[1] Raymer's family moved numerous times during his childhood, from his birthplace of Minot, North Dakota to Lansing, Michigan, where he lived until age 10.
[2] After Raymer graduated from Parkway South High School in St. Louis, he enrolled at the University of Missouri–Rolla, where he majored in chemistry and became a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
He then practiced law as a patent attorney for more than a decade, spending the last six years of his legal career at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
[4] At the 2004 World Series of Poker, he defeated David Williams to win the $5,000,000 first prize in the $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em WSOP main event.
[6] Arguably, this two-year accomplishment ranks as one of the most impressive performances in the Main Event in recent history, along with Dan Harrington's.
Raymer easily won the Heartland Poker Tour Player of The Year title earning a total of $371,967 in winnings.
[13] In October 2021, Raymer won a Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players' Championship worth $30,000 (plus top prize of $4,911) in the $200 HORSE tournament at the inaugural Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival, hosted by Robbie Strazynski.
[3] On December 20, 2004, two men attempted to rob Raymer at gunpoint as he returned to his Bellagio hotel room after playing in a cash game.