Popular poker vlogger Ryan Depaulo took one down for the degens on Sunday night. He won “The Big 500,” in the WSOP Online Bracelet Series, a $500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event, for $159,563.
The Big 500 drew 2,407 entries (1,624 players), generating a $1,092,050 prize pool. Depaulo played the tournament on WSOP.com from inside his car outside a Whole Foods in New Jersey.
It took the vlogger nearly 12 hours to ship the bracelet. He wrapped the tourney up by defeating Jack Salter (“EarlGrey”), a poker pro with more than $8 million in live tournament cashes. Salter went home with $98,621 for second place. Sean Ruane (“FilthyDiaper”) was eliminated in third place, earning $72,410.
Shannon Shorr (“Aulophobia”), who also has more than $8 million in earnings, also reached the final table. He busted in seventh place, good for $22,826.
Overall, 371 players got paid — or 23% of the field.
ACR Pro Mushes the Competition
Although Depaulo has just two live WSOP cashes, this wasn’t his first deep run in a bracelet event. Last summer, the poker vlogger final tabled the $400 Colossus. He nearly won his first bracelet, but ran bad late and went out in third place for $208,643, his biggest score ever. Depaulo didn’t win as much cash Sunday — $159,563 — but he did claim a gold WSOP bracelet. Afterward, the self-proclaimed degenerate gambler couldn’t contain his excitement on Twitter.
Depaulo is an ambassador for Americas Cardroom. He plays on WSOP.com under the screen name “joeyisamush,” a playful jab at his pal, Joey, a regular contributor to his vlogs. The real “Joey the Mush” often appears in Depaulo’s videos donking away money in the casino or giving out bad sports betting advice.
Joey has helped make Depaulo one of the most popular poker vloggers over the past couple of years. His YouTube channel has more than 52,000 subscribers, a number that will likely grow significantly now that he’s a WSOP champion.
Depaulo’s vlogging niche is unique and differs from the likes of Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme. The most recent WSOP bracelet winner doesn’t focus much on hand analysis in his vlogs. Instead, his viewers have come to know him as the lovable degenerate gambler who stuffs $100 bills into video poker and slot machines as frequently as he plays poker.
In a Dec. 2018 video titled, “Double Double Bonus Poker PERFECT STRATEGY,” he showed off his ability to lose at video poker. Perhaps his most creative video was a rap parody he sung about accused poker cheater Mike Postle, a song he dubbed, “Crotch Theory Optimal,” a play on Postle’s alleged use of a device placed near his crotch that exposes his opponent’s hole cards.
The 2020 WSOP Online Bracelet Series on WSOP.com rolls on Monday at 3 pm PT with the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller.
