Hastings booked huge side bets at the beginning of the summer, totaling in the low to mid six figures, and according to Hastings he's cleaned up.
“I bet a lot on myself and it's worked out very well. There were a lot of people willing to take action. Sometimes I had to lay odds, some people booked me even and some people even laid me odds.
“But it looks like I'm going to pretty much sweep.
“With the Main Event cash I have 103 fantasy points locked up already. Two bracelets so far this summer and I had side action on those events too.
“I've had summer-long side action, individual event side action, so overall yes, it's been a very good summer.”
Hastings said he came into the summer in a great place thanks to his now seven-month relationship with girlfriend Sonya. He also said that no matter where he finished in the Main Event, he'll be able to look back and know he played his best.
In the end Hastings busted in 49th place thanks to getting all-in preflop with pocket kings against pocket aces. He pocketed $137,300.
Players Refusing Swaps “In the Back of My Mind While I Play”
As Hastings went deeper and deeper in the Main event, David “Doc” Sands tweeted that he “personally spoke to seven people who turned down swapping action with Hastings in the Main Event.
Swapping action refers to two players trading a percentage of their equity in a given tournament.
Hastings explained that there are different reasons for people turning him down but that a few definitely did it because they thought they were just better players.
"No one cross-booked against me directly [in the Main Event],” said Hastings.
“There was none of that but some people did turn down swaps with me. I was selective in who I even asked to swap with in the first place but obviously who I asked and turned down are very good players themselves.
“But there are some people who just thought, 'Do I want to swap with Hastings? No, I'm a better player and I can't do that.' I think I'm trying to prove them wrong and it's in the back of my mind whenever I'm playing.”
No Comment from Hastings on Online Controversy
Running alongside Hastings' WSOP heater is a controversy that came to light in a thread on poker forum Two Plus Two.
The thread has over 470,000 views and implicates Hastings in using an account that doesn't belong to him and playing on PokerStars while physically located in the US.
We asked Hastings if he thought getting turned down for Main Event swaps could be personal and have something to do with the controversy.
“Absolutely not,” said Hastings.
We also asked him if he had anything more to say about the allegations.
“I think I've said what I want to say on that topic,” Hastings responded.
Watch the Full Interview with Brian Hastings
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