![Canada [CAN]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/ca.svg "Canada [CAN]"){kind=small}
Benny Chen is a Canadian poker player who made international headlines in 2013 when he walked away with $1,199,104 from the inaugural WSOP Millionaire Maker event - one of the most watched bracelet events of that summer. A restaurant manager at the time of his win, Chen’s story became one of the defining narratives of the 2013 World Series of Poker.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings surpassing $2,059,701 (according to The Hendon Mob), Chen’s career is anchored by a single landmark result.
His standout results include:
- 2013: 1st place in the WSOP Millionaire Maker $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em for $1,199,104 - the inaugural edition of the event, his career-best score and first WSOP bracelet.
- 2013: 6th place in the WSOP $5,000 Eight-Handed No-Limit Hold’em earlier that same week - his first major final table at the series.
- WSOP earnings: Over $1.35 million in total at the World Series of Poker.
His estimated poker net worth is over $1.5 million.
Biography & Poker Background
Chen was working as a restaurant manager when he entered the 2013 WSOP. With around $300,000 in prior career earnings before the win, he was an experienced amateur rather than a touring professional, making his performance across the huge 6,300-entry Millionaire Maker field all the more remarkable.
He was the second Canadian bracelet winner of that 2013 series. His win came in the event’s very first running - the Millionaire Maker was designed from the outset to guarantee at least $1 million to the winner, and Chen delivered the defining story of that debut. He made two separate final tables in a single week, confirming the win was not a product of a single hot day at the tables.
Play Style & Strategy
Chen is a composed, experienced tournament player whose 2013 WSOP week - two final tables in seven days - demonstrated the ability to sustain high-level play across multiple simultaneous deep runs.
Social Media & Online Presence
Originally from the Lake District, UK, I’ve spent the last few years living and breathing the Southeast Asian poker circuit. Since 2025, I’ve been a fixture on the floor at the APT, PokerStars, and WSOP events, serving as a lead reporter and media specialist for Somuchpoker. My work is about more than just recording action; I manage the social media and digital content that brings action rail to the fans. By combining a business education and creative background, I aim to look past the technical hand histories to capture the actual human grit and drama that happens during a deep run.
