Nguyen received just over $182k for winning Event 24, $5k Omaha Eight-or-Better. It was his 19th WSOP final table and it pushed his career earnings to over $11.6 million.
“I’m disappointed but it’s not my time today baby. When it’s not your time you just have to think about the next one,” Nguyen told PokerListings.com after retrieving his $182,213 from the cage, in cash.
“It was Joe Cassidy’s time and I congratulate him,” said Nguyen.
“He played so good for three days and when you play good and you have luck behind you there’s nothing that can stop you baby,” he said.
Scotty Nguyen flew under the radar for most of the final table, taking frequent cigarette breaks and drinking his signature Michelob Ultra.
But despite not being the most active player among the final nine, Nguyen successfully navigated a final table that included some of the best in the game.
“That’s how people recognize what you’re made of. You have to play against the best players.” said Nguyen.
“People like Phil Ivey and Joe Cassidy motivate you. Poker is made for that,” he said.
Heads-Up Match Delayed 11 Hours
Originally scheduled to end Wednesday night, play was halted in this event when Phil Ivey was eliminated in second place at roughly 3am.
Nguyen returned on time for the 2pm start but Joe Cassidy was about 15 minutes late. Cassidy arrived to find Scotty an apologetic Nguyen waiting in the stands, sipping a Michelob light.
Nguyen apologized for quitting Cassidy the night before. Cassidy apologized for showing up late and the two sat down to decide a winner.
Beginning the heads-up match with an almost four-to-one chip deficit Nguyen lasted just a few levels before going broke in second.
Scotty Nguyen is one of the big brands in poker. Thanks to the film Rounders and more than two decades of live tournament poker results he’s got a permanent spot in poker’s young heritage.
Nguyen has won what are traditionally the two most prestigious events at the World Series of Poker: The Main Event and the $50k Players Championship.
And two of Nguyen’s five career WSOP bracelets were won in Omaha Eight-or-Better. He’s considered to be one of the best O-8 tournament players in the world, with the likes of “Miami” John Cernuto and Mike Matusow, who finished eighth at the final table today.
Here are the final table results from Event 24, $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better:
1. Joe Cassidy - $294,777 2. Scotty Nguyen - $182,213 3. Phil Ivey - $136,046 4. Meng La - $102,260 5. Gregory Jamison - $77,342 6. Elie Doft - $58,873 7. Bart Hanson - $45,084 8. Mike Matusow - $34,748 9. Ryan Lenaghan - $26,940
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