Dan Bilzerian is an American social media personality and businessman, born December 7, 1980 in Tampa, Florida, who became famous in the 2010s for a poker-and-luxury lifestyle that earned him the nickname “King of Instagram”. Here are ten things about him that most people do not know, from his Navy training to his film deals and his brand business, checked against public records in October 2026.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | December 7, 1980, Tampa, Florida |
| Known for | Social media, high-stakes poker, brand business |
| Poker result | 180th in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event |
| Film roles | Lone Survivor (2013), The Equalizer, Cat Run 2 (2014), Extraction (2015) |
| Book | The Setup (2021) |
His story is built partly on his own claims, so we flag where a figure is something he said and not something that was independently confirmed. His Alux profile lists an estimated net worth of $90 million: see Dan Bilzerian’s net worth.
10. His origins
Dan was born in Tampa, Florida. His father, Paul Bilzerian, was a Wall Street corporate takeover specialist, and his mother is Terri Steffen. His brother, Adam Bilzerian, is also a poker player, and both sons were given trust funds. On his father’s side the family is half Armenian-American.
9. He studied business and criminology
By his own account, Dan spent four years at the University of Florida, majoring in business and criminology, before dropping out of college to try poker professionally. Gambling had been in the family, and he has said it was the one thing that gave him a rush after he left the military.
8. He served in the US Navy
Dan enlisted in the US Navy in 1999 and went through SEAL selection and training. Days before finishing, he was dropped from the program after a safety violation, so he never became a SEAL. He served on active duty until 2003 at the rank of E-4 Quartermaster, stayed in the Navy Reserve until 2007 and was honorably discharged.
7. His biggest poker result is a Main Event finish
In 2008 he played the World Series of Poker Main Event and finished 180th. In 2010 readers of Bluff magazine voted him one of the funniest poker players on Twitter.
6. His poker winnings are mostly his own claims
In November 2013 he posted an unconfirmed claim that he won $10.8 million in a single night. In 2014 he said he had won $50 million in the year and that the most he had ever lost in a single session was $3.6 million. Treat these as his statements, since high-stakes private games do not publish results.
5. Instagram made him famous
From 2013 he documented his lifestyle on Instagram, showing luxury cars, private jets, firearms and travel. That brought him several million followers, and the press began calling him the “King of Instagram”. Our first version of this article noted 3.8 million followers in the early days, and his audience has grown since.
4. He paid his way into Lone Survivor
His part in the 2013 film Lone Survivor came in exchange for a $1 million investment in the production. He has said the investment generated about $1.5 million in revenue for him after the film’s commercial success.
3. He has a small film résumé
Beyond Lone Survivor, Dan has appeared in The Equalizer and Cat Run 2 (both 2014) and Extraction (2015). Our earlier version listed a stunt role in Olympus Has Fallen and a part in The Other Woman, which we could not confirm.
2. He tried to build a brand company
Ignite International Brands, a Toronto-headquartered company selling items such as vodka, water bottles and CBD products, was publicly listed in January 2019 and went private in June 2022. It reportedly lost more than $50 million in 2019, mostly on marketing and office rental. Dan has said he was not directly involved in running the company.
1. He wrote a book
In 2021 he published his autobiography, The Setup, which recounts his lifestyle and the stories he tells about it. He has said that freedom is the goal: being able to do whatever you want to do.
What we removed from the 2010s version
We dropped items we could not verify or that no longer fit, including his car and gun collections, his pet and donation stories, and a race against a lawyer. We also left out his arrests, lawsuits, health episodes and political activity, which are outside what this list is about.
How we put this list together
We checked each fact against public biographical records and company filings, and labelled claims that come from Dan himself. Figures such as poker winnings cannot be verified, so we present them as statements.
Keep reading
- The best gambling cities in the world: where the poker lifestyle lives
- 15 ways social media is harming you: the other side of the Instagram lifestyle
FAQ
Who is Dan Bilzerian?
An American social media personality and businessman born December 7, 1980 in Tampa, Florida, famous for his poker and luxury lifestyle posts.
Was Dan Bilzerian a Navy SEAL?
No. He enlisted in the Navy in 1999 and went through SEAL selection, but was dropped days before finishing after a safety violation.
How much has Dan Bilzerian won playing poker?
He has claimed $50 million in one year (2014) and $10.8 million in one night (2013), but these are his own unconfirmed statements. His best recorded result is 180th in the 2008 WSOP Main Event.
What films has Dan Bilzerian been in?
Lone Survivor (2013), The Equalizer and Cat Run 2 (2014) and Extraction (2015).
What is Dan Bilzerian’s net worth?
Our profile estimates $90 million. Most of the figure is based on his own statements and brand ventures, so it is approximate.
What book did Dan Bilzerian write?
His autobiography The Setup, published in 2021.
Last updated: October 2026.
