Don’t bet against Shaun Deeb. You will more than likely lose.
When Deeb locks onto a goal, he’s like a pitbull with a new chew toy; few can match his tenacity or discipline to win at all costs.
This year, history is on the table. Deeb is chasing a record third World Series of Poker Player of the Year title and a second straight. Both achievements have never been done.
And if you’re looking for a sign he’s already suiting up for battle, look no further than last weekend’s WSOP Turning Stone series. Deeb captured his second WSOP Circuit ring in Event #6 ($400 Six-Max) for $34,195. The tune-up for the POY chase has begun.
PokerOrg caught up with Deeb during a short break from the WSOP-C event he would eventually win last Sunday.
New POY rules
Last summer, Deeb didn’t just register for every WSOP event willy-nilly; he studied the POY point system and set out on a quest to capture a second title.
The centerpiece of Deeb’s 2026 WSOP was his win in the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event for $2,957,229, pushing him past early leader Benny Glaser, who had already racked up three bracelets and was the odds-on pick for the title.
The WSOP has revamped its Player of the Year race, adding a $1M leaderboard prize pool for the top 100 finishers. The top three earn $100K Paradise packages, and the winner captures the coveted 2026 POY title.
Will Deeb commit to a more intense POY international grind to win in 2026? Turns out that's a stupid question for the perennial favorite. “I've been doing it for 10 years straight now,” says Deeb. “Why would it be any different just because I won last year?”
Deeb with his hard-won PLO High Roller bracelet.WSOP POY goes global
The 2026 POY is now global: April through December across Las Vegas, Europe, and The Bahamas. It’s no longer a summer sprint; it’s a global marathon. And Deeb is already dissecting its retooled format.
“I'm not a big fan of the changes the WSOP made. But I think they're trying hard, and I'm glad they're finally making some changes. I just don't think they're in the right direction.
“They aren't counting online scores, which I'm kind of against, but I get why people want that change. The 15 accrued scores are slightly better than 10. Counting Europe and the Bahamas is also better, but my problem is with the new formula. It's too rewarding for big fields and not rewarding enough for high buy-in small fields, which are very tough.
Someone who wins two big tournaments is going to win POY, Deeb says.
"Whoever wins the Main, if they have 15 scores, they're just going to win POY.”
Daniel Negreanu has not committed to playing in the WSOP Europe events in Prague as of yet.Volume vs. variance
The new POY point system leans heavily on field size; it’s a shift that rewards volume. Traditionally, that format has always been Deeb’s sweet spot.
“The WSOP POY is one of those accomplishments based on the field sizes, which could be one of those almost out of reach records.
“Daniel Negreanu, being older and having great success in the past, doesn't have the drive to put in the volume necessary to give himself the best POY equity."
Deeb says he probably has a good 10 years left of grinding that hard.
“Hopefully I win two or three more titles, and have a record that's untouchable.”
Still, Deeb sees a few flaws in what the WSOP has put together.
“I think Player of the Year should be much more about multiple scores. It really shouldn't be about who does the best in the biggest tournament and then does okay in everything else. That's kind of my flaw with this system.
“I know that they have agreements to make some changes. But when they actually see how many points the Main Event winner gets, and then how many points the Mystery Bounty $1K winner gets, they’ll realize the person who won the $100K bonus got about one-third the score of those two event winners. I think that's a little too big of a discrepancy.”
WSOP online events will not count toward the POY point totals this year.Online scores out, $1M in
Points earned from WSOP online events this year are now excluded from the POY race.
“That's one of the things that Daniel and Phil Hellmuth — not that they have any influence — feel strongly about. And many other players feel the exact same."
Most concerns surround the question of who is actually playing on the account, but that is less of an issue for Deeb, who would like to see them count.
“I think the people going for the POY are not going to be the shady, cheater types. They're not going to be multi-accounting or be ghosted. They're not going to be RTA-ing because they're usually playing a live tournament simultaneously, so it's a lot harder to cheat online when you're also playing live.”
There’s also a $100K WSOP Paradise package for the top three point earners, all part of a $1M prize pool.
“I don't think the chase for the money will affect people that much. It's great that the WSOP is putting a million dollars in. I appreciate that. But I think they could have done a lot better with the payout discrepancies. The top three finishers all paying the same $100K Paradise package is kind of crazy to me."
Deeb has a few suggestions of his own, being one of the best mixed-game players in the field.
“They could have done some different leaderboards if they wanted to put $1M up, which would have been awesome. I would have liked to see $250K go to mixed games, $150K to low-stakes, $100K to Omaha, and $500K to the overall winner. I think multiple leaderboards would have been better.
“I would like the WSOP to give something for those who are specialists at one game, let them feel like they have a shot at the bonuses, so they will show up and compete."
Shaun Deeb's 2018 POY Banner. Will he go back-to-back for a third title?Bottom line
It’s a new format, a longer run, and a different point system.
None of that changes the invariable. Shaun Deeb. He treats the POY race like a 1,001-piece jigsaw puzzle to solve each year, no matter what obstacles the WSOP throws at the players.
When all is said and done, will we see Deeb’s POY banner hoisted up to the rafters of the Paris Casino in 2026? A third POY title isn’t just hype when it comes to a player of Deeb’s talent. It’s genuinely realistic. Deeb's POY track record is second to none over the last 10 years.
Place your bets. The 2026 WSOP Player of the Year race launches March 31 at the WSOPE in Prague, and Deeb is exactly where he always is: top pick in the mix.
Additional image courtesy of Hayley Hochstetler.
