WSOP 2025: Shaun Deeb Claims Player of the Year Title Again, Kabrhel and Negreanu Make TOP 10

Shaun Deeb Wins POY for the Second Time, Matches Daniel Negreanu's Record
 

Shaun Deeb made poker history by earning the WSOP 2025 Player of the Year title with a final score of 4,194.1 points. This marked his second POY title, the first coming in 2018. He matched Daniel Negreanu's record (2004, 2013) as the only double POY winner in history.

In a highly competitive race for the prestigious title, Deeb narrowly edged out Britain's Benny Glaser, who won three bracelets, and the legendary Michael Mizrachi, who claimed victories in both the Main Event and $50K PPC.

Though Deeb secured "only" one bracelet, his consistent deep runs earned him the highest overall points total. The final stretch was incredibly tight—Deeb and Glaser were separated by just 40 points, less than a typical min-cash.

Looking at the final rankings, Czech fans have much to celebrate. Martin Kabrhel and Zdeněk Žíža both made it into the TOP 10, making the Czech Republic the only other country besides host USA with multiple players among the best. Martin Kabrhel even led the standings briefly after his victory in the Mini Main Event. Notably, Zdeněk Žíža defeated Shaun Deeb in the heads-up of the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event.

Is the System Fair?
 

This year's WSOP Player of the Year showdown reignited the debate about whether the system truly rewards the best players.

Benny Glaser's trio of bracelet wins is a rare feat in a single year. Michael Mizrachi put on possibly the greatest WSOP performance ever by winning the prestigious $50K Poker Players Championship and then the Main Event — a double triumph never achieved before. Yet, neither claimed the Player of the Year title.

Why? Because the WSOP POY point system favors consistent results across a broad array of events over "big wins." It ranks the top 10 results of players during the series (only one can be from online tournaments), and Deeb excelled here. Though he added just one bracelet to his accolades, he logged 10 scoring deep runs with high scores across various disciplines.

This approach has its merits — it recognizes versatility, volume, and steady performances. However, critics argue that winning three bracelets (like Glaser) or a double (like Mizrachi) should carry more weight.

Is it time to change the system? Perhaps by introducing bonuses for bracelets or giving more weight to "big titles"? WSOP itself will have to evaluate. On the other hand, Deeb has proven that the system works as intended, showing that the WSOP "marathon" rewards those who sustain peak performance over time.

Deeb's Top Results During WSOP 2025:
 

Source: WSOP, PokerNews