Matsuzuki wins first WSOP bracelet

Come on, just gamble. That’s the phrase that got Dan Matsuzuki to play the $10,000 seven-card stud hi-lo championship event. After a little convincing from a friend, the 28-year-old from Arizona hopped into the event at the start of Day 2 and went on to win the entire tournament.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, as America celebrated another birthday, the professional poker player from Scottsdale defeated 141 entries and Scott Bohlman heads-up to earn his first World Series of Poker bracelet and $364,387.

“It still hasn’t hit me really,” said Matsuzuki after his win. “I wasn’t even going to play this event. My buddy convinced me and took a little piece of me.”

It didn’t take much convincing since just four words swayed his decision.

“Come on, just gamble. Those were his exact words,” said Matusuzki.

Bohlman, who finished second for $225,210, finished just shy of his second bracelet of the summer. The Chicago area grinder picked up his 10th cash of the summer and is squarely in the hunt for the WSOP Player of the Year race.