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Ricky Landais is an American poker player and tournament grinder from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who has built a consistent record across domestic circuits and major US series. A regular on the Midwest poker scene with forays into bigger buy-in events, Landais attracted widespread attention in June 2026 after suffering one of the most talked-about bad beats of that year’s World Series of Poker — a dealer error that derailed a deep run in a $10,000 buy-in High Roller.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings exceeding $225,000 across 50 recorded cashes (according to The Hendon Mob), Landais has three recorded wins on his résumé, including a victory at the Canterbury Park Deep Stack in January 2025.
His biggest live score came at the 2026 WSOP, where he finished 22nd in the 10,000GGMillion10,000 GGMillion
10,000GGMillion No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for $41,942 — a result made all the more memorable by the circumstances surrounding his elimination. His previous best cash of $27,500 came from a 21st-place finish in the $3,500 Seminole LHPO Championship in January 2025, where he ran deep in a field of 1,162 entries before being eliminated by Yingui Li.
Other notable results include:
- October 2025: Cash of $8,117 at the Canterbury Park Fall series.
- January 2025: 21st place in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open LHPO Championship for $27,500.
- January 2025: Win at the Canterbury Park $300 Deep Stack NLH for a recorded first-place finish.
Biography & Poker Background
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Landais is a dedicated tournament grinder who competes regularly across the domestic US circuit, splitting time between Midwest card rooms and larger series events. He has built his record steadily across regional stops while stepping up to higher buy-in fields when the opportunity arises, earning results at events ranging from local deep stacks to five-figure High Rollers.
Landais became one of the more discussed players of the 2026 WSOP after a remarkable sequence of events in the 10,000GGMillion10,000 GGMillion
10,000GGMillion High Roller. Short-stacked with around five big blinds remaining, he moved all-in holding ace-king against Bobby James’s ace-nine — a dominant spot. The dealer then spread a four-card flop without a burn card, forcing a floor ruling. The four cards were reshuffled and redealt, and the new board ultimately gave James a straight on the river to eliminate Landais in 22nd place. The hand drew widespread reaction from players and commentators at the table, with Joe Stapleton calling it one of the worst things he had ever seen. Landais collected his backpack and walked away from the table without a word.
Play Style & Strategy
Landais is a tournament specialist with broad experience across No-Limit Hold’em formats. His game is built around a grinder’s mentality — consistent cashes, selective aggression, and a willingness to fire bullets in larger fields when the spot calls for it. His deep run in the 2025 Seminole LHPO Championship, where he was among the last players standing in a field of over 1,100 entries, demonstrated his ability to navigate big fields over multiple days of play.
