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Scott Baumstein is an American professional poker player and former options trader who has become one of the most consistent and formidable forces on the live tournament circuit. A mainstay of the East Coast and Florida poker scenes, Baumstein is best known for his fourth-place finish in the 2019 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) for over $1.6 million. With a career defined by technical adaptability and high-volume grinding, he currently ranks in the top 25 on New York’s all-time money list and remains a major threat in both No-Limit Hold’em and Mixed Game formats through early 2026.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings surpassing $6,851,000 (according to The Hendon Mob), Baumstein is a heavyweight of the American poker scene. His career-best live score of $1,657,000 was achieved in 2019 at the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) in the Bahamas. Baumstein has maintained a high level of performance into 2025 and 2026, recently finishing 39th in the 2026 WSOP Circuit Florida Main Event for $5,785 and 116th in the 2025 WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event for $80,000. His immense consistency across the WSOP , WPT , and regional circuits contributes to an estimated poker net worth of over $7.5 million.
Major Tournament Results:
| Year | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | PSPC $25,000 No Limit Hold’em (4th) | $1,657,000 |
| 2023 | WPT Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open $3,500 (4th) | $233,000 |
| 2018 | WPTDeepStacks Hollywood Main Event (1st) | $223,238 |
| 2012 | Borgata Fall Poker Open $2,500 Championship (2nd) | $209,480 |
Biography & Poker Background
Born in 1984 in New York City , Scott Baumstein’s path to professional poker was paved by a background in high-risk finance. A graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in Finance, he worked as an options trader on Wall Street before making the leap to play poker full-time. This professional transition provided him with a unique psychological edge, specifically an immunity to the emotional swings of high-stakes gambling. He caught the “tournament bug” after his first live cash in the 2009 WSOP Main Event and has since recorded over 300 live cashes. Currently residing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Baumstein is a fixture at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, where he has won multiple titles and established himself as a local “end boss.”
Play Style & Strategy
Baumstein is renowned for an “extremely disciplined, risk-averse, and high-volume” play style. His strategy is deeply rooted in his background as a trader, treating every hand as a calculated financial risk with an emphasis on Expected Value (EV). He is particularly praised for his patience and his ability to navigate massive fields, a skill he demonstrated when outlasting nearly 8,000 entrants to reach the deep stages of the 2017 WSOP Millionaire Maker. Strategically, Baumstein is a proponent of game selection and adjusting to table flow, often avoiding the high-variance bluffs favored by younger “solver-focused” pros in favor of high-certainty value spots. This methodical approach has allowed him to sustain a profitable career for over 15 years without the major “bust outs” common in high-stakes poker.
Social Media & Online Presence
Want to follow Scott as he continues to add to his legacy on the Florida and international circuits? You can find his profiles here:
- Twitter (X): @ScottBaumstein
- The Hendon Mob: Scott Baumstein
- WSOP Player Profile
- Global Poker Index (GPI)
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