Jesse Sylvia is best known in the poker community for his deep run in the World Series of Poker Main Event back in 2012. Sylvia would eventually finish runner-up in that event to Greg Merson, falling just short of the dream of winning the WSOP Main Event, but still earning a healthy payday for his second place finish to the tune of $5,295,149. The 35-year-old poker pro will be playing in the Main Event again this year, though he will be doing so at a deeply discounted price after winning his seat in a WSOP.com Main Event satellite.
WSOP.com scheduled Main Event satellites every day in September, with each of these events guaranteeing one $10,000 seat. These tournaments were failing to attract interest earlier in the month with some being canceled after failing to reach the eight entrants required to launch. But as the WSOP has drawn closer, these satellites have been earning more action.
Last Sunday’s WSOP.com $215 Main Event Satellite had a field of 63 entries. Jesse Sylvia entered the event and won it, securing his spot in this year’s tournament. Sylvia has cashed in the WSOP Main Event one other time since his runner-up finish in 2012, finishing in 616th place in 2018 for $21,750.
Jesse Sylvia’s WSOP history
Prior to his second place finish in the 2012 WSOP Main Event, Jesse Sylvia had only two WSOP cashes to his name: a 175th place finish in the 2011 $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event for $2,954 and an 11th place finish for $33,418 in the 2011 $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event. Since his Main Event run, however, Sylvia has become a staple at the World Series of Poker.
