Antoine Winfield watched an unknown accountant win $2.5 million for winning a poker tournament in 2003. Since that moment, the former Vikings standout defensive back has believed "If he can win it, so can I!"

Thirteen years later, Winfield was one of 764 players competing in the World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas last week.

Winfield, who retired in 2013 after 15 years in the NFL and nine with the Vikings, spends a lot of his free time coaching his three sons. When he's not coaching, his hobbies include poker and chess.

"It's fun. I love it. I love the competition and I love meeting all the guys," Winfield told the Casino City Times. "I've been competitive all my life, and this is no different. You're competing against a huge field so it's hard to make it, but it's a lot of fun."

Winfield is part of the "Moneymaker Effect," referring to the formerly unknown accountant Chris Bryan Moneymaker, who helped launch the poker boom after his big win in 2003.

The 39-year-old who lives in Houston lost on the first day of the $10,000 tournament, but won $2,391 after finishing in 231st place in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event.

The three-time Pro Bowler plays chess to help fill the dead time while playing poker. On the other end of this online hobby is star running back Adrian Peterson and other current and former Vikings players.

"Look, poker is a slow game. You have to be patient and wait for good hands," Winfield said. "When those hands don't come — and that seems to be happening a lot to me [during the tournament] — I like to stay active and play chess."