After weeks of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that Brian Rast is the latest inductee into the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Hall of Fame. All series long people have wondered whether this would be the year that Brian added his name to the illustrious list, and it has finally been confirmed by the WSOP that he has made it.
Why Brian Made It In
Looking down the list of nominees, there are a number of players who could easily argue their way into the Hall of Fame, so what made Brian the pick for this year? Well, despite the big names on the nominations list, very few people in the world have a poker CV like Brian Rast.
He’s been crushing the biggest tournaments and cash games in the world for well over a decade and has a tremendous record at the WSOP. Earlier this series, he won a record-equalling third Poker Player’s Championship and his sixth bracelet overall at just 42 years old. He’s amassed over $9 million in earnings at the WSOP across 67 cashes, proving just how consistently he’s winning at the World Series.
Brian also won the inaugural Super High Roller Bowl back in 2015 for $7,525,000 where he beat Scott Seiver heads-up. Despite having six WSOP bracelets, a Super High Roller Bowl victory, and over $25 million in tournament winnings, many people believe him to be a better cash game than a tournament player.
In fact, he’s spent most of his poker life battling it out in the biggest cash games in Bobby’s Room, alongside a number of the world’s best players!
One of the things that makes Brian so impressive is that he’s able to compete at the highest level across a number of different formats. You don’t become a regular in the Bobby’s Room games or become a three-time winner of the $50K PPC without knowing how to adjust your game.
It’s hard to find a player who’s had a career like Brian’s, and for that alone, he’s deserving of a place in the WSOP Hall of Fame.
Brain’s Reaction
After stating in 2021 that he deserved to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he became eligible in 2022, you could tell that being chosen this year meant a lot to him. The announcement was made just before the start of the $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold'em tournament, where WSOP Vice President Jack Effel also honoured his latest PPC victory.
Addressing the crown, Brian said, “Thank you to the current Hall of Fame members for having the power to select me.” He then went on to thank his close friends Andrew Robl and Antonio Esfandiari for their support during his poker career. He also thanked his parents, who were in the crowd, for everything that they’ve done to help and encourage him throughout his life.
While he must have been expecting it after his performance at the WSOP this year, you could see just how much it meant to Brian. We at Natural8 would like to congratulate Brian on his induction into the WSOP Hall of Fame and can say that he truly deserved his time to shine.
Was Brian’s induction deserved this year, or do you think someone else should have made it in ahead of him? Who would you like to see nominated that didn’t make the cut this year? Let us know on social media and stay tuned for all the latest WSOP news and events.
