It was a moment more than a decade in the making.
Cary Katz, the founder of PokerGO and a familiar face on the high-stakes tournament scene, finally lifted his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet after years of near-misses and heartbreaks. The 55-year-old entrepreneur-turned-poker-regular conquered a field of 1,299 players in Event #83: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout to claim $449,245 and the long-awaited WSOP hardware.
“It feels amazing,” Katz said, overwhelmed by the moment. “I was really present throughout the tournament. I just wanted to enjoy every moment.”
And it was all the more special with his family watching him seal the deal — a victory built on patience, discipline, and a gut feeling that told him to play a tournament he hadn’t even planned on.
The Road Less Expected: A Bracelet in a Mid-Stakes Freezeout
Cary Katz has built his poker legacy in the highest echelons of the game. With seven-figure scores in $100K high rollers and an impressive fifth-place finish in the 2016 Big One for One Drop Invitational for $1.9 million, he’s long been considered one of the elite regulars. But despite 67 WSOP cashes totaling nearly $7.8 million, a bracelet remained elusive.
In fact, Katz’s story is riddled with close calls — including three runner-up finishes and multiple final tables. His first near-bracelet came back in 2013, finishing second to Davidi Kitai in a $5,000 pot-limit hold’em event. As the years passed, his name began to appear on the dreaded “Best Players Without a Bracelet” lists, alongside giants like Steve O’Dwyer.
Fittingly, Katz’s first bracelet didn’t come in a $100K high roller, but in a $2,500 freezeout, an event he hadn’t even planned to play. “Yeah. I wasn’t even supposed to play it,” Katz admitted. “I was going to rest this weekend and get ready for the Main [Event], but I said, ‘I have a feeling. I like freezeouts. I’m going to late reg and see what happens.’”
The decision turned out to be the best one he made all summer.
Navigating a Tough Field
Despite being used to battling against elite small fields, Katz found himself in a different kind of poker war — one filled with 1,299 hungry players, creating a massive $2,890,275 prize pool. Only the top 196 players would make the money, but this event had no shortage of big names running deep.
Notables such as Phil Hui (92nd), Alex Livingston (60th), and Boris Kolev (26th) all cashed. Further down the stretch, Klemens Roiter (23rd), Vitor Dzivielevski (20th), and Michael Jozoff (17th) fell just short of the final table. Austrian bracelet winner Stefan Lehner also bowed out in 11th.
Despite the three-day structure, the tournament extended into an unscheduled Day 4, with four players returning to the felt. Katz began in third chip position behind Jaehoon Baek, who held the overnight lead.
Katz’s Final Push: Luck, Reads, and Resolve
Katz wasted no time asserting himself on Day 4. The pivotal hand came early when he doubled through Preston McEwen, spiking a flush with K-J suited against McEwen’s pocket jacks. That pot gave Katz momentum, while McEwen was left crippled and eventually eliminated in fourth place ($155,010).
Baek, a strong contender throughout the tournament, met his end after a classic flip against Breno Drumond. Holding K♦Q♦ against Drumond’s 4♠4♦, Baek couldn’t improve and had to settle for third place and a career-best $213,800.
Heads-up play began with Drumond holding the chip lead — 28.1 million to Katz’s 17.4 million — but that changed quickly. Katz found early success, including a key bluff catch with rivered second pair that gave him a 2:1 lead. While Drumond scored one double-up with a suited connector that turned into a flush, Katz remained in control.
Final Hand and Long-Awaited Triumph
On the final hand, Katz shoved from the button with 3♥3♣, and Drumond called with A♦J♦. The board ran out 10♥7♥6♣2♠8♠, and Katz’s small pair held up. With that, Cary Katz earned his first WSOP bracelet and a powerful emotional release after years of frustration.
Drumond, who had the support of a lively Brazilian rail, finished runner-up for a career-best $298,690.
Final Table Results – Event #83: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cary Katz | $449,245 | 1,440 |
| 2 | Breno Drumond | $298,690 | 1,200 |
| 3 | Jaehoon Baek | $213,800 | 960 |
| 4 | Preston McEwen | $155,010 | 720 |
| 5 | Gary Hasson | $113,860 | 600 |
| 6 | Michel Molenaar | $84,730 | 480 |
| 7 | Pawel Brzeski | $63,910 | 360 |
| 8 | Razvan Belea | $48,860 | 240 |
| 9 | Mihai Manole | $37,860 | 120 |
What This Win Means for Katz and PokerGO
For someone who has seen it all — from launching a poker media empire to competing in million-dollar buy-ins — this victory was different. It was personal.
Cary Katz may already be a titan in the poker industry, but now he has the one trophy that’s eluded him for more than a decade. The 2025 WSOP will be remembered as the year he finally broke through and shed the “best without a bracelet” label for good.
And with the WSOP Main Event just around the corner, don’t be surprised if this win lights a fire under Katz to make an even deeper run.
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Sources: cardplayer