"One of My Biggest Dreams": Reigning POY Bin Weng Reflects on WPT SHRPS Victory
Bin Weng's breakout year in 2023 is matched only by a select few runs in tournament poker history, such as Daniel Coleman's eight-figure steamrolling in 2014 or Michael Addamo's more recent high-roller tear through 2021.
Unlike the sunrunners who came before him, Weng has shown no signs of stepping back from live poker. A quarter into the new year, Weng has already racked up nearly two dozen Hendon Mob cashes — including a second Circuit ring victory in Pompano Beach — though none of them have quite lived up to Weng's standards.
"Not really (any notable results) this year so far," Weng laughed. "But hey, I’m trying.”
The Pennsylvanian's incredible 2023, which saw him winning the WPT and GPI Player of the Year awards, was highlighted by a victory in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship for $1,128,250. One year later, Weng is ready to defend his title.
Red Hot Bin Weng Wins WPT SHR Poker Showdown
Accomplishing His Biggest Poker Dream
From the moment he sat down at the final table of the 2023 WPT SHRPS Championship with the chip lead, Weng had his eyes on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. It was four months after Weng secured a career-best score of an even $1 million at Borgata, and he was eager to surpass it.
“I remember I was so, so, so emotional when the last hand played out," Weng told PokerNews. "When I knew I was winning the event. Because winning a WPT Main Event is one of my biggest dreams that made me decide to start playing poker. So it meant a lot to me. I was very emotional, very happy, can’t even believe that I (won) that last year."
2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bin Weng | $1,128,250 |
| 2 | Sridhar Sangannagari | $745,000 |
| 3 | Mitch Garshofsky | $550,000 |
| 4 | David Mzareulov | $413,000 |
| 5 | Jack Thu | $312,000 |
| 6 | Rafael Farah | $238,000 |
Incredibly, it wasn't the only WPT final table that week where Weng held the chip lead. He also led the final six in the WPT Choctaw Main Event, which played out the next day in the same HyperX ESports Arena in Las Vegas.
Weng wound up finishing fourth for $143,000 as a different player, Jared Jaffee, won his second WPT title. But Weng was just getting started.
In July 2023, Weng won the $10,000 WPT EveryOne for One Drop at Wynn Las Vegas for $2.2 million. Five months down the road, he took down the $25,000 WPT World Championship High Roller in the same venue for $958,279 as he secured both WPT and GPI POY titles.
"I feel very grateful and try to play my best," Weng said when asked about his breakout year. "We all know that poker is not an easy, normal job. There’s a lot of variance and stuff, a lot of unexpected things and emotions. And luckily, I got to win several big events last year. I mean, I cannot forget how good I ran at the final table, especially in a lot of big spots. I know I was so lucky. I know that one thing.”
Another SHRPS Title in Store?
Is it any wonder that three out of four of Weng's biggest career scores were earned on the World Poker Tour? When he spoke with PokerNews on Day 1a, he said these are his favorite events to play.
“I always have a good experience with the WPT Main Event tour. Their 60 and 90-minute structure is my favorite since the beginning, since I started playing poker tournaments. One of my favorites. So I feel really comfortable and very happy to be here, for sure.”
That comfortability helped Weng navigate the Day 1a field, and may have assisted him when he correctly called down an opponent with ace-high before catching up with PokerNews on break.
Weng bagged a stack of 123,000 on Day 1a and will return for Day 2 on Sunday, April 21. Only time will tell if he will do the unthinkable by winning back-to-back SHRPS Championship titles.
*Images courtesy Joe Giron & WPT
In this Series
- 1 The Un-Tiltable Ray Cochrane is Ready for WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
- 2 Day 1a of WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Brings Out the Heavy Hitters
- 3 "One of My Biggest Dreams": Reigning POY Bin Weng Reflects on WPT SHRPS Victory
- 4 WPT SHRPS Nearly Doubles $3M Guarantee During Final Starting Flight
- 5 "Dirty Diaper" Comes Back to Haunt Rigby as Opponents Play it Back at WPT SHRPS
- 6 Bubble Bursts on Day 2 of WPT SHRPS as 101 Players Advance; Josh Reichard Leads
- 7 Josh Reichard Leads Final 16 in WPT SHRPS; Lonis, Linde & Tice in Contention
- 8 Young Guns Headline Final Six in WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship
- 9 Larry Frank Charity Event Brings CSOP to Florida During WPT SHRPS
- 10 5 Big Hands From WPT SHRPS Championship — Kings Crack Aces in Million Chip Pot
