Josh Arieh is Living His Best Life in Las Vegas

From running PokerStake to bagging cashes in WSOP events himself, the six-time WSOP bracelet winner Josh Arieh has been all over Las Vegas a week into the biggest festival in poker. We caught up with one of our staked players in this year’s WSOP to get the gossip.

Christmas for Poker Players

“It’s especially rewarding when one of the sellers hit a big score.”

The WSOP is the most exciting time of year for poker players of all levels, from the elite professional such as Josh to the amateur heading to Las Vegas for their first trip. Organizing all the staking on PokerStake certainly ‘raises the stakes’… but is it worth it?

“It’s definitely more stressful, but I enjoy the stress to a degree,” says Josh. “It’s especially rewarding when one of the sellers hit a big score and I get to see their happiness and excitement first hand. It reminds me of why we love this silly life!”

⁠Winning bracelets is important to Josh, sat as he is on six of them, just one behind legends like Daniel Negreanu, Scott Seiver, Billy Baxter and John Hennigan… oh, and his good friend and fellow ‘Team Lucky’ member, Shaun Deeb. As Josh explains, hunting bracelets and boosting the bank balance go hand in hand as goals.

“I’m at a stage of my life where I’m just trying to be the best version of myself in all aspects of my life,” he declares. “Whether it’s being a dad, a husband, a friend, or a poker player.  Some decisions I make on the fly, but I tend to lean towards trying to win bracelets over money ladders.”

Staking A Claim

“Take small gambles on big player fields for a huge pay day.”

Staking players on PokerStake has gotten easier and easier for investors such as ourselves at Tight Poker. Josh has three tips for anyone looking to join the site and put their money down on their chosen poker legend.

“Firstly, don’t be afraid of a little markup paid to a truly great player.” He tells us. “Second, take small gambles on big player fields for a huge pay day and finally, ⁠⁠⁠keep it fun and follow along on the new WSOP+ app!”

Over the course of the WSOP, Josh has staked players in the past, but as he explains to us, he’s taking a different course of action for the 2025 WSOP.

“I’ve stopped buying pieces.” He says. “It seems as if everyone that is selling a piece comes to me with buying opportunities, so I just made a rule that I won’t be buying any pieces this summer.”

The Vegas Life

Originating from Atlanta, Georgia, Josh and his wife Rachel moved from ‘The Empire State of the South’ to Las Vegas earlier this year. Before moving, he joked that he’d be stopping by the Negreanu’s house for a free lunch… so should Kid Poker get the kettle on?

“Yup, we moved here.  I’m trying to get Daniel and Amanda to adopt me, then I can retire and live on the golf course and the lake every day!”

⁠The ‘Vegas Vibe’ that co-exists between Sin City players such as Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu and so many others is a culture all of itself and at the heart of what makes poker such a fun mindsport to follow on social media and via reporting channels. The man known as ‘Golfer Josh’ has often been the man to throw in metaphorical grenade from several state lines away. Now, he’s in the blast zone himself.

“I’m really looking forward to having a big friend base that lives the same lifestyle as me,” Josh says. “I will always have my great lifelong friends back in Atlanta, but we didn’t really get to see each other much because of family and life responsibilities. Living here [in Vegas] will be great; I feel like I’ll see my Atlanta friends even more when they come to Vegas!”

A Year in Paradise

“I’ve never felt more supported than I do now.”

It’s been a year since Josh got married to the love of his life in Rachel. So has married life changed him for the better, or worse?

“Being married to Rachel is truly a dream come true,” he smiles. “It’s an amazing feeling getting to be my full authentic self 24 hours a day with her. I’ve never felt more supported than I do now and getting to be with her all the time is truly what married life is supposed to be like!”

OK, we confess, we knew the answer to that already. I mean, the Ariehs showed off their dance moves when they arrived in Vegas earlier this month. In fact, we love these guys so much we think at least one of them should become a reality TV star. After all, Josh killed it on the hit GGPoker and Poker After Dark ‘poker reality’ show Game of Gold. Josh’s friendship with the ‘King of Survivor’ Boston Rob Mariano helps, too.

“Competing on any stage is what I love to do,” says Josh cryptically. “The higher the pressure, the better. I would absolutely love to get another go around in some reality TV competition.  I literally have the G.O.A.T. of reality TV as one of my closest friends in Rob… I might as well use him for something!”

With that, it’s back into another Day 2, where those famous poker skills and the almost as famous PokerStake hoodie are back at the felt. Another bracelet win this summer? We’ve literally signed up for it!