Antanas Guoga

Antanas “Tony G” Guoga is a Lithuanian-Australian entrepreneur and poker personality who moved to Australia at age 11. Known for his outspoken table talk and appearances on televised poker shows such as The Big Game, he has built a public identity that extends well beyond playing cards. His early working life was considerably less glamorous: he recalls helping his mother clean houses, mowing lawns and repairing sewing machines to support the family.

Guoga’s business career includes founding the poker-media company "PokerNews" and the betting brand "TonyBet", giving him a significant role in the industry away from the table. Despite his high-profile poker career, he has described investing as his primary profession and said he never treated poker as a full-time occupation. His ventures also include "TonyResort" in Lithuania, whose name comes directly from his poker nickname.

Outside poker and business, Guoga has held elected office at both European and national levels. He represented Lithuania in the European Parliament from 2014 to 2019. He later served in Lithuania’s parliament, the Seimas, from November 2020 to February 2021; his official parliamentary biography also lists a master’s degree in diplomacy from the University of Leicester.

Sport is another recurring part of Guoga’s public life. He served as Lithuania’s Olympic attaché at London 2012 and as vice-president of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation from 2011 to 2015. His sporting interests also extend to horse racing: he was a part-owner of "Half Yours", the horse that won the 2025 Melbourne Cup, an occasion he described as fulfilling a childhood dream.