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Catching Up With Main Event Champ Greg Merson on the East Coast Road Trip

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
3 min read
Greg Merson

More than a decade after winning the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event for $8.5 million, Greg Merson is living a peaceful life in Hoboken, New Jersey.

The Maryland native, who famously won two bracelets in 2012 for a total haul of $9.7 million and to be named the WSOP Player of the Year, recently caught up with PokerNews' Jesse Fullen and Matt Hansen on their currently underway East Coast Road Trip.

From the drug addiction recovery that proceeded his incredible run to his current life in New Jersey, here's a look at the journey of the 2012 Main Event champion.

Merson's Incredible Run

Amazingly, Merson's Main Event victory in July 2012 was not his first seven-figure score that month. Just days earlier, Merson defeated heads-up opponent Keith Lehr in $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed for $1.1 million.

The 24-year-old went on to dominate a field of 6,598 runners and found himself at a stacked final table that included Jeremy Ausmus, Michael Esposito and eventual heads-up opponent Jesse Sylvia.

Greg Merson
Greg Merson in the 2012 Main Event

In the final hand of the tournament, Merson four-bet jammed with K?5? and was called by the Q?J? of Sylvia. The board bricked out and Merson's king-high stayed ahead to make him the 2012 Main Event champion and earn him his second bracelet of the series.

If that weren't enough, the victory also pushed Merson ahead of POY frontrunner Phil Hellmuth to earn him the title of Player of the Year.

Exactly a decade later, Norway's Espen Jorstad followed in Merson's footsteps by winning a maiden bracelet before going on to win the Main Event.

2012 Main Event Final Table Results

 PLACEPLAYERCOUNTRYPRIZE
 1Greg MersonUnited States$8,531,853
 2Jesse SylviaUnited States$5,295,149
 3Jake BalsigerUnited States$3,799,073
 4Russell ThomasUnited States$2,851,537
 5Jeremy AusmusUnited States$2,155,313
 6Andras KoroknaiHungary$1,640,902
 7Michael EspositoUnited States$1,258,040
 8Robert SalaburuUnited States$971,360
 9Steve GeeUnited States$754,798

More to Merson's Story

There's another reason Merson's incredible run in 2012 is notable. It occurred just months after the young poker player went sober following an ]earlier drug relapse when his career took a massive hit on Black Friday.

As PokerNews wrote in 2013, "By getting clean, Merson realized his outstanding potential in poker, something that motivated him to get clean, stay clean, and eventually reach ultimate poker greatness."

Greg Merson
Greg Merson

Merson stayed active on the felt throughout the rest of the decade and managed to land some big scores, including $948,996 from a runner-up finish in a 2014 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller. Two years later, Merson finished 13th in the same event for $88,020.

In more recent years, Merson has returned to his roots as an online grinder. In 2022, he finished third in a WSOP Online $5,300 High Roller Freezeout for $96,465.

All said and done, Merson sits second on Maryland's all-time money list with $11.5 million, on the tail of Anthony Gregg ($12 million) and comfortably in front of Christian Harder ($5 million).

Greg Merson's Top 5 Cashes Since WSOP Main Event Win

 DATEBUY-INEVENTPLACEPRIZE
 January 2014$25,000PokerStars Caribbean Adventure No Limit Hold'em High Roller2nd$948,996
 May 2015$5,000WSOP Event #2: No Limit Hold'em4th$152,126
 June 2022$5,300WSOP Online High Roller Freezeout3rd$96,465
 January 2016$25,000PokerStars Caribbean Adventure No Limit Hold'em - High Roller13th$88,020
 June 2015$10,000WSOP Event #15: Pot Limit Hold'em Championship5th$79,182

Settling Down In New Jersey

Though not super active on the live felt, Merson does play a handful of live events, including some at the 2022 WSOP. Additionally, Merson continues to grind online from his home in New Jersey.

The 2012 Main Event champion was kind enough to let PokerNews know that he will be attending the 2023 WSOP this summer, and we'll be sure to catch up with the champ in Las Vegas.

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

Connor Richards is an Editor & Live Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for two Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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