The Wisconsin poker grinder picked up his biggest tournament cash to date with the victory
Steve Buell busted through for the biggest payday of his poker life in the WSOP Circuit Grand Victoria Main Event. The Wisconsin resident took down the $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em main event in Elgin, Illinois, outlasting a field of 637 entries and earning $173,000 and his third WSOP Circuit gold ring.
Buell has been a familiar name in live poker for over a decade, with tournament results dating back to 2009. This latest win, however, marks a new personal best, topping the $104,000 payday he earned at the 2024 WSOP in a $10,000 super turbo bounty event. It also brings his lifetime earnings to over $1.7 million.
This victory wasn’t just about the prize money. It was also about finally breaking through after several near misses in big events. Buell has finished deep in multiple WSOP Circuit mains and other major tournaments but often came up just short. This time, everything clicked. “It just feels great to finally close one out,” Buell told reporters after the win.
The tournament drew a strong crowd, generating a prize pool of over $965,000, well above the guarantee. Several familiar names reached the money, including Ravi Raghavan, Evan Bethyo, Scott Bohlman, and Michael Estes. But it was Buell who rose above the rest on the final day, which began with just six players left.
A key moment came early when Buell won a big hand against Steve Wangler, eventually knocking him out in sixth. From there, Buell continued his strong run, eliminating Jason Flock and Derek Hanauer before reaching heads-up play against Matthew Lubawski.
The final hand saw Buell catch trips on the river to beat Lubawski’s pocket queens. It sealed not only the victory but also a well-earned moment of validation for a player who’s been grinding for years.
