Champ follows 'really good feeling' to 9th ring at WSOPC Choctaw

Matt Higgins punched his $5,000 Ticket to Paradise on Monday.

Four bullets and a dream

Higgins' intuition to make the trip paid off, but not without some early setbacks.

“I got here Friday and busted two bullets in 20 minutes, then lost the third in a huge hand on the money bubble in the first flight,” Higgins recounted. “I never panicked, though. I woke up Saturday with a clear conscience and went through my normal routine of affirmations and prayers.”

That fourth bullet proved worthwhile, as Higgins steamrolled through the final two tables and wrapped up the tournament in under two hours of play on the final day.

“I actually canceled my 6:30 flight today because we were coming back so deep-stacked. I never imagined it would finish so quickly, but I’m incredibly thankful. It’s just a blessing.”

Last minute WSOP Circuit trips increase the odds of winning dramatically.

Higgins has consistently thrived in large, multi-flight events, and many of his biggest scores come from modest buy-ins with massive fields. While $1,700 is no small sum, navigating these deep fields has long been Higgins’ specialty.

When asked about his edge in these environments, Higgins was tight-lipped.

“I can’t just give that kind of information away for free,” he joked. “But we’re working on getting some coaching material up. My style is very different from most, and nobody’s giving out free knowledge anymore. My strategy changes a lot depending on who I’m up against, and that’s crucial in tournaments like this.”

“Most of the people selling knowledge aren’t doing much winning either,” he added. “Not naming any names, but I want to help change that by walking the walk, not just talking the talk.”

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Late surge locks it up

With two tables remaining Sunday night, Higgins began his surge up the leaderboard, applying pressure and putting opponents in tough spots as the pay jumps grew in significance.

He entered the final day with a comfortable lead, holding more than a third of the chips in play seven-handed in what was expected to be a long, deep-stacked battle.

However, the deck had other plans. A series of coolers reduced the field from seven to four in just one orbit of play.

An unfortunate flop sent Schuyler Thornton to the rail in fourth after he was set-over-set by runner-up Jeremy Bowman. Soon after, high-stakes cash game regular Damarjai Davenport exited in third when his two pair was outdrawn by Higgins’ combo draw.

Higgins and Bowman began heads-up play nearly even in chips, but it took just a few hands for it all to end.

Bowman opened the button with king-ten and faced a three-bet from Higgins holding ace-queen. In response, Bowman four-bet jammed for over 130 big blinds, and Higgins called instantly. The board ran out clean, and ace-high was enough to secure the title.

Higgins steamrolled the final two tables.

'I cherish all of you'

Despite his long list of accomplishments, Higgins still approaches the game with the same energy and positivity that first drew him to poker, and he makes an effort to share that attitude with others.

“I want to be remembered for being friendly to people,” Higgins said. “We’re all just out here trying to have fun, and most players are recreational. I try to be extra caring because you never know what someone’s going through. I just want to be known as a kind individual.”

The newly minted nine-time WSOPC champion also credited his support system for his continued success.

“First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord. I’m a big believer in God, and I guess today was meant to be my turn.”

“Also, a big thanks to my fiancée, who’s helped me become the man I am today, and to all my friends in the poker world who make these trips worthwhile. This interview would take 20 minutes if I listed everyone, but just know that I cherish all of you.”

WSOPC Choctaw November 2025 Main Event final table results