October 30-November 2
WSOP Circuit rings won by Scott Stewart
- 1STScott Stewart$125,279
- 2NDTyler Parker$85,336
- 3RDHarshvardhan Baghel$59,251
- 4THAri Engel$41,941
- 5THVishnu Chada$30,278
- 6THJames Czarnecki$22,301
- 7THBradley Slama$16,765
- 8THJason Mitchell$12,870
- 9THKyle Grosshanten$10,093
This is a Main Event tale not about key hands, big pots, or big decisions, though it does have one. Only there’s so much more to it than just the chips and cards.
There’s a bottle of whiskey. And Budweisers. And friends. And memories.
Scott Stewart won the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Lake Tahoe on Monday for his 9th WSOP Circuit ring, joining a long list of great champions here, including his best friend, Jarod Minghini, the 2022 champion, who was there with him today to celebrate his triumph, as Stewart was for him that year in maybe the most emotional win in Circuit history.
Jarod Minghini this week at WSOPC Lake TahoeFor Bob
When Minghini won his Main Event here in 2022, he did it just a couple of weeks after the passing of his brother, Bobby Minghini.
Jarod dedicated the tournament to his late brother, calling his shot on Day 1, telling everyone, including this reporter, who was incredibly fortunate to witness it for himself, that he was going to win it for Bob. Minghini did just that in an incredible performance, obliterating everyone in his path, capped by a final table that included Stewart, in under two hours.
On Monday, Minghini was right there for Stewart’s Main Event win in the very same room.
“I’ve only final tabled this tournament twice,” said Stewart. “Once when he won, I got sixth place. His brother had passed, and I was with him. We’re going to be brothers forever because of that.”
“He wasn’t just with me; he was WITH me,” explained Minghini as he celebrated with Stewart.
“He was there that night when we found out. Ever since then, he’s been one of my best friends in the world. We’ve been brothers ever since. Bobby loved this guy. Two weeks later, I won the Main Event. I told everyone I was going to win the Main Event. Stu was there; I told him I was going to win, and I busted him.”
Stewart and Minghini can be found together at almost any western WSOP Circuit stop.
Blanton’s and Budweisers
On Monday, as Stewart was heads up, Minghini was there for him. Not in the same way as 2022, but with Bobby definitely on both their minds, especially as the hand of the tournament took place.
Stewart was facing an all-in bet on the river from runner-up Tyler Parker in a 13 million chip pot with a decision for his tournament life.
The board read 
. Stewart had rivered a full house, holding 
.
First, here are Stewart's thoughts on the strategy of the hand.
“It’s tough to bet three streets on that (board). Him betting there, saying he has an overpair, I didn’t believe him. I’m in one of those situations, but I wasn't 100% sure until the river. Okay, maybe a Budweiser came, and I was drinking a Blanton’s, but I think I just saw something in him that made me want to call more. Yes, the Blanton’s helped me a little bit, but I think I still had a good feel for the hand.”
A little extra meaningful liquid courage helped Stewart make his biggest call of the tournamentStewart said while making his decision in the hand, “Let’s see if the whiskey speaks to me one more time.” He then correctly called, to take a massive lead that he wouldn’t relinquish.
But there was much more behind those beverages, as Minghini explained.
“I remember when I got heads up (in 2022), I put a bottle of Blanton’s on the table. (Today) I was off to the side, and he was heads up, and I was like, ‘ohmigod, I gotta get a bottle of Blanton’s.’ I went and got a bottle of Blanton’s, put it on the table, and got him some Budweisers.”
Stewart explained the further significance of the moment.
“It should be said that in that hand, when I was in that moment thinking with Ace-Nine, the bottle of Blanton’s and the Budweisers showed up. Budweiser was his brother’s favorite beer; that’s how we bonded. We’ve got the ‘B’ on the Blanton’s for Bob, and I think he had a little bit to do with today, absolutely.”
Team Tahoe
When the final card was dealt, Stewart was mobbed by Minghini and their many friends, some of whom were there for Minghini’s win as well.
It’s a tight-knit group that has been there for many of their big moments, from Stewart’s WPT Championship win in 2024 to Minghini’s run to the WSOP Main Event final table in 2025, to an air hockey tournament in the Caesars Republic arcade on Sunday night.
It’s a crew that Stewart says he couldn’t do what he’s done without.
“I think I’ve said it before, but I have the best friends in the world. The people around me are the reason I succeed. There’s just something about being more comfortable and having fun and playing like that with less stress. It brings out the best in me, and I really can’t beat that situation.”
Scott Stewart and his legendary crew of friends.But wait, what did the whiskey actually say?
Oh yeah, remember how Stewart consulted that bottle of Blanton’s before making his tournament-defining call?
Well, it gave him some pretty good advice.
“Call and then go on to win the tournament.”
And he did. For Bob.
