Ari Engel has achieved a remarkable feat, securing his position as the undisputed leader in all-time World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring victories. The esteemed Canadian poker professional had been sharing the top spot with Maurice Hawkins, both boasting 15 WSOPC titles. This tie was broken during the WSOPC Graton Casino event in Northern California in August when Ari Engel secured back-to-back wins. However, the Canadian poker pro’s record-setting 16th ring was clinched on Tuesday, October 10, when he emerged victorious in the $400 buy-in Omaha eight-or-better event at the WSOPC Horseshoe Hammond festival.
While basking in his accomplishment, Ari Engel acknowledged the mixed emotions of the moment, stating, “It’s certainly satisfying to emerge as the winner, but my thoughts are currently with Jerusalem, so it’s a bittersweet victory. I’ve been actively participating in these tournaments, and winning them is unquestionably more appealing than the alternative.”
In addition, he graciously acknowledged the achievements of other players near the top of the WSOPC rings leaderboard, emphasizing, “Maurice Hawkins, Josh Reichard, and Dan Lowery have considerably better ratios in terms of tournaments played to rings. I tend to play more frequently than they do. Their records are impressive, and they are highly skilled players.”
Here are the players with 10 or more WSOPC rings won:
| WSOPC Rings | Player(s) |
| 16 | Ari Engel |
| 15 | Maurice Hawkins |
| 14 | Joshua Reichard, Daniel Lowery |
| 13 | Valentin Vornicu |
| 10 | Jeffrey Trudeau Jr., Robert Hankins, Martin Ryan, David Larson |
The Canadian poker pro hailing from Toronto, boasting two WSOP bracelets to his name, has had an extraordinary 2023, amassing an impressive five WSOP Circuit rings. Among these, two were secured through online events, while the other two were claimed in California, and a fifth in Indiana. Engel’s inaugural ring victory dates back to 2007 when he triumphed in a $300 buy-in event at WSOP Caesars Atlantic City, earning a substantial prize of $63,018.
Celebrating his 40th birthday last month, Ari Engel’s tournament earnings now exceed $8.7 million, with a noteworthy portion of over $1 million stemming from his remarkable 181 WSOPC cashes. His most recent triumph marks his sixth overall victory this year, earning him a substantial 96 Card Player Player of the Year points.
Ari Engel’s distinction extends further, with an astonishing 24 final-table finishes that qualify for Player of the Year recognition in 2023, the most by any player thus far. Accumulating a total of 2,648 points, he currently holds the 80th position in the comprehensive Player of the Year rankings, as presented by Global Poker.
