{"id":10151,"date":"2023-07-05T14:14:41","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T14:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cardschat.com\/?page_id=10151"},"modified":"2025-09-22T19:13:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T19:13:38","slug":"winners","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/winners\/","title":{"rendered":"Winning the WSOP Main Event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-page-heading\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WSOP Main Event Winners \u2013 In Their Own Words<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"sub-heading\">Poker&#8217;s World Champions Tell Their Stories<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-page-info\"><ul class=\"pageInfo__list\"><li class=\"pageInfo__listItem\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"pageInfo__icon pageInfo__icon--avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/cardschat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cc-icon-white-on-blue-96x96.png\" alt=\"Avatar for the CardsChat Editorial Team\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\"\/>Written by \u00a0<span>the CardsChat Editorial Team<\/span><\/li><li class=\"pageInfo__listItem\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"pageInfo__icon\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Icon for Read\/Play Time\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\"\/>15 mins<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the poker tournament every player wants to win: the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/history\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"896\">WSOP Main Event<\/a>. Millions of dollars and a gold WSOP bracelet are attractive enough, but this tournament comes with an additional, unique prize: the title of <strong>poker\u2019s World Champion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CardsChat talked to <strong>seven<\/strong> of these World Champions \u2013 <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/phil-hellmuth\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"811\">Phil Hellmuth<\/a><\/strong> (1989), <strong>Chris Moneymaker<\/strong> (2003), <strong>Greg Raymer<\/strong> (2004), <strong>Jamie Gold<\/strong> (2006), <strong>Joe Cada<\/strong> (2009), <strong>Ryan Riess<\/strong> (2013) and <strong>Martin Jacobson<\/strong> (2014) \u2013 to find out what it takes to win the WSOP Main Event, what happened next, and what advice they\u2019d offer to new players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more interviews with the <strong>biggest names in poker<\/strong>, be sure to check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/podcast\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/podcast\/\">CardsChat podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">WSOP Winners: Before the Win<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phil Hellmuth ($755,000, 1989)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner-980x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Former WSOP Champion Phil Hellmuth at the poker table\" class=\"wp-image-10174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner-980x1024.jpg 980w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner-766x800.jpg 766w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner-768x802.jpg 768w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner-287x300.jpg 287w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/phil-hellmuth-former-wsop-winner.jpg 1149w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Phil Hellmuth holds the record for the most WSOP wins.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI remember <strong>the first time I ever played poker in a casino<\/strong>, I played with a very famous actor named Telly Savalas. I was 21, I&#8217;d been a professional poker player for a while and I had about $18,000 to my name, which was a lot of money. I remember thinking it was time to take the next step. I\u2019d crushed the games in Wisconsin for a year or two, and was <strong>ready to hit the big time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I went to Las Vegas, to the Dunes Hotel and Casino (which was replaced by the Bellagio), sat down in a game on New Year&#8217;s Eve and <strong>Telly Savalas<\/strong> <strong>was on my left<\/strong>. He was one of the biggest actors in the world, the star of a television show called <em>Kojak<\/em>, and he was wearing a tuxedo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were playing a game that I really hadn&#8217;t played before: <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/games\/#seven-card-stud\">Seven Card Stud<\/a> Eight or Better. So I wasn&#8217;t particularly good at that game, but I remember playing <strong>close to 40 hours straight!<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Jamie Gold ($12m, 2006)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy grandfather was a gin rummy master and that&#8217;s really how it all started. Since I was maybe <strong>three years old<\/strong> I was really into cards, and I would sit on my grandfather&#8217;s lap and he would play every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. It was it was such a great education and I&#8217;m sure that that&#8217;s where a lot of my <strong>card sense<\/strong> came from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My friends remind me, \u201cDo you remember taking all of our money playing poker during high school?\u201d. I took it a lot more seriously than my friends. I wouldn&#8217;t say that I was better<strong>, I just cared more<\/strong>. I loved the game and it was something that I had always wanted to get better at, but there was not a lot of opportunity. Back then there were maybe two or three books so there wasn&#8217;t much ability like they have now to learn every single thing there is to know about the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I only heard about the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/\">World Series of Poker<\/a> from watching the movie <em>Rounders<\/em>. Once I saw that movie the idea of the WSOP just kind of hooked me, and I remember telling one of my best friends, \u201cI&#8217;m going to train and go and win that thing\u201d. They said \u201cYeah, sure\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s true: everyone does think that. But I&#8217;m a little more competitive than most people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I took it a lot more seriously than my friends. I wouldn&#8217;t say that I was better, I just cared more.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Jamie Gold<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Martin Jacobson ($10m, 2014)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/martin-jacobson-wsop-winner.jpg\" alt=\"Professional poker player Martin Jacobson, winner of the 2014 World Series of Poker\" class=\"wp-image-10173 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/martin-jacobson-wsop-winner.jpg 640w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/martin-jacobson-wsop-winner-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/martin-jacobson-wsop-winner-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cIn 2008 I managed to win a seat to the WSOP Main Event. I was only 20 years old at the time and this was back where you had the option to either take the money &#8211; $12,000, I believe \u2013 or go and play, so it was a bit of a dilemma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I knew exactly what I wanted to do, of course, <strong>I wanted to go and play<\/strong>, but I had no experience playing live tournaments. It didn\u2019t go well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But then a month after the WSOP I got second in the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/site-reviews\/pokerstars\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/site-reviews\/pokerstars\/\">PokerStars<\/a> Sunday Million, and then qualified for EPT Budapest and managed to get third place. Poker was so new to me, I was so passionate about it: it was <strong>a dream come true<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I went pro I was learning as I went and just learning from experience. I read a few poker books and then the rest was just talking strategy to friends, playing and seeing what everyone else was doing, copying what I thought was good, then trying to differentiate what I thought was bad and <strong>developing my own playing style<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Ryan Riess ($8.3m, 2013)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTwo months before I graduated I was working as a poker dealer. <strong>I had $2,000 to my name<\/strong> and one of my friends and I drove to Chicago for a poker tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We got to Chicago at four in the morning and all the hotels were sold out, because this was a huge circuit event, so we ended up playing blackjack from four in the morning until noon, when the tournament started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had $2,000 to my name and <strong>I bought in with the whole thing at the blackjack table<\/strong>. I actually got down to $100 and then spun it back up to $2,000 and then stopped \u2013 if I\u2019d lost that last hundred dollars I wouldn&#8217;t have even been able to play the tournament!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tournament went great and we ended up chopping it three ways. That&#8217;s how it all started \u2013 I graduated from Michigan State and then just started playing full-time. As soon as I finished my final exam <strong>I got in the car and drove straight to Borgata<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I bought in with the whole thing at the blackjack table&#8230;if I\u2019d lost that last hundred dollars I wouldn&#8217;t have been able to play the tournament!&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Ryan Riess<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Greg Raymer ($5m, 2004)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/greg-raymer.jpg\" alt=\"Greg Raymer - 'Fossilman' - in his trademark sunglasses at the poker table\" class=\"wp-image-3517 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/greg-raymer.jpg 320w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/greg-raymer-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cI had been playing poker seriously for about 12 years before I won the Main Event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had played with friends in college, and of course <strong>none of us had a clue what we were doing<\/strong>, we were really horrible poker players, but it had always been fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Then someone said something about <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/odds\/pot-odds-implied\/\">pot odds<\/a> and I&#8217;m thinking \u201cWhat&#8217;s that? Never heard of that before.&#8221; <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>So I went to a used bookstore and bought three books, one of which was <em>The Theory of Poker<\/em> by David Sklansky, so that was my first real resource to learn how to be a better player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My first big win, $2,300 or so, was in a pot limit Hold\u2019em game when I lived in San Diego. I came home late at night and <strong>woke my wife up by sprinkling hundred dollar bills onto her<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My last job as a lawyer was in Connecticut, near Foxwoods. They had a great no limit <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/how-to-play\/texas-holdem\/\">Hold\u2019em<\/a> tournament every Tuesday night and I used to win that thing four or five times a year, maybe close to 10 percent of the times I entered. So I was playing that tournament on Tuesdays and playing cash at the weekends, building up my bankroll more and more. By the time I won the Main Event, my main cash game at Foxwoods was $75-150 mixed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I came home late at night and woke my wife up by sprinkling hundred dollar bills onto her.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Greg Raymer<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Joe Cada ($8.5m, 2009)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI started getting my first live experience when I was 18. There was an Indian reservation I would travel to and play, it was smaller but it was fun to play. Or I\u2019d go up north and visit my friends at college at Central Michigan and then just play at the casino there. They had some decent games and some tournaments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then when I was 19, Canada was close, so it was a 45-minute drive and they had a good $10\/20 game and that was some good experience, <strong>I made some good money in that game<\/strong>. By the time I was 21 I had decent experience live, and I had a ton of experience online, so I felt comfortable playing live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Chris Moneymaker ($2.5m, 2003)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPoker was always a hobby for me. Back before the World Series Main Event it was just something I did for fun. I loved playing poker \u2013 I would play poker for 60 hours in a weekend; me and my friend would go down to Tunica and we wouldn&#8217;t get a hotel, <strong>we would stay up the whole weekend playing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We just loved playing poker, it was something that we just enjoyed doing, and I was actually a profitable player from the beginning, because people were so bad!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I would play poker for 60 hours in a weekend&#8230;we wouldn&#8217;t get a hotel, we would stay up the whole weekend playing.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Chris Moneymaker<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Winning the WSOP Bracelet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chris Moneymaker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker.webp\" alt=\"Chris Moneymaker celebrates the moment he won the 2003 World Series of Poker\" class=\"wp-image-7357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker.webp 1024w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker-800x534.webp 800w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-chris-moneymaker-300x200.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Moneymaker was the first online qualifier to win the WSOP Main Event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPoker back then was a bit simpler than it is today. Back then one of my biggest <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/\">strategies<\/a> was to play in position and if people checked to me, I\u2019d bet, and I would take it down a lot of times. And that was my strategy almost for the first three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s really sad, but that&#8217;s all I had to do, because people generally would bet when they had it. There was a lot of donk-betting, there was a lot of leading into pots when people had things. And <strong>back then ranges weren&#8217;t really a thing<\/strong> \u2013 you put people on specific hands, like \u2018this guy has aces, ace-king or nothing\u2019. That was the ranges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other thing that people did back then, that I picked up online, was <strong>bet-sizing errors<\/strong>. Playing online, that&#8217;s all I ever focused on was bet-sizing \u2013 especially on the turn. On the turn someone&#8217;s bet-sizing always gave away the strength of their hand, and you could see it in the World Series. People would vary their bet-sizing drastically on the turn, based on their holdings, and they weren&#8217;t that crafty with it back then. It was something that I definitely capitalized on back in 2003.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Phil Hellmuth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth.webp\" alt=\"Poker champion Phil Hellmuth winning his first WSOP title\" class=\"wp-image-7356 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth.webp 1024w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-800x534.webp 800w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-300x200.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cIt was the most memorable hand of my life: <strong>two black nines<\/strong>, heads up against Johnny Chan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To back up a little bit, the blinds were 5k\/10k and I opened for 35k with <strong>A-7 suited<\/strong>. Chan raised 130k more and I just thought, \u201cWhat&#8217;s going on? He&#8217;s just changed styles, <strong>that&#8217;s a power raise<\/strong>.\u201d So I folded. I didn&#8217;t study long, I just thought \u201cHe probably has me beat, I can&#8217;t call.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, four hands later I looked down at two black nines. I made it 35k again and I just knew, if he raised, I was going all-in. He went ahead and raised 130k more, so I said \u201cAll-in,\u201d instantly. He called for his last 430k \u2013 with <strong>A-7 suited<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;d already watched Johnny hit his cards in four huge tournaments in a row: the World Series in \u201887 and \u201888 and the Hall of Fame Main Events in \u201887 and \u201988. He&#8217;d gotten it in with A-T against A-J, for example, and he\u2019d kept hitting his cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At that point I had 100% of myself, no one had a piece, and it was such a huge disparity: $755,000 for first and only $300,000 for second, so <strong>we made a deal<\/strong>: I would get $450,000 for second place, and $655,000 for first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The flop came down king, king, ten, and then a queen. And I remember thinking to myself, \u201cMan, I&#8217;m 2.5-1 favorite, just like I was before the flop, but only one to go.\u201d But I was expecting him to get there, so <strong>I was preparing for him to hit the card<\/strong>, to not be stunned and not do something stupid. Because by then I had already played heads-up a couple of times for tournaments, and <strong>you can&#8217;t let one unlucky card put you into shock<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, of course, when the six of spades came off, my hands went shooting up into the air. I turned around to look for my father. He ran up the aisle and security stopped him because we had all the cash on the table. I waved him through and I gave my dad this amazing hug. It was the <strong>best moment of my life<\/strong> to that point. And supporting me was a guy who hated the fact that I was in poker, who didn&#8217;t want me to be in poker, but the hug he gave me was just one of those lifetime great moments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Greg Raymer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt what point did I believe I was on a special run? Never did. If you had asked me at the beginning of day one, \u201cAre you going to win?\u201d my answer would have been \u201cWell, I&#8217;m better than average, so maybe it&#8217;s one in a thousand,\u201d and if you&#8217;d asked me again later, when I\u2019d doubled my starting stack, it would have been more. If you&#8217;d asked me when heads-up started and I had 70% of the chips, I might have said I was a 3-1 favorite to win it all. I definitely didn&#8217;t feel like it was \u2018meant to be\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;d already played enough poker by that point to have gone from <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/multi-table-tournament\/mtt-big-stack\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/multi-table-tournament\/mtt-big-stack\/\">big stack<\/a> to next guy out, or from <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/multi-table-tournament\/mtt-short-stack\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/multi-table-tournament\/mtt-short-stack\/\">short stack<\/a> to winning the whole thing, and so I knew that <strong>none of this is written in stone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it really was just what percentage of the chips do I have, and then if I think I&#8217;m above average in skill then I can size that number up a little. But if you have half the chips and you\u2019re at the average skill level of the remaining field, it&#8217;s 50%. Whether that&#8217;s one opponent or 10 people, if you have half the chips with 11 people left you&#8217;re not any more likely to win the whole thing than if you have half the chips heads up, unless you have a skill advantage. So at no point did I ever think \u2018this is mine, it&#8217;s destiny\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Joe Cada<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"956\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/joseph-cada-wsop-winner.jpg\" alt=\"Joseph Cada on his way to winning the WSOP Main Event\" class=\"wp-image-10172 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/joseph-cada-wsop-winner.jpg 640w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/joseph-cada-wsop-winner-536x800.jpg 536w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/joseph-cada-wsop-winner-201x300.jpg 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cGoing up to the World Series, I got approached by one of my good friends and he asked me if I would be interested in being backed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tournaments have a lot of variance and it can get real expensive out during the summer, and I always try to be responsible in terms of never risking too much of my <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/poker-bankroll-management\/\">bankroll<\/a> and stuff. So I got backed and played basically a full schedule of $2,500s and $1,500s and I had a few good runs. I guess <strong>with the Main Event I got lucky<\/strong> with the table draw and ran super-hot the first day, and just coasted the whole way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If anything, being backed made me a little bit <strong>more disciplined<\/strong>, just because it wasn&#8217;t my money. I felt playing with someone else&#8217;s money that I really should play everything correctly \u2013 in terms of what I think is correct \u2013 so I just played my game and what I felt comfortable with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jamie Gold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI tried to figure out <strong>a style that nobody had really used before<\/strong>, because I was never going to be the best player in the world. I just thought, \u201cWhat could I do that people would not be able to understand well enough?\u201d So, a little bit of the \u2018Jedi mind tricks\u2019 and neurolinguistic programming, and I would study a lot of the things that had <strong>nothing to do with the game of poker<\/strong> but more about psychology. I had to figure out a way to win, within the rules, and that wasn&#8217;t just about playing the best poker. We call it \u2018speech play\u2019 today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also got very, very lucky and things went my way. I was able to read people&#8217;s hands. It was <strong>a combination of luck and working really hard<\/strong>, and creating a way of playing that people weren&#8217;t used to. I was also just in a zone and sometimes you just get yourself into a certain kind of place where you&#8217;re almost seeing the cards that everyone is playing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I would study a lot of the things that had nothing to do with the game of poker but more about psychology&#8230;We call it \u2018speech play\u2019 today.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Jamie Gold<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Martin Jacobson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think it&#8217;s really important to have a good support group of friends that you can talk strategy to. I\u2019ve always done that but never really to the extent that I did to prepare for the final table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The strategy that I came up with was that I was gonna speak to all my friends, everyone I was close with or whose game I respected. It&#8217;s really hard even for a professional to make the <strong>November 9<\/strong>, it&#8217;s such a long shot, it really doesn&#8217;t happen often, but everyone could relate to the situation I was in. They knew <strong>how big this was<\/strong>. No one really prepares for it because it&#8217;s so rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I just started brainstorming, first on my own but then I created a Skype group with 30 of these friends of mine and we all bounced ideas, and we came up with the idea to <strong>play simulations of the final table<\/strong>. I started writing <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/\">player profiles<\/a> on every opponent, their tendencies, researching all the hands I could find on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">WSOP Champions: After the Win<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Greg Raymer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Greg Raymer, winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker\" class=\"wp-image-10176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/greg-raymer-wsop-winner.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Greg &#8216;Fossilman&#8217; Raymer, winner of the WSOP Main Event in 2004.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would say I probably don&#8217;t get enough credit in some regards <strong>because I don&#8217;t have a second bracelet<\/strong>. It wouldn&#8217;t have mattered really how much money I&#8217;d won or even if I\u2019d had 50 final tables instead of just 50 cashes, I think people still might say \u201cBut you haven&#8217;t won a second bracelet\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;d asked me in \u201805 before the series started, \u201cIf you play every World Series for the next 15 years, how many bracelets do you think you&#8217;ll have?\u201d I would have said at least three or four more. So <strong>I do feel like I&#8217;ve underperformed<\/strong> at the World Series, even though I&#8217;ve been making money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Ryan Riess<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI won the Main Event and then the couple years after that I was playing really high stakes, like $100ks and $25ks, and I wasn&#8217;t that good at the time. I thought I was really good, but I really wasn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just won the Main Event so I&#8217;m a 23-year-old kid with a lot of money, so I just <strong>jumped right into the waters with all the sharks<\/strong> with all <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/\">the best players in the world<\/a>, playing really high stakes, and it didn&#8217;t work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I took a <strong>step back<\/strong>, started playing lower stakes, and then I was able to really work on my game and get better. And <em>then<\/em> I was successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;I&#8217;m a 23-year-old kid with a lot of money, so I just jumped right into the waters with all the sharks.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Ryan Riess<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Chris Moneymaker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy biggest problem is that right after I won the Main Event, my second tournament I played I got second in, which was a WPT event. When you start your poker career winning the Main Event then getting second in the WPT, you kind of feel like you know what you&#8217;re doing. And that unfortunately breeds complacency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn&#8217;t study the game of poker, and <strong>I didn&#8217;t focus on trying to improve for many years<\/strong>. I didn&#8217;t play a whole lot, so for the next couple years when I was playing, I was making runs but I wasn&#8217;t winning tournaments. I wasn&#8217;t getting in the money a whole lot. I would <strong>blame a lot of it on bad luck<\/strong> instead of the fact that everybody&#8217;s getting better. Instead of getting <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/3-betting-strategy\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/3-betting-strategy\/\">3-bet<\/a> with aces, kings and ace-king, now I\u2019m getting 3-bet with queen-five. I\u2019m getting <strong>exploited<\/strong> and I didn&#8217;t see it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if there&#8217;s one thing I could go back and change it would be to study the game of poker earlier on. I was still making good money, but all the elite players were getting so much better than me, and I didn&#8217;t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Joe Cada<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think motivation is a tough thing \u2013 I noticed my competitive spirit kind of took a back seat. I remember when I was a teenager I just played all the time, I was so determined and I didn&#8217;t fear anyone at the felt. It was all about getting better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then after winning the Main Event I realized I\u2019m not putting in the hours. It <strong>didn&#8217;t feel the same<\/strong> after winning that kind of money. I never really cared about money, it was just about making a good life for myself. And once I won the Main Event, that happened, and so now when I go back and play poker I don&#8217;t have that same motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I play because <strong>I really love the game<\/strong>. I enjoy the game and I\u2019m still successful with it, but I\u2019m aware that there are really good players out there and I\u2019m not the same player I used to be in terms of the time I\u2019m putting in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;It didn&#8217;t feel the same after winning that kind of money&#8230;.now when I go back and play poker I don&#8217;t have that same motivation.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Joe Cada<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Martin Jacobson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf I can take the experience that I\u2019ve gathered and everything I\u2019ve learned, and compress that into really useful information and then give that to someone who&#8217;s only played like two or three years, I think they can grow and <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/become-a-winning-poker-player\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/become-a-winning-poker-player\/\">become a much better poker player<\/a> in a really short and efficient time. That&#8217;s something that&#8217;s really exciting for me and also I find it really valuable because you get so much fulfilment, it&#8217;s hard to explain but I think just teaching in general is something that&#8217;s very fulfilling because it&#8217;s all about sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re <strong>sharing what you learn<\/strong> and you see that somebody else appreciates it and then to be able to see them grow as a poker player and hearing about their results\u2026it&#8217;s just amazing to hear and that to me is so much more fulfilling than just playing poker by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Jamie Gold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/jamie-gold.jpg\" alt=\"Jamie Gold, winner of the 2006 WSOP Main Event, celebrates with stacks of dollar bills\" class=\"wp-image-3513 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/jamie-gold.jpg 320w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/jamie-gold-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cWhen I go to the World Series of Poker now I root for my friends more than myself. I love coaching people and helping people &#8211; I&#8217;m a much better coach than I am a player, because I don&#8217;t make mistakes as a coach! I don&#8217;t believe that I&#8217;m <strong>the best player in the world<\/strong>, I think that I&#8217;m just <strong>a really great coach<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I try to give back as much as I can. I&#8217;ve been so fortunate in my life and I&#8217;ve learned a lot.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not like I wouldn&#8217;t want to win another <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/\">poker tournament<\/a>, and it&#8217;d be really fun if I did, but it wouldn&#8217;t mean as much to me as helping somebody else be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Phil Hellmuth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t miss that era [the 1990s]. It was great, but there weren&#8217;t as many players in the tournaments. All <strong>the best players would all be in the same place at the same time<\/strong>, whether that was Atlantic City, London, Vegas or L.A. When I went into a room, I\u2019d know 30-40% of the players and that was nice, but <strong>the prize pools weren&#8217;t as big<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was always family first for me. In 1997 I made a decision: I don&#8217;t want to burden myself and play all the time, and I wanted to be there for my kids. I wanted to watch them grow up, coach their basketball teams, coach their soccer teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so being there for my sons and my wife, that\u2019s \u2018Phil Hellmuth, the person\u2019, and I&#8217;m there for my friends and they&#8217;re there for me. And it&#8217;s led to some great relationships. We&#8217;ve had the same people playing in my poker game since 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will never retire from poker. I&#8217;ve been fortunate that I haven&#8217;t burned myself out on the game. I still love poker, and <strong>I think I&#8217;ll continue to love it forever<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Poker Advice from the WSOP Champions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Martin Jacobson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMove up slowly in the stakes. If your goal is to play live events or big tournaments<strong>, play small <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/satellite-tournament\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/satellite-tournament\/\"><strong>satellites<\/strong><\/a> to get into the bigger satellites. That&#8217;s what worked well for me: I didn&#8217;t buy in for the last step to win the WSOP Main Event package back then, I won a $20 ticket, then I won a $700 ticket, then a $2,000 ticket, and then I won the Main Event seat. I think that&#8217;s a good strategy because you&#8217;re not risking that much and you&#8217;re getting experience along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Ryan Riess<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:25% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ryan-riess-wsop-winner.jpg\" alt=\"Ryan Riess, former World Series of Poker Champion\" class=\"wp-image-10175 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ryan-riess-wsop-winner.jpg 640w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ryan-riess-wsop-winner-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ryan-riess-wsop-winner-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve never been a big study guy, it was mainly just playing and also just maturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I used to be kind of crazy; my play style was that I would just <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/bluffing\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/bluffing\/\">bluff<\/a> way, way, way too much, and so just <strong>calming down and not trying to take every spot<\/strong>, taking it more seriously and not splashing as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because when you have like a lot of money and you&#8217;re young, you can be careless, and I felt like I was doing that to some degree and then you start to lose a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Joe Cada<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve never looked at money as like, \u201cWhat I can buy?\u201d or how meaningful it is, or how big this spot is. So even during the Main Event final table I looked at it more as a game, and always a game, and just <strong>how do I win at this game<\/strong> and what&#8217;s the best way to approach it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The money has never really felt real to me in a way; I don&#8217;t know, maybe that helps me just not be attached to it and make the right play, and not be fearful of the outcome. But you learn from your mistakes as well, and I think it&#8217;s just playing so much and having so much experience, and being in those spots.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Chris Moneymaker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the best ways to learn poker for free is on <strong>Twitch<\/strong>. You can actually go out and watch poker from really good players that will answer your questions in real time. They&#8217;ll tell you their thought process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch is an amazing platform for poker and it&#8217;s something that, if it was around 20 years ago, would have been a real nightmare for me. The amount of poker knowledge that&#8217;s out there right now is phenomenal\u2026Pay attention, <strong>take note of what some of the good streamers are doing<\/strong>, then find one that fits your style. Ask questions and they&#8217;ll often answer them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;The amount of poker knowledge that&#8217;s out there right now is phenomenal.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Chris Moneymaker<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Jamie Gold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI do think that all players should <strong>learn all styles<\/strong>. You should always be changing gears and playing in different styles, but also learn everyone&#8217;s style so that you&#8217;ll see it when it&#8217;s happening to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of what you want to learn in poker has <strong>nothing to do with how you play<\/strong>, you need to learn <strong>how everyone else plays<\/strong>. That&#8217;s why the game changes every year or two, and players are playing differently now than they used to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Phil Hellmuth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"622\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-1024x622.webp\" alt=\"Phil Hellmuth posing with his winning hand and the WSOP bracelet he has just won\" class=\"wp-image-6310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-1024x622.webp 1024w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-800x486.webp 800w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-768x466.webp 768w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-1200x728.webp 1200w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-1536x932.webp 1536w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player-300x182.webp 300w, https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/phil-hellmuth-poker-player.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Phil Hellmuth is the most successful player the WSOP has ever seen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI didn&#8217;t study GTO [game theory optimal play], so I&#8217;m not going to be the best \u2013 if you want to learn GTO, don&#8217;t come to me. But if you want to <strong>understand why a play makes sense from a game theory point of view<\/strong>, I&#8217;ll have my opinions which have proven to be valid over and over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The World Series of Poker needs me. It needs people like <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/daniel-negreanu\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/players\/daniel-negreanu\/\">Daniel Negreanu<\/a>, or the other veteran stars. My emotions flow freely. And the one thing you can say when you watch me is that it&#8217;s <strong>authentic<\/strong>. When I&#8217;m pissed off, I&#8217;m screaming and yelling. Maybe 90% of the people can relate to that emotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, half of those 90% will say, \u201cI would never act that way. This guy&#8217;s a jerk and I don&#8217;t like him.\u201d But they keep watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other half are like, \u201cThis guy&#8217;s my hero, he speaks his truth and he&#8217;s pissed off and he hates losing.\u201d And then they keep watching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">Greg Raymer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe one big lesson I think you can get <em>from<\/em> poker, once you understand the game well enough, is that you have to kind of <strong>ignore the results<\/strong>. It&#8217;s like, \u201cWas this a smart decision, yes or no?\u201d The fact that you then won or lost the pot is not really directly connected to how smart the decision was. If you go all-in and I call with two aces and you beat me, I&#8217;m still gonna lose some percentage of the time, so that result doesn&#8217;t mean anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the important part is learning to completely dissociate the result from the process. Focus on the process, focus on making smart choices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote\"><blockquote class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__block\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__quote-mark\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"Quote Mark\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\"\/><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__text\"><strong><em>&#8220;The fact that you then won or lost the pot is not really directly connected to how smart the decision was&#8230;Focus on the process, focus on making smart choices.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-info\"><span class=\"wp-block-create-block-complex-quote__profile-name\">Greg Raymer<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading section__heading\">More on the World Series of Poker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for the WSOP schedule, details of the WSOP Main Event or the history of the World Series of Poker? Check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/\">CardsChat WSOP guide<\/a> now. For more interviews with poker&#8217;s biggest names, check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/podcast\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/podcast\/\">CardsChat Podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to try No Limit Texas Hold\u2019em, for free? Head to our <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/free-online-poker-game\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/free-online-poker-game\/\">no-risk practice tables<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to play for real money? Read our guide to the <a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/best-online-sites\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/best-online-sites\/\">best online poker rooms<\/a> around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Images for this article come courtesy of Chris Wallace, the World Poker Tour, 888Poker and Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group section__content has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card wp-block-create-block-link-card--vertical\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__content\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__imageWrapper \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/poker-strategy.svg\" alt=\"Poker Strategy\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__image wp-image-1294\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\"\/><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__linkWrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__link\">Poker Strategy<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card wp-block-create-block-link-card--vertical\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__content\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__imageWrapper \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rtp-percentage-win-rate.svg\" alt=\"Odds Calculator\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__image wp-image-1304\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\"\/><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__linkWrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tools\/poker-odds-calculator\/\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__link\">Odds Calculator<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card wp-block-create-block-link-card--vertical\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__content\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__imageWrapper \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/poker-hands-question.svg\" alt=\"Odds for Dummies\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__image wp-image-1291\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\"\/><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__linkWrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/odds\/\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__link\">Odds for Dummies<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card wp-block-create-block-link-card--vertical\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__content\"><div class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__imageWrapper \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/texas-holdem-rules.svg\" alt=\"Poker Starting Hands\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__image wp-image-1312\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\"\/><\/div><p class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__linkWrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/strategy\/poker-starting-hands\/\" class=\"wp-block-create-block-link-card__link\">Poker Starting Hands<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group social-share-block has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>Enjoyed this content? Share it with your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group social-icons-block has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-sharing gb-block-sharing gb-share-icon-only gb-share-shape-rounded gb-share-size-small gb-share-color-social \">\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"gb-share-list\"><li>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\thref=\"javascript:void(0)\" onClick=\"javascript:genesisBlocksShare('http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Winning%20the%20WSOP%20Main%20Event&#038;url=https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/winners\/', 'Share on Twitter', '600', '600')\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"gb-share-twitter\"\n\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Share on Twitter\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg-icon\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" aria-labelledby=\"gb-link-twitter-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><title id=\"gb-link-twitter-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\">Share on Twitter<\/title><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M23.953 4.57a10 10 0 01-2.825.775 4.958 4.958 0 002.163-2.723c-.951.555-2.005.959-3.127 1.184a4.92 4.92 0 00-8.384 4.482C7.69 8.095 4.067 6.13 1.64 3.162a4.822 4.822 0 00-.666 2.475c0 1.71.87 3.213 2.188 4.096a4.904 4.904 0 01-2.228-.616v.06a4.923 4.923 0 003.946 4.827 4.996 4.996 0 01-2.212.085 4.936 4.936 0 004.604 3.417 9.867 9.867 0 01-6.102 2.105c-.39 0-.779-.023-1.17-.067a13.995 13.995 0 007.557 2.209c9.053 0 13.998-7.496 13.998-13.985 0-.21 0-.42-.015-.63A9.935 9.935 0 0024 4.59z\"><\/path><\/svg> <span class=\"gb-social-text\">Share on Twitter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"javascript:void(0)\" onClick=\"javascript:genesisBlocksShare('https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/winners\/&#038;title=Winning%20the%20WSOP%20Main%20Event', 'Share on Facebook', '600', '600')\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"gb-share-facebook\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Share on Facebook\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg-icon\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" aria-labelledby=\"gb-link-facebook-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><title id=\"gb-link-facebook-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\">Share on Facebook<\/title><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M24 12.073c0-6.627-5.373-12-12-12s-12 5.373-12 12c0 5.99 4.388 10.954 10.125 11.854v-8.385H7.078v-3.47h3.047V9.43c0-3.007 1.792-4.669 4.533-4.669 1.312 0 2.686.235 2.686.235v2.953H15.83c-1.491 0-1.956.925-1.956 1.874v2.25h3.328l-.532 3.47h-2.796v8.385C19.612 23.027 24 18.062 24 12.073z\"><\/path><\/svg> <span class=\"gb-social-text\">Share on Facebook<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li>\n\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"javascript:void(0)\" onClick=\"javascript:genesisBlocksShare('https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&#038;url=https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/tournaments\/wsop\/winners\/&#038;title=Winning%20the%20WSOP%20Main%20Event', 'Share on LinkedIn', '600', '600')\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"gb-share-linkedin\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Share on LinkedIn\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg-icon\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" aria-labelledby=\"gb-link-linkedin-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><title id=\"gb-link-linkedin-ba78de67-2932-4ae7-a47d-86ecb5fd02f6\">Share on LinkedIn<\/title><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M20.447 20.452h-3.554v-5.569c0-1.328-.027-3.037-1.852-3.037-1.853 0-2.136 1.445-2.136 2.939v5.667H9.351V9h3.414v1.561h.046c.477-.9 1.637-1.85 3.37-1.85 3.601 0 4.267 2.37 4.267 5.455v6.286zM5.337 7.433c-1.144 0-2.063-.926-2.063-2.065 0-1.138.92-2.063 2.063-2.063 1.14 0 2.064.925 2.064 2.063 0 1.139-.925 2.065-2.064 2.065zm1.782 13.019H3.555V9h3.564v11.452zM22.225 0H1.771C.792 0 0 .774 0 1.729v20.542C0 23.227.792 24 1.771 24h20.451C23.2 24 24 23.227 24 22.271V1.729C24 .774 23.2 0 22.222 0h.003z\"><\/path><\/svg> <span class=\"gb-social-text\">Share on LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WSOP Winners: Before the Win Phil Hellmuth ($755,000, 1989) \u201cI remember the first time I ever played poker in a casino, I played with a very famous actor named Telly Savalas. I was 21, I&#8217;d been a professional poker player for a while and I had about $18,000 to my name, which was a lot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":7356,"parent":894,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"single-column-with-aside","meta":{"itm_adobe_analytics_page_language":"English","itm_adobe_analytics_page_country":"*GLOBAL*","itm_adobe_analytics_page_primary_category":"Non-Commercial","itm_adobe_analytics_page_vertical":"Poker","itm_adobe_analytics_page_sub_vertical":"","itm_adobe_analytics_page_tri_vertical":"","itm_adobe_analytics_page_sub_categories":["Tournament"],"itm_adobe_analytics_page_primary_subcategory":"Tournament","itm_adobe_analytics_page_is_toplist":false,"itm_adobe_analytics_page_equivalent":"","footnotes":""},"vertical":[69],"pagetype":[87],"pagesettings":[],"class_list":["post-10151","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":10151},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-600x400.webp","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/world-series-of-poker-history-phil-hellmuth-600x600.webp","pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10151"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10151\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/894"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=10151"},{"taxonomy":"pagetype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pagetype?post=10151"},{"taxonomy":"pagesettings","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poker.casino.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pagesettings?post=10151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}