Dan "Jungleman" Cates Wins $50K Poker Players Championship and Maiden WSOP Bracelet

One of the most talented all-around poker players has finally broken through to claim his first WSOP bracelet as Dan “Jungleman” Cates has won the Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship at the 2021 World Series of Poker.

“I knew I was going to win,” Cates said about winning his first WSOP bracelet. ” I said I was going to win, so I won.”

Cates topped the 63-player field to win his first career WSOP bracelet after defeating a final table that included Chris Brewer, Eli Elezra, Paul Volpe, and Ryan Leng. Cates now sits just shy of $10 million in lifetime earnings that include a WPT Alpha8, Triton, and EPT title, and finally a coveted WSOP bracelet.

“It was pretty important,” Cates added about the win, “Because now I have more money to help the world and to continue a career outside of poker and beyond.”

Entering the final day of play with action streaming on PokerGO.com, Cates arrived dressed as Akuma from Street Fighter as he was prepared for battle. Once Brewer was out in fifth, and Elezra exited in fourth, the three-handed battle between Cates, Leng, and Volpe, lasted over five hours as each player held the chip lead and struggled as the short stack. The hand that completely changed the fate of all three players was a limit hold’em hand where Cates raised all-in on the river after catching second pair only to have Leng bet-fold top pair incorrectly. Once Volpe exited in third place, Cates held a commanding chip lead with a five-to-one advantage over Leng who was chasing his second WSOP bracelet of the series, third WSOP bracelet of the year, and top spot on the 2021 WSOP Player of the Year leaderboard.

Leng chipped away at Cates’ lead over-and-over, but Cates would regain his advantage in response before the final hand saw Leng all-in with bottom pair against the straight draw from Cates. Cates went runner-runner two pair to lock up the victory and ensure Leng of his second second-place finish after he finished second in the Event #30: $1,500 Monster Stack following his victory in Event #23: $1,500 8-Game Mix.

“This is actually pretty cool. I’m happy to have won one,” Cates said about his new addition to the trophy case. “But it is pretty cool, especially a tournament that’s named after ‘Chip’ Reese who has passed away.”

Cates now vacates the list of best poker players that don’t have a WSOP bracelet, and what better way to do so than by winning one of the biggest tournaments on the WSOP schedule – the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Cates now sets his sight on the WSOP Main Event and some of the high roller tournaments to close out the 2021 WSOP.

“I might play some poker,” Cates said about his upcoming plans. “I can’t be in God mode for the Main. It’s not fair. That’s not fair.”

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