What kind of WSOP would it be if it wasn't full of different stories or unexpected twists. To make sure that there is not enough to do right during the event, we have one interesting thing for you after the end of the whole festival.
If you've been following the action in Las Vegas over the past two months, you certainly haven't missed the race for the WSOP Player of the Year title. Everyone assumed Shaun Deeb would take the win this year. It didn't happen!
Generally, this title is won by players who are established, play high-stakes and are specialists in various poker formats. Last years, for example, well-known names such as Daniel Negreanu (2x), Josh Arieh, Chris Ferguson, Dan Zack, Shaun Deeb and Jason Mercier won this title.
This year, the unknown American player Ian Matakis became the winner, with a considerable margin. At this year's WSOP, he cashed 22 times (14x live, 8x online), won a total of $881,052 and also won one gold bracelet. He won it at the beginning of the entire festival in the $500 Bankroll Builder Online tournament, in which he credited $120,686 to his account.
In the case of Matakis, the fact that he was able to win the title despite playing only NLH and PLO tournaments is also noteworthy. As WSOP POY, he received a seat to next year's WSOP Main Event, a trophy and a poster with his photo in Paris/Horseshoe.
Shaun Deeb, who chases the Player of the Year title every year and cares about this award, had to settle for second place in the end. However, with this name, it should be mentioned that Shaun is considered by many to be the player of the decade.
Do you think Shaun Deeb is the player of the decade? Let us know in the comments.
Source: WSOP, Pokerstrategy, Pokernews, Twitter