Gambling is often considered a taboo topic and to an extent, rightfully so. However, not every aspect of gambling is bad and dark. Famous professional gambler, Vegas Dave is an example of doing it the right way.
For those who aren’t aware, Vegas Dave is a famous professional sports betting expert. While there are a lot of controversies surrounding his name, you can’t deny the fact that his rise to fame is quite impressive.
This article will further look into Vegas Dave, his early life, his career, and how he amassed a net worth of $15-$20 million.
Contents
| Full Name | David Nakama Oaneca |
| Birth Date | December 10, 1976 |
| Age | 48 (as of 2025) |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Sports betting consultant / Entrepreneur / Sports handicapper |
| Marital Status | Married / Engaged (reported spouse/partner Holly Sonders) |
| Parent’s Name | Unknown |
| Spouse | Holly Sanders |
| Social Media Accounts: | Facebook |
| Net Worth (as of 2025) | ≈ US$ 15–20 million (estimates vary) |
| Last Updated: | Nov 27, 2025 |
Vegas Dave was born on December 10, 1976, in Saline, Michigan. He was named David Nakama Oaneca at birth. Dave spent the majority of his childhood growing up in Ann Arbor.
However, soon after, Dave relocated to Hawaii with his family, where he also developed an inclination toward sports betting.
While things started small, Dave soon found himself addicted to the concept of sports betting and even bluffed his parents about attending University in Las Vegas. Instead of studying like he said he would, Dave ended up using his student loan amount on a bet in a casino.
Things didn’t work out in Dave’s favor for long. Living for just under a year in Vegas, Dave was already filing for bankruptcy after losing all his money in gambling.
Vegas Dave, despite his professional turmoil, managed to settle down after marrying Holly Sanders. She worked as a Fox Sports Analyst. Albeit a good start to their relationship, the two separated in 2020. While Holly hasn’t commented anything on their separation, Vegas Dave reported that he will always be there for Holly. The two have no plans for reconciliation in the future.
While Dave’s early career choices were questionable and ended up pushing him to the depths of the ground, he fought back and stood up soon after.
Dave earned around $4 million after selling his Mike Trout rookie card. With the money secured, Dave then ventured into sports betting. Right at the beginning of trying out his luck, Dave ended up securing around $2.5 million against a bet in favor of the Kansas City Royals’ win.
Later in 2016, Dave won another $2.6 million in Super Bowl. However, the highs were again brought down to the ground when Dave was charged with 19 felonies of fraud where he was accused of using other people’s social security numbers.
Bearing a fine of $500,000 and being banned from the Vegas sportsbook for three years, Dave became a hustler next. There have been ups and downs in Dave’s career but he has managed to outdo every obstacle that has come his way.
Based on his early history, it seemed unlikely that someone like Oancea would achieve major success. He made headlines by selling a rare Mike Trout rookie card for nearly $4 million, followed by winning a jackpot in sports gambling in 2015. Not only that, but he also won $2.5 million from a bet.
He struck it big during the 2016 Super Bowl. He earned around $2.3 million when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers. But Vegas Dave faced legal troubles when the government investigated him for multiple felonies involving the alleged use of others’ Social Security numbers.
In 2019, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. He was also banned from Vegas sportsbooks for three years.
With the earnings from his early and current betting, Vegas Dave has an estimated net worth of $15-$20 million. His betting skills and the tricks he uses in the memorabilia market are what brought him the fortune that he has today. Dave is also an active investor, which multiplies his money exponentially.
When you Google Vegas Dave to find out what he exactly does, there are different job titles and descriptions that pop up, including being an entrepreneur, crypto expert, and metaverse expert.
Vegas Dave is engaged to former FOX Sports and Golf Channel personality Holly Sonders. The two of them have led a very private life and only after their engagement did they start posting more about each other.
Vegas makes massive loads of money and according to reports, he earns close to 60-70% of his income though the sports gambling that he does.
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