Final month, John Wasnock arrived in Las Vegas for the PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Major Occasion and bagged up a prime 10 stack on the primary beginning flight the following day.
He had some free time earlier than returning for Day 2 on Saturday. However as an alternative of going to a present, a nice restaurant, or taking within the brilliant lights of the Las Vegas Strip, he did what’s acquainted to him: he performed extra poker.
And now, that call has introduced him all the best way to the Bahamas for the WSOP Paradise competition.
A Day Off Effectively Spent
Wasnock used his break day to leap right into a World Sequence of Poker Circuit occasion on WSOP.com, the primary time he had ever performed on the shopper. He made probably the most of his alternative, defeating a discipline of 559 gamers within the $215 occasion to win $21,130 and his first circuit ring.
“I had a time off on Friday, and I used to be simply in my room, and I used to be wanting round to see if there have been any kind of one-day tournaments stay,” he stated. “I didn’t actually discover something that me. I stay in Washington, the place I can’t actually play on-line a lot. Simply began to go searching and suppose, possibly there’s a WSOP bracelet occasion or a circuit occasion that I can play on the WSOP app.”
“So within the afternoon, I downloaded the app and seemed. There wasn’t a bracelet occasion however right here was a circuit occasion beginning round 4. I made a deposit for the primary time, jumped into the occasion simply because it was beginning. Eight hours later, I ended up taking first. I ended up profitable my first-ever WSOP on-line event that I’ve ever performed.”
The trail to the title wasn’t all easy crusing for the 50-year-old. He recollects being extraordinarily short-stacked within the later levels of the event and entered the ultimate desk on the backside of the chip counts.
“I bear in mind I acquired right down to 2.6 large blinds when there have been 27 folks left. Simply acquired a few fortunate doubles to remain alive. I acquired right down to the ultimate desk and I used to be the shortest stack with 9 or 10 gamers left,” he stated. Whereas he admits the ultimate desk is a blur wanting again a number of days later, he does bear in mind profitable with pocket fours in opposition to pocket threes on the ultimate hand.
The Run of a Lifetime
The win got here 4 months after the little-known funding marketing consultant from the Seattle space went on a run of a lifetime, taking second place within the 2025 WSOP Major Occasion for $6 million. His runner-up end to Michael Mizrachi modified Wasnock’s life. He stop his job, acquired to spend extra time together with his 4 kids, journey extra, and, in fact, additional bask in his ardour.
“Because the Major, I subsequently retired. I at all times wished to journey round and play extra poker. Earlier than, I used to be solely capable of journey possibly a few times a 12 months to WSOP occasions, one thing like that,” he stated. “I have been attempting to journey round a bit. Did a few circuit occasions, a few WPT occasions. Right here in Las Vegas, I performed the Venetian Traditional and a few Poker Masters, that kind of factor. So I’ve been fairly energetic and enjoying. However, yeah, I’ve been eager to form of validate my run as not only a one-hit marvel. I’ve been pretty profitable with some pretty deep runs within the journey I’ve completed since.”
Wasnock has had some success on the poker circuit over the previous couple of months. He ended up ending in forty ninth place within the NAPT Major Occasion, and in addition completed thirtieth within the WSOP Circuit occasion in Cherokee, North Carolina. Heading right down to Texas, he was thirty eighth within the WPT Prime Lodge Championship, and cashed in a $3,300 No-Restrict Maintain’em occasion on the PGT Venetian Traditional. Not is he the nameless participant with the Seattle Mariners baseball cap, simply one among hundreds chasing a poker dream. He acquired to stay it, and Wasnock has loved the superstar his Major Occasion run has given him.
“I acquired to do what all people who performs poker needs to do of their careers”
“It’s simply been a life changer. I used to be capable of retire. Spend extra time with my children, spend extra time touring to play poker. It’s been very surreal coming again into poker rooms, as a result of now I’m acknowledged. There’s been so many individuals, strangers and those that I used to play with quite a bit, which have come as much as me to congratulate me. It’s been bizarre,” he stated.
“I’ve in all probability taken a pair hundred selfies with folks, which simply boggles my thoughts. I’ve by no means been in in the slightest degree well-known earlier than. However it’s been a number of enjoyable. I’ve had a number of enjoyable with it, simply speaking to folks in regards to the expertise. I acquired to do what all people who performs poker needs to do of their careers. So I’ve form of embraced that and had enjoyable chatting with folks about it.”
Wasnock doesn’t know the way lengthy this journey will final. Whereas he’s not dedicated to enjoying poker full-time as a occupation simply but, he’s been attempting to benefit from his alternative whereas additionally juggling his household life again house in Washington.
“I don’t know how you can describe it. I’m not working and touring to play poker as a lot as I would like. Making an attempt to stability that with nonetheless elevating 4 children and having a household at house. However I’ve been gone greater than I’ve been house for the previous three months. I anticipate that, sure, I wish to proceed to play extra poker. Choosing and selecting the place I wish to play. I’ve acquired a number of poker journeys developing,” he stated.
Wasnock in Paradise
His subsequent cease has introduced him to the WSOP Paradise within the Bahamas in December. His circuit win earned him a bundle to the collection, however Wasnock says he was already planning to attend and play the $25,000 Tremendous Major Occasion.
Wasnock didn’t return house this summer season with the Major Occasion bracelet, however he did take again hundreds of thousands of {dollars} and the chance to do one thing for the individuals who imply probably the most to him. “I requested my children what they wished. I gave them every the chance, ask me for one thing you wouldn’t usually ask for,” he stated. “I’ve been on a few journeys with the household, took them to Hawaii for 10 days. We’ve acquired a cruise deliberate for Christmas break in December. For myself, I instructed folks I wish to do issues, not purchase issues, however I did splurge and purchased myself a custom-painted Mariners golf cart.”
Only a few months in the past, Wasnock toiled in obscurity within the poker world, the sport merely a part-time pastime. Then got here a run most individuals can solely dream of. However the actual enjoyable has come afterward, as Wasnock has been given the liberty to pursue his ardour simply as he at all times wished. His new ring proves it wasn’t only a fluke, that he’s not only a “one-hit marvel.” Wasnock is right here to remain and having fun with each second of it.
