Professional Background
Sean Chaffin is a reputed writer, editor, and poker player who has covered a wide range of topics, including but not limited to poker, online gambling, true crime, and sports betting in the US. He has been a feature writer for the World Poker Tour and has worked with several gambling companies, including BonusFinder, Gambling.com, PokerNews, Casino Player, and others.
"There is just such a unique history and lore to gambling and poker. I just know there is an audience out there like me, who love that unique poker culture."
Sean majored in journalism and English at Texas A&M University. One of his crime stories earned the Aynesworth Award for Investigative Magazine Journalism from the Press Club of Dallas in 2017.
What Makes Sean Chaffin a Gambling Expert?
He has written extensively on gambling-related topics in popular media. Sean has contributed to the Dallas Observer, Connecticut Magazine, CT Insider, Asheville Citizen Times, Cryptonews, Insider Gaming, Athlon Outdoors, PokerGO News, and Pokerscout.com, among others. You can check out Sean Chaffin's Muck Rack profile to read all his 1,839 articles.
Sean Chaffin authored a book on poker lore in 2012: Raising the Stakes: True Tales of Gambling, Wagering, and Poker. The book narrates stories from gambling and poker's unique history and lore—from underground games in Dallas to the World Series of Poker, and even a Puerto Rican cockfight.
Like a true gambling news reporter, he comments on the legal and legislative developments impacting sports betting, online casino operations, and online gaming. He also covers scandals, strikes, and enforcement actions involving casinos. Do not be surprised to find quirky stories like robot poker players and illegal gambling busts.
Award-winning writer Sean Chaffin also produced the True Gambling Stories podcast for PokerNews. These podcasts featured real-life tales and legends with a gambling twist, ranging from Las Vegas to old Western saloons.
His X profile is aptly named PokerTraditions, where he has about 1,500 followers.
Areas of Expertise
- Poker: Sean observes, writes about, and comments on poker more than any other topic. Book, podcast, news, or stories, he has something for all poker enthusiasts!
- iGaming: Is Texas close to regulating online gambling? What's the update from the Florida Supreme Court on the Seminole sports betting situation? Sean stays on top of online casino and betting developments across the US.
Personal Interests
Sean loves travel, adventure, the outdoors, history, and more! He is originally from Crandall, Texas, and now lives in New Mexico. He enjoys spending time with his wife Kathy (who "hit the jackpot" 24 years ago) and daughters Marie and Chloe.
He frequently posts photos of turkeys, bears, and deer roaming near his mountain playground in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on his Facebook profile.
