Triton Newcomer Wins The Main Event

Huang Wenjie, a Chinese poker player with just $80,000 in previously recorded live cashes, became the latest Triton Poker Series Main Event champion, pocketed a cool $5.5 million in the process.

The Mystery Man: Wenjie, a tech professional from Hangzhou, made his Triton Series debut with a bang but he’s no stranger to poker. 

He found success playing online and recorded a 3rd place finish in a $25K WSOP Online event in 2021 for $720,679 as well as a WSOP gold bracelet in a $10K online heads-up event last summer, earning him $366K.

Biggest Ever: Triton events are always massive, but this one was record-breaking - a $100K Main Event drew 285 entries. That’s not just staggering, it’s the largest six-figure buy-in field in poker history. Triton continues to raise the bar.

The Final Table: The final table was stacked with big names - Santosh Suvarna led the way, with Sam Greenwood close behind and eventual champion Huang Wenjie sitting third in chips. Notably, Dan “Jungleman” Cates was also in the mix.

Jungleman took an early lead as players busted, but Wenjie took control when it mattered most. He guaranteed his spot in a heads-up duel by eliminating Arthur Martirosian in third, flopping a set against the Russian’s top pair.

Heads Up: The heads-up showdown featured two players who’ve previously found success in the format. Wenjie started with a commanding chip lead, holding 88 big blinds to Jungleman’s 31.

The battle didn’t last long. On the first hand, Cates lost a 15 big blind pot when his A♥️K♣️ couldn’t hold against Wenjie’s 7♠️6♠️. A few preflop all-ins followed until the final hand: Jungleman limped the small blind with J♦️9♠️, Wenjie shoved with K♦️Q♣️, and Cates called. The board did not help Jungleman and just like that, it was all over.

Wenjie claimed his first Triton title, a Jacob & Co watch, and a massive $5.5 million payday. Jungleman walked away with a solid $3.528 million as the runner-up.

In The News

• First. Joao Vieira secured his first Triton title in the $150K buy-in event, earning him a career-best $4.61 million prize after defeating Aleksejs Ponakovs heads-up.

• 19. Ari Engel has retaken his lead in the WSOPC rings race claiming his 19th victory in the NLH Big $500 online event, besting a field of 86 for $10,141. 

• Million Dollar Game. Hustler Casino Live has revealed the first entrants for its Million Dollar Cash Game, set for April 28 - May 2. The lineup includes Alan Keating, Nick Airball, and HCL regulars Steven and Peter.

• Show. A new show debuts on PokerGO this week, hosted by Table 1 Podcast duo Art Parmann and Justin Young. The $100/$100 NLH cash game will feature fun twists like bomb pots, the “Wheel of Gamble” and other side games to amp up the action.

Is Poker On YouTube Under Threat?

What’s happening: YouTube is cracking down on gambling content, banning links, logos, and verbal mentions of “unapproved” betting sites, meaning - sites that fail to meet local legal standards or aren’t reviewed by Google. 

Why it matters: The policy shift could impact creators covering sports betting, casino games, and ultimately poker, too. 

It’s unclear if poker vlogs, live cash game streams, or strategy content will be affected. While content not promising winnings or linking to gaming sites might be safe, past incidents - like Hustler Casino Live’s temporary suspension and frequently deleted videos by poker vloggers  - suggest poker creators could be next in line.

Big picture: Poker growth in the last few years can be partly attributed to the growing popularity of YouTube vlogs and Twitch streams. With YouTube’s growing policy restrictions, poker content creators may need to rethink their approach towards promotion not just for personal gain, but also for the sustainability of the whole industry.