Josh Arieh Wins World Series of Poker 2021 Player of the Year

Josh Arieh has been announced as the Player of the Year in the 2021 World Series of Poker. Having landed himself two bracelets and a dozen cashes, he has come out on top.

An Incredible WSOP Run

The 2021 World Series of Poker was an amazing time for Josh Arieh. With multiple bracelet wins, cashes and final table appearances, he collected over 4000 Player of the Year points.

This is how the Top 5 played out:

1. Josh Aireh – 4,194.59 points
2. Phil Hellmuth – 3,664.09 points
3. Daniel Negreanu: 3,531.03 points
4. Jeremy Ausmus: 3,272 points
5. Ryan Leng: 3,042 points

Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu, who landed second and third respectively, in the WSOP Player of the Year race, has similarly impressive runs. Hellmuth received his 16^th bracelet, while Negreanu cashed in 18 events. However, it was Arieh’s two bracelet wins that edge out the competition.

His first bracelet win came from the the $10,000 PLO Hi/Lo 8 Handed Championship for $484,791 and the second was won in the $1,500 PLO 8-Handed event for $204,766. In fact, Arieh is the only player to place in the top three of the WSOP Main Event and the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship.

Arieh has been incredibly gracious about his win.

You're the best ever. My favorite player. A helluva role model! Thank you for everything you've done for me! https://t.co/brPQ8hX8yA

— Joshua Arieh (@golferjosh) November 23, 2021

How WSOP Player of the Year Points Are Calculated

Points for the Player of the Year are calculated based on a complex formula. Depending on the event and the size of the field, players will be allocated points.

For example, the winner of the Main Event, which had over 6,650 entrants, won 1675 points while the Mini Main Event, which attracted 3,800 runners offered the winner a total of 1165 points. So, while plenty of aspects come into play to determine the Player of the Year, wins, cashes and the sheer volume of events played provide players with the most points.

The Player of the Year leaderboard was launched in 2004, when the WSOP moved to The Rio, so 15 other top players have received the same honor as Arieh:

Year	Player	Wins	Cashes	Total Earnings
2019	Robert Campbell	2	13	$743,377
2018	Shaun Deeb	2	20	$2,534,511
2017	Chris Ferguson	1	23	$428,423
2016	Jason Mercier	2	11	$960,424
2015	Mike Gorodinsky	1	8	$1,766,796
2014	George Danzer	3	10	$878,993
2013	Daniel Negreanu	2	10	$2,214,304
2012	Greg Merson	2	4	$9,755,180
2011	Ben Lamb	1	5	$5,352,970
2010	Frank Kassela	2	6	$1,255,314
2009	Jeffrey Lisandro	3	6	$807,521
2008	Erick Lindgren	1	5	$1,348,528
2007	Tom Schneider	2	3	$416,829
2006	Jeff Madsen	2	4	$1,467,852
2005	Allen Cunningham	1	5	$1,006,935
2004	Daniel Negreanu	1	6	$346,280

About Josh Arieh

Unlike his competition this year Arieh has yet to become a household name in the world of poker. However, he’s been making waves for well over two decades.

His first-ever World Series of Poker win came in 1999, landing himself a bracelet at the $3,000 Nlimit Hold’em Event – along with a prize worth over $200,000. Over the years, he’s amassed over $9 million in live tournament winnings – including first place in Wynn Poker Classic and World Poker Classic events.

He’s certainly going to be riding this high, and we expect to see a lot more of Josh Arieh in the coming year. Even with over 20 years of experience under his belt, he’s one to look out for in 2022 events.