Ben Lamb

Ben Lamb is a prominent American professional poker player with a remarkable track record in the world of poker. His total live earnings have soared to an impressive $16.2 million. Lamb secured his best live cash of $4 million in the Main Event of the 42nd World Series of Poker’s $10,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament. Ben Lamb currently holds two WSOP gold bracelets.

Ben Lamb: Early Life

Lamb was born in 1985 and grew up in Oklahoma. Lamb, an Oklahoman, easily accessed gambling at Native American casinos in the state, fueling his interest. Eventually, he began his poker journey at the age of 18. 

In 2004, right after high school graduation, Lamb embarked on his professional poker career. While briefly attending Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, he quickly realized his true passion lay in the world of cards. To make ends meet, he also took up a part-time position as a dealer at the Cherokee Casino—now known as the Hard Rock Casino. This dual role allowed Lamb to gain invaluable insights into the game as he observed and interacted with fellow players while dealing their hands.

Ben Lamb: Poker Career

Lamb’s first tournament dates back to June 2006. He secured 14th position in the $230 NLH event of the Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge and earned $688. Concluding that year on a high note, he amassed an impressive total of $218,073 from participating in six tournaments. He secured victory in four of them. This marked a highly promising beginning for his career.

It was July 2015 when Lamb got his first six-digit win at the 40th World Series of Poker $10,000 World Championship NLH. He secured a commendable 14th place finish with $633,022 in earnings. 

In the 2011 42nd WSOP, Lamb emerged victorious in the $10,000 PLO Championship, defeating 360 entries. His victory over Sami Kelopuro earned him not only a substantial cash prize of $814,436 but also his first gold bracelet. This achievement brought his career earnings to $3.1 million. Despite the tough competition, he humorously celebrated his triumph and the enduring significance of the coveted gold bracelet. It took another two weeks for Lamb to achieve his most significant breakthrough, which occurred during the Main Event of the same tournament. In a field of 6,865 players, Lamb secured an impressive 3rd-place finish, earning a staggering $4.02 million—his best live cash to date.

After a successful run in the WSOP Main Event, Lamb went six years without cashing in the tournament. He focused on high-stakes PLO and played golf in Las Vegas, away from the poker tournament limelight. However, Lamb’s desire to return to the WSOP grew as he watched his friends like Shaun Deeb succeed in bracelet events. In 2017, he made another WSOP Main Event final table, earning $1 million for a ninth-place finish.

Since 2021, Lamb has been striving for his second WSOP bracelet. He made four final table appearances during this time, including notable finishes in high-stakes events. Finally, after 12 years since his first WSOP win, Lamb secured his second career WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship. Lamb won, defeating James Chen in heads-up with tens and fives, securing the $492,795 top prize in the championship.

Ben Lamb at Triton Series

In addition to his impressive accomplishments, Lamb made a mark at the Triton Super High Roller Series, clinching one title. His debut was in July 2018 at the Triton Jeju HK$100K NLH event securing 4th place for $78,888. A year later, in the same tournament, Lamb impressed again with a 7th-place finish, earning $99,385. Shortly after, he traveled to Budva and excelled in two Triton Montenegro tournaments. During this period, he secured his first victory in the HK$500K Short Deck NLH, earning an impressive $974,634. Lamb also achieved 2nd-place finish in the HK$200K PLO event, just four days before his Short Deck NLH triumph. Lamb pursued further success, earning $2.2 million in three Triton London tournaments a few months later. He secured 2nd place in the £100K NLH Les Ambassadeurs Private event, winning $1,640,261—his highest Triton Series earnings to date.

Conclusion

Lamb recognizes the significance of WSOP bracelets while contemplating the interplay of skill and luck in poker. His intention is to participate in more WSOP events, striving for additional bracelets and potentially pursuing the WSOP Player of the Year title. Moreover, winning another bracelet or two would be a welcome achievement.