Nationality
Nick "The Greek" Dandolos was of Greek nationality and later became a prominent figure in the American gambling scene, living much of his life in the United States.
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Born (date and place of birth)
Nick "The Greek" Dandolos was born on April 27, 1883, in Rethymnon, Crete, Greece.
Residence (current location)
He initially settled in Chicago, later moved to Montreal for gambling on horse racing, and subsequently lived in various locations in the United States, including Las Vegas toward the end of his life.
Education (institution, specialization)
He attended the Greek Evangelical College and earned a degree in philosophy before embarking on his gambling career.
Children (number, ages)
There is no verified public record of children or family details for Nick "The Greek" Dandolos.
Year started playing poker
Nick began his serious gambling activities around the early 1900s, specializing initially in horse racing and later full-time poker and casino games; exact year of professional poker start is not recorded.
Age when started playing
He began gambling seriously at age 18, moving to the United States and starting with horse racing.
Year turned professional
The exact year Nick transitioned to professional poker is not documented, but he was well known as a professional gambler by the 1920s and 1930s.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
While exact first major poker tournament win details are not recorded, he famously won over $500,000 playing horse races early in his career in Montreal within less than a year.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
His early gambling knowledge was partly influenced by a former jockey he met in Montreal who tutored him on horse racing; no specific poker mentor is documented.
First important tournament
There are no verified records of specific first poker tournaments played by Nick; he was primarily known as a high-stakes cash game player rather than a tournament player in his era.
Main motivation for turning pro
Nick was driven by a love of action and risk rather than financial gain, once stating he played "for the risk, not for the money" which fueled his lifelong pursuit of gambling.
Initial bankroll
His initial bankroll was generously funded by his grandfather with an allowance of $150 per week when he moved to the United States at age 18.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Nick's poker education was self-developed through extensive experience in high-stakes gambling environments, including studying various card and dice games from casinos and gamblers.
First sponsor/backing
There is no record of Nick having formal sponsorship deals or backers; his career started in an era before formal poker sponsorships were common.
Total live tournament winnings
Nick “The Greek” Dandolos is estimated to have won and lost over $500 million during his gambling career, an amount equivalent to roughly $15 billion today, though exact verified poker tournament winnings are not documented.
Number of tournament wins
There are no verified records of official poker tournament wins for Nick as he was primarily a cash game player and high-stakes gambler.
Number of final tables
There is no verified data on final table appearances as Nick was known for cash games rather than tournament play.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
Specific largest single tournament win details are not available; however, his largest known single-session stakes reportedly involved huge cash game swings and multi-million dollar plays against players such as Johnny Moss.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Nick "The Greek" Dandolos did not compete in the World Series of Poker as it was established after his prime career; thus, no WSOP bracelets were won.
WSOP cashes (number)
No WSOP cashes are recorded since Nick played before the inception of WSOP tournaments.
WSOP final tables
No WSOP final tables exist for Nick given the historical timeline.
Best WSOP Main Event result
Not applicable to Nick as WSOP Main Event started after his era.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No super high roller tournament results documented for Nick “The Greek” as these modern formats did not exist in his time.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No high roller tournament wins recorded for Nick, who was focused on large cash gambling.
Online tournament winnings
No online poker involvement; Nick “The Greek” played before the internet poker era.
Major online titles
No online tournament titles; online poker postdates his lifespan.
Poker team
There is no recorded affiliation with any poker teams or stables for Nick, consistent with the era he played in.
Main cash game limits
Nick was known for playing extremely high stakes cash games with daily turnovers normally around $100,000.
Highest stakes played
Nick played some of the highest stakes games of his era, including $20,000 bet calls and multi-million dollar sessions against top gamblers like Johnny Moss.
Notable high stakes sessions
The legendary five-month marathon poker match against Johnny Moss in 1951, with sessions lasting multiple days, is among his most famous cash game encounters.
"Big Game" participation
Nick was a major figure in famed high-stakes cash games; known for participation in marquee heads-up games that drew crowds, similarly to "Big Game"-style environments though the formal "Big Game" is a modern term.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
His lifetime profits and losses reportedly swung over $500 million, making him one of the most volatile and iconic gamblers of all time.
Country ranking
No formal country-specific ranking existed in his time, though he was regarded as a top gambler within the U.S. and Greek-American gambling communities.
All Time Money List position
Nick predates the All-Time Money List and was not tracked by these modern systems.
Tournament ROI (if known)
No verified tournament ROI data exists due to lack of documented tournament participation.
Average tournament win
No data on average tournament cashes or winnings; his career centered on cash games with extremely high variance.
ITM percentage
Not applicable since tournament metrics are not available.
Final table percentage from cashes
Not applicable given absence of tournament final tables.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Detailed yearly statistics are not available; anecdotal reports note periods of major wins and losses throughout a career spanning several decades.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Nick specialized in high-stakes gambling across poker variants (notably stud and draw poker), dice games, and other casino gambling disciplines.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily excelled in live cash games and high-stakes matches rather than tournament formats.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Played mostly at full table and heads-up high-stakes cash game formats, including prolonged heads-up marathons.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Known for five-card stud, seven-card stud, draw poker and various poker variants as well as dice games; skilled across multiple gambling formats.
Specialization limits
Played at the highest stakes of his time with bets reaching tens of thousands of dollars per hand/session.
Online rooms where plays
No online participation due to era.
Favorite casinos/locations
Famous for playing in Las Vegas casinos, including Binion's Horseshoe where his match with Johnny Moss drew large crowds.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Playing style described as fearless, aggressive, and high-variance, with a love for risk and action over profits.
Known for bluffs/traps
Known for creating mystery in opponents' minds through unpredictable and bold play, blending bluffing with mathematical risk-taking.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
A mix of mathematical knowledge and intuitive gambling instincts shaped his approach, though formal GTO theory was unavailable in his era.
Style adaptability
Demonstrated exceptional ability to adapt to different opponents and game formats, especially evident in long high-stakes matches.
Playing strengths
Expertise in multiple poker variants and casino games, exceptional endurance in marathon sessions, and an unshakable gambler’s mindset.
GTO strategy usage
No formal Game Theory Optimal strategies usage documented due to historical period.
Poker software usage
No poker software existed during his lifetime.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
No television appearances known; Nick predated televised poker.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
No participation as High Stakes Poker show was created decades after his death.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
No Poker After Dark appearances; show started long after his era.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Featured in books, songs, movies, and poker documentaries highlighting his legendary status; specific titles include various historical and gambling documentaries.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
No direct interviews are available due to his passing before poker media proliferation.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Not applicable; lived before podcast era.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
Not applicable.
Facebook (account link)
No official pages.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
No official channel.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
No streaming presence.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
No presence.
LinkedIn profile (link)
No profile.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No sponsorship documented; poker sponsorship culture developed after his time.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
No historical sponsorships recorded.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
No poker site ambassador role; predates online poker.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
No records of business ventures outside gambling.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No known poker industry investments.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
No known coaching activity; professional coaching became common after his era.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
No published educational poker materials.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
Not applicable.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No merchandise line.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
No authored poker books by Nick; many biographies and histories have been written about him.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
Not applicable.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
Not applicable.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
Not applicable.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No known students.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
Not applicable.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Numerous poker industry articles feature Nick’s legacy and legendary status.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
No regular columns written by Nick.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
No conference speaking engagements recorded.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
No known scandals involving Nick.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations documented.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No major recorded casino conflicts.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No legal issues publicly recorded.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
No public disputes widely recorded.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No tournament rule violations recorded.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
No public tax issues reported.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
Nick was widely respected with minimal criticism; known for honorable play in his era.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Not applicable.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979, posthumously recognizing his contribution to poker history.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Poker Hall of Fame inductee, class of 1979.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Widely recognized by fellow gamblers and poker historians as one of the greatest high-stakes players and gamblers ever.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
No other specific poker publication awards found.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Famous for the iconic long heads-up match vs Johnny Moss, legendary high-stakes gambling career with multi-million dollar swings, and influencing the modern World Series of Poker’s conception.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Recorded as one of the highest volume gamblers, with winning and losing over $500 million, claimed going from rags to riches over 70 times.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Credited with inspiring the modern WSOP, popularizing high-stakes poker matches, and contributing to poker’s cultural lore.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
Donated over $20 million to charity and education during his lifetime.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Nick’s legacy is as a legendary figure in high-stakes poker and gambling history, inspiring future generations of players and influencing poker tournament culture.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
His legendary match vs Johnny Moss helped inspire the World Series of Poker, shaping the professional poker tournament scene.
No commentary work; he died before poker broadcasting became common.