Getty Image / Ethan Miller
For a few weeks (months?) it looked like the 2020 World Series of Poker would be canceled due to the global health crisis but the WSOP was saved by online poker. This came with plenty of its own hurdles. In order to compete online in 2020 World Series Of Poker events you’d need to be located in states where online poker is legal (New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware).
New Yorker Ryan Depaulo just won his first WSOP bracelet after taking down the ‘$500 WSOPdotcom The BIG 500 No-Limit Hold’em’ event. By winning the $500 buy-in tournament, he won $159,563 for first place and got his first bracelet. He did this all by driving across the river to New Jersey and playing the tournament inside his car while parked at Whole Foods parking lot.
He tweeted throughout the event from his car, giving us some insight into the misery of competing in a WSOP event while parked inside of your car at a Whole Foods during a pandemic.
I have plenty of friends who have taken the PATH across the river to place online bets but I’ve never heard of a dude crossing the river to compete in a World Series of Poker Online event until now. Here are is tweets throughout the event. He’s actually played several events dating back a few days. Here’s how it all shakes out:
Bout to go play this wsop event on the side of the road in New Jersey thanks law makers
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 8, 2020
Busted while going through Burger King drive thru. Will be back in jersey somewhere shady tomorrow for more!
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 8, 2020
Here’s where his bracelet action gets started (h/t Barstool for finding/sharing this story):
I just beat a kid in S.K.A.T.E. In this New Jersey parking lot while playing a WSOP bracelet event
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
My first semblance of a run this WSOP. Wondering how long until cops ask me wtf I am doing in a New Jersey parking lot screaming
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
Still running in jersey lot. No cops yet. Something of something left like 1.1 million doesn’t matter till we win but almost an official deep run
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
BIG SICKOUT 1.8 MIL OFFICIAL SWEAT 5 of 47
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
I MEAN SUCKOUT WHATEVER EAT DIX
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
2 of 25 for bracelet- dats cool!
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
He entered the Final Table as the chip leader:
1 of 9 at final table for a bracelet. I guess this could, theoretically, become a sweat.
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
What a time to be alive:
What WSOP Final Tables look like in 2020 pic.twitter.com/my9kQ4GbK8
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
Chance for a sweat but it’s very early 1 of 3 with chip lead for bracelet. 0 bracelets locked up pay jump at 1 left
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
Aaaaaaand he did it. Dude won a WSOP bracelet while playing in a parking lot in Jersey.
I just won a bracelet in a fucking parking lot https://t.co/Z7bS9AMdav
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
About to come home at 8:30am ET, wake up my girlfriend Caity, give her a kiss and tell her I stone bubbled and lost $1500 3 bullets
— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) July 13, 2020
Congrats to @depaulo_ryan winner of the @WSOP Big 500 for $159,563.11
The best bracelet winner to play from the parking lot of a Whole Foods#PARKOURRRRRRR
— Kevin Mathers (@Kevmath) July 13, 2020
I’m stuck down here in Florida, unable to legally compete in any online poker tournaments for absolutely no reason other than lawmakers are all enormous jerks who serve nobody but their own self-interests. I’m extremely jealous of the high this dude is riding right now.
According to the CardPlayer database, this is his second-largest cash to date. He finished in 3rd place in the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Colossus during the 2019 World Series of Poker and that paid out $208,643. He’s also cashed for $32K during a WSOP Online event back in March.