High Roller Taking a gamble on the online poker trend made this tech entrepreneur a big winner.

Andrew Maltin isn't a gambler. But just because he's not ready to bet his fortune on a deck of cards doesn't mean he's afraid to take risks. Five years ago, he went for broke and started Momentum Gaming, a Los Angeles company that provides the back-end software technology for numerous poker sites, including www.bombshellpoker.com and www.pokerblue.com. "Online gaming was just getting started," remembers Maltin, 36. "Poker was certainly not even on the radar yet. It was kind of the Wild West of the internet at the time."

With online poker now blossoming into a $3 billion-a-year industry, according to Maltin, and Momentum Gaming's own 2006 sales estimated to exceed $17 million, it's clear Maltin has hit the jackpot. Even so, he remains on the lookout for other ventures where he can apply his tech skills. One thing is for sure: As long as it's tech-related, the odds are in his favor.