Tyler Gaston is an American poker player and public defender based in Westerville, Ohio, who combines a career in criminal law with a serious record at the poker table. With nearly $1 million in live tournament earnings, a World Poker Tour title, and a deep run in the 2026 WSOP Main Event that drew national media attention, Gaston is one of the more compelling dual-career stories in the game.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

With total live tournament earnings of $996,918 across 28 recorded cashes (according to The Hendon Mob), Gaston’s career-best cash of $522,705 came from a 3rd-place finish in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker at the 2022 WSOP . He also holds a World Poker Tour title, won in 2019.
Notable results include:

• July 2026: 37th place in the $10,000 WSOP Main Event for $215,000, having led the field after Day 6 with 21,000,000 chips.
• June 2022: 3rd place in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker at the WSOP for $522,705 - his career-best cash.
• December 2019: 1st place in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic $1,620 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Max at Bellagio for $45,278 - his sole WPT title.

Biography & Poker Background

Based in Westerville, Ohio, Gaston works as a public defender for Clark County, Nevada - a job that sees him in court defending clients while using his vacation time to compete in poker tournaments. He is primarily a cash game player who steps up to tournament play selectively, describing his scheduling around trial commitments as the main constraint on his poker calendar.

His 2022 WSOP summer was a breakout moment, with a deep run in the Housewarming event and a runner-up heads-up defeat in an MGM Grand event preceding his Millionaire Maker 3rd-place finish for $522,705 in a field of nearly 8,000 entries. He returned to the WSOP in 2026 and produced the deepest Main Event run of his career, leading the entire field of 9,208 players after Day 6 with 21,000,000 chips before busting on Day 7 in 37th place, eliminating bracelet winners Loren Klein and Dutch Boyd along the way.

The run attracted widespread coverage outside of poker, with the Las Vegas Review-Journal and ESPN covering the story of the Clark County public defender spending his days in court and his evenings defending his big blind at the world’s most famous poker tournament.

Play Style & Strategy

Gaston is a cash game specialist by background whose tournament results have consistently punched above expectations. His Day 6 chip lead at the 2026 Main Event was built on a combination of well-timed aggression and key eliminations of experienced players, including two bracelet winners. His legal career has drawn comparisons to his poker game - analytical, patient, and built around reading people and situations accurately.

Social Media & Online Presence

• The Hendon Mob Profile
• WSOP Official Profile