’t really lose too much value. It’s not like a car that will lose value almost immediately.”