Andrew Neeme is among the most innovative and beloved figures in the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship. The December 2023 WPT event at Wynn Las Vegas kicked off with a new game called the “Meet-Up Game,” which he and fellow vlogger Brad Owen promoted. They attracted hundreds of players who wanted to escape the stress and pressure of ultra-competitive tournaments.
However, Andrew Neeme, now a famous Poker player and vlogger, was once a regular online player. From there, he rose, and today, he is a celebrated Poker ambassador for WPT Global and co-owner of The Lodge Poker Club, the largest card room in Texas. That’s how transforming power can be.
This Vegas Aces Casino news content highlights the journey of this influential Poker player and his trailblazing impact on Poker.
Andrew Neeme: Vlogging Poker Fun for Everyone
Andrew Neeme was born in East Lansing, Michigan, US. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Telecommunications, he worked with a music company in London.
However, after some time, he moved back to the US.
Upon getting home, he saw his younger brother playing online Poker. This was during the Moneymaker Poker boom. He was attracted to the game and, with the help of his brother, Andrew Neeme joined the train and opened an account at Bugsy’s Club, an old Poker site. He got a job in Los Angeles and played on this site until life happened.
There was an economic downturn between 2007 and 2008, and Neeme’s job was implicated. He quickly transitioned to focusing on Poker. Having seen the potential of Poker, he studied the game more and continued playing online. Starting from micro-stakes—$2/$5—games, he built his bankroll and soon transitioned into the $10/20 No Limit Hold ’em games.
From Music Worker to Online Poker Grinder to Cash Games and Tourneys
Bugsy’s Club lost its relevance and closed down in 2009. No one could play online poker free games. This spurred Andrew Neeme to relocate to Las Vegas. He decided to play Poker as a full-time professional and has been playing cash games since then.
Tournament Appearances and Gameplay Successes
Andrew Neeme made his first live tournament appearance in 2010 at the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza IV. However, he has earned less than $280,000 in live tournaments because he majors in cash games.
His first win came in 2011 at the Winter Poker Classic. He won $2,732 from the $100 + 20 No Limit Hold ’em Heads-Up event.
In 2016, he came 5th in the $500 + 50 No Limit Hold ’em event at the Wynn Summer Classic, leaving behind over 300 other players to cash out $10,582. The following year, he finished first in the eSports Battle Royale at the Wynn Fall Classic to cash out $5,000.
In 2019, Andrew Neeme finished sixth in a 304-entry event at the Wynn Summer Classic for an $11,816 cash prize. In 2021, he competed in the WSOP ONLINE Turbo Deepstack Event. Due to his early experience with online Poker, he finished sixth in the 649-entry event for a cash prize of $14,022.
So far, Andrew Neeme has earned 11 cash games from the WSOP. He finished 164th at the 54th WSOP series, winning $58,500. He also won a WSOP Circuit ring in June 2024 at the Online WSOP Circuit series.
Looking for other options besides Poker? Find the best games to play in our online casino games section.
Transition into Vlogging
Beyond playing Poker and any innovative ideas he might have had, Andrew Neeme needed a platform to express them. He noticed a gap to be filled in Poker coverage online. The vloggers of those days focused on bigger tournaments and high-stakes events without considering low-earners who would be interested in low-stakes games.
So, in October 2016, Andrew Neeme opened his online vlog. He dusted up his YouTube channel, which he had opened in 2011, and converted it to a Poker streaming channel. He began recording his 5/10 cash games at the Bellagio, with the corresponding analyses for every hand he played.
Andrew aimed to make the game as fun and educational as possible so that new players might enjoy watching him play while simultaneously learning. He also used this medium to give viewers a glimpse of his professional Poker career in Las Vegas. Within a year, Andrew Neeme’s Poker vlog had gained a large following and had inspired others, including Doug Polk and Daniel Negreanu, to join the vlogging scene.
A few years later, he began using drones and other quality cameras to record his Poker adventures. In 2018, he beat others in his field to win Video Blogger of the Year and the People’s Choice Award. At the time of writing, he has over 196,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel and thousands of followers on Instagram and Twitter.
MUG: The Creation of the Meet-Up Game
In 2017, Andrew Neeme saw an opportunity to bring Poker back to its roots as a game regular people enjoy. So, he and Brad Owen Poker, a fellow award-winning Poker vlogger, analyzed the idea and came up with the Meet-Up Game, also known as MUG.
Neeme and Owen considered using the MUG to create a welcoming atmosphere for players of all skill levels to engage with them. This would allow everyone to enjoy the game without being intimidated by high-pressure tournaments.
They made the right decision. The game exploded and soon became popular across the United States and Europe. Since then, the Meet-Up Games have always hosted hundreds of Poker players. Today, the game has become part of the Poker calendar and attracted the support of major sponsors, including the WPT.
Due to his popularity, Andrew Neeme became one of the WPT Global ambassadors on May 24, 2022, after the team signed Brad Owen in April.
Lasting Impact on Poker Vlogging
Andrew Neeme has inspired many other Poker vloggers, including Ethan Rampage and Mariano Grandoli. Today, he is a global Poker ambassador, attracting many players through his educational and entertaining live streams.
Be part of the Now, be part of the Future—Subscribe to our social media to stay on top of the news!
