Throughout the entire 17 years that the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino has hosted the World Series of Poker (WSOP), Daniel Negreanu, one of the best poker players in the world has only been able to win one bracelet. That’s right, just one, and it came in 2008 when he won in a $2,000 limit-hold’em event. He has been on the hunt for another bracelet for the past eight years or so but has met with little success.
In the festival’s final year at the Rio, the GGPoker ambassador has once again failed in his quest for a seventh bracelet but that’s not to say he hasn’t performed well. The 47-year-old has always been among the top performers at the series each year. He has made it to multiple final tables and won millions by cashing in numerous events, though a seventh bracelet has remained out of reach.
Rio Performance
Negreanu’s only WSOP victory at the Rio happened in 2008 when he took down a $2,000 buy-in limit hold’em tournament. Since then, he hasn’t won any WSOP event at the Las Vegas casino.
On two occasions, he came close to winning one, and both of them took place in 2019. He faced John Hennigan in a marathon heads-up match in the $10,000 seven-card stud but ended up in second place. The same thing happened when he battled it out with Keith Tilston in the $100,000 High Roller.
This year, Negreanu finished 3rd place in two events – Event #84: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha which was ultimately won by Jeremy Ausmus, and Event #85: $50,000 High Roller which was taken down by Mikita Badziakouski.
Despite winning only one bracelet at the Rio, Negreanu has scored 26 final tables at the Las Vegas property since 2005, an outstanding record for any player. He won Player of the Year in 2013 and was initially declared POY winner in 2019, however it was later discovered that the points had been miscalculated and in the end, it was Robert Campbell who emerged as the official winner.
Negreanu has remained among the top contenders for the coveted title every year, including 2021. He is in 3rd place in the current POY rankings with 3,531.03 points. The title was won this year by American poker pro Josh Arieh.
Negreanu’s Bracelet Record
Negreanu owns a total of six bracelets. The first came in 1998 when he won in a $2,000 pot-limit hold’em event, also his first tournament cash. The WSOP was held at Binion’s on Fremont Street back then. His 1998 victory made him the youngest WSOP bracelet winner in history. He held that record until 2004.
He won his second bracelet in 2003 after winning a $2,000 S.H.O.E. event and then won another one a year later this time via a $2,000 Limit Hold’em tournament. He won a similar event at the Rio in 2008.
His last two bracelets came in 2013, at the WSOP Asia Pacific ($10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event), and WSOP Europe (€25,600 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em.
Negreanu’s WSOP record also includes dozens of final table appearances and over 200 money finishes, translating to more than $21 million in earnings. This year alone, he made the money in 18 tournaments.
Despite not winning any bracelet over the past eight years, Negreanu’s WSOP record is still among the best, and he will always be considered one of the poker greats.
With the WSOP moving to a new location next year, bigger things could be coming for Negreanu, including a seventh bracelet. The Canadian pro said an element of luck is involved in poker and he hopes his luck changes with the move to Bally’s.
