Eric Afriat fell short of becoming the second player to win four WPT titles as Shawn Daniels walked away as the WPT Rolling Thunder champion.
After a wild 80-hand heads-up battle, Daniels put his name on the Mike Sexton Cup, defeating Harvey Castro ($193,600) for his second-largest career cash.
Afriat (3rd, $122,000) finished ahead of fellow final-tablists Paul Richardson (4th, $91,000), David Ha (5th, $69,000), and Benjamin Primus (6th, $53,000). However, Afriat will be disheartened after finishing in the final three for the third time since he won his third WPT title back in 2020.
Daniels now adds to the prestigious group of players that have won both a WPT title and a WSOP bracelet, with Daniels winning the $777 Lucky 7’s title in 2023 for $777,777.
“Having both is really special,” Daniels told Poker.Org.
“When we all start poker, both of them are kind of pipe dreams that we have, like, ‘I’d love to win a WPT. I’d love to win a bracelet.’ It’s what we all watched when we first got into it.
“So being able to capitalize on those opportunities is just really special. The feeling’s indescribable. It’s nice to put my name among some of these legends who have done it before me.”
With one WSOP bracelet, three WSOP Circuit rings, and a WPT title, Daniels certainly has a dream poker resume.
However, Daniels found this title to be extremely special as he was able to do it at his home casino in front of family and friends.
“Winning it at Thunder Valley makes it 10 times more special,” said Daniels. “My mom came down to watch today. It’s the first time she’s ever gotten to see me play poker.
“She unfortunately wasn’t able to make it to Vegas when I won the [WSOP] bracelet. To win in the hometown casino, in front of the friends, and family, definitely makes it way more special.”
Daniels has displayed his vast knowledge of poker tournament strategy many times in the past, often competing in five-figure buy-ins. You’ll almost certainly see him playing a deep 2025 WSOP schedule.