Contender Seizes Second WSOP Player of the Year Title: Shaun Deeb Prevails
Shaun Deeb Claims 2025 WSOP Player of the Year Title
Shaun Deeb has secured the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Player of the Year (POY) title, marking his second time winning the prestigious award. Deeb's victory comes after a consistent performance across multiple events, demonstrating versatility and endurance throughout the series.
In an interview with PokerOrg's Craig Tapscott, Deeb outlined his strategy for the series, focusing on accumulating deep runs and multiple cashes to maximize points across various poker disciplines and formats. This strategic approach paid off, as Deeb amassed enough points to win the POY race in a very close finish.
Deeb's success was not limited to high buy-in tournaments. He targeted a broad range of events, including the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, where he won his seventh bracelet. In addition, Deeb entered "grind mode" and picked up two more cashes in the remaining events.
One of Deeb's most notable performances was a runner-up finish in Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em. However, the consensus among sources is that Deeb's methodical accumulation of points through sustained success and multiple deep finishes defined his championship strategy.
While the 2025 WSOP was marked by Michael Mizrachi's historic double win (Main Event and Poker Players Championship), Deeb's steady results across the entire series ultimately earned him the POY title. This reflects a long-term, consistent approach rather than a single standout victory.
Despite Deeb's superior point tally, some in the poker community argued that Mizrachi's unprecedented summer was worthy of the Player of the Year title based on merit alone. Regardless, Deeb has joined Daniel Negreanu as the second player in WSOP history to win the Player of the Year award twice.
Benny Glaser, who has accrued a total of three bracelets in the 2025 WSOP, finished as the runner-up in the POY race. Martin Kabrhel, Michael Mizrachi, and Scott Bohlman finished within a few hundred points of the top spot, making for a highly competitive race.
As Deeb looks to the future, he emphasized the need to not only cash the events but also run as deep as possible to benefit from the top-heavy point structure. With his second POY title under his belt, Deeb continues to solidify his status as one of the most consistent and successful players in the world of poker.
Poker players across the casino-and-gambling community acknowledge Shaun Deeb's strategy as a perfect blend of persistence and skill, as he amassed points in various poker disciplines and formats, including casino-games like the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller. Having demonstrated versatility and endurance throughout the 2025 WSOP series, Deeb's success earned him a spot in the history books, joining Daniel Negreanu as a double WSOP Player of the Year title holder. Despite close competition from players like Benny Glaser, Martin Kabrhel, Michael Mizrachi, and Scott Bohlman, it was Deeb who emerged victorious, reflecting his commitment to consistent performances and deep runs in the poker community.
