Shawn Daniels Wins The $777 Lucky 7’s Event At The WSOP

On July 11, Shawn Daniels emerged as the champion of the $777 buy-in Lucky 7’s no-limit hold’em event at the World Series of Poker, held on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. Hailing from Placerville, California, Daniels secured the grand prize of $777,777, pushing his total career earnings beyond $2.5 million. Following his momentous victory, Daniels was joined by a boisterous crowd of family and friends, who celebrated alongside him. With this triumph, Daniels not only added his first gold bracelet to his collection but also boasted two WSOP Circuit gold rings.

Reflecting on his win, Daniels expressed a mixture of emotions, including tears. He candidly shared with reporters, “I recently lost my fiancé, so it’s been a tough summer. I just wish she was here to celebrate it also. But it is what it is, it’s nice to get it done.” He further acknowledged his enjoyment of the game and his belief that he played exceptionally well, describing the experience as surreal.

Spanning five days, the tournament featured three starting flights, attracting a total of 7,323 participants and generating a prize pool of $4,991,448. As the bubble burst, the top 1,043 players all received a minimum cash prize of $2,724. By the start of Day 2, only 317 contenders remained, and after the second day of play, that number dwindled to the final five. Notable players who made notable runs included Bin Weng (14th), Jerry Yang (19th), TK Miles (40th), Aaron Mermelstein (83rd), and Chad Eveslage (100th).

When the final day of play commenced, Daniels found himself in the middle of the chip standings. However, he swiftly gained momentum by doubling up in a pivotal hand. As three-handed play unfolded, Daniels soared into the chip lead and ultimately eliminated Istvan Briski in third place, securing a commanding 2:1 chip advantage heading into the ultimate showdown against Julien Montois.

Throughout the final match, Daniels maintained his chip lead without relinquishing it to his opponent. The chips only found their way to the center of the table once between the last two players. With the board showing Q♥ J♠ 8♦ 4♦ 4♥, Montois committed all his chips, prompting Daniels to take a moment before making the call. Montois revealed a failed straight draw with 10♣ 3♠, while Daniels skillfully detected the bluff on the river, holding K♥ Q♠. Montois was eliminated, securing second place and a career-best cash prize of $400,777.

Event #77: $777 Lucky 7’s Final Table Results