LA high-stakes home game players: When you see your favorite former NBA player, comedian, or actor at a mansion game run by a shady-looking dude you’ve never seen before, run. At best the celebrities, too, are being duped. At worst, they’re in on it.

"The game can be lonely at times, so having people that are by your side through the wins and the losses, it keeps you motivated, it keeps you hungry." @Justin_Saliba talks about what this victory means to him. 🏆

I’ve stayed quiet through most of the Player of the Year chatter — but after @phil_hellmuth video, it’s time to respond. There’s been too much misinformation floating around, so let’s set the record straight. First off: I had zero involvement in the WSOP changing the POY formula. The shift from counting unlimited cashes to capping at 10 wasn’t my call — and it hurt me more than it helped. Phil himself admitted that. I play more events at the WSOP than almost anyone, year after year. The old system favored players like me who put in massive volume. The new cap flattened the field — and I still came out on top. Phil also claimed that “no pros believe the right player won POY.” That’s just false. I’ve had overwhelming support from players who understand the structure and saw the grind firsthand. So here are the facts: - 5 final tables - 3 runner-up finishes, a third-place, and a bracelet — my 7th That’s not hype. That’s consistency, depth, and performance. That’s a POY résumé. Mizrachi had a phenomenal summer — Main Event run, his fourth PPC title, Hall of Fame nod. Legendary stuff. Benny Glaser crushed too — 3 bracelets. No question. But POY isn’t about highlight reels. It’s a points-based system. It rewards steady results across the entire series — not popularity, not narrative. And by that measure, I earned it. Is the system perfect? No. It still needs work. I’d gladly help improve it — even if it means lowering my future chances. But make no mistake: I didn’t create the formula, and I didn’t benefit unfairly from it. I’ve been chasing this for years. Every summer, same mindset: show up, play everything, let the score take care of itself. I didn’t win POY in a vacuum. I earned it — one table, one day, one hand at a time. POY shouldn’t hinge on who generated the biggest moment. It’s about the full body of work. And this year, that work spoke for itself. Never thought I’d be backed up by @RealKidPoker while getting blindsided by Phil Hellmuth — but here we are. Some people evolve. Others just keep rewriting history to stay the hero of their own story. Props to Mizrachi. Props to Benny. And to Phil? Congrats — on spreading false info, trying to hijack Mizrachi’s Hall of Fame spotlight (shoutout Jared Bleznick it was his suggestion first), and once again proving that volume doesn’t equal accuracy. Tweet written with the help of Wifegpt @crashleydeeb the 12 time wife of the year