As one of the most highly-anticipated online poker events of the year, the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) on PokerStars, draws in players from around the world to compete for massive prize pools and bragging rights. With the 2023 SCOOP set to take place from May 7-31, the excitement is already building among the online poker community.
Throughout the years, SCOOP has produced some of the most skilled and successful players in the game. These players have not only achieved impressive results during SCOOP events but have also proven their prowess in other online and live tournaments.
So, as we gear up for the 2023 SCOOP, let’s take a moment to recognize the players who have left their mark on this prestigious event and continue to shape the future of online poker.
Calvin “cal42688” Anderson – 10 Titles
The godfather of SCOOP, Calvin “cal42688” Anderson is one of the most successful and consistent players in the history of the series, with a record-setting ten titles to his name.
Picking up his first SCOOP win back in 2010, Anderson found himself in the top stop on nine more occasions, with his last victory coming in 2018. He is particularly renowned for his proficiency in mixed-game events and has won SCOOP titles in 8-Game, H.O.R.S.E and Stud Hi/Lo, just to name a few.
Anderson’s SCOOP record is a testament to his exceptional skills and consistency as a player. His impressive performance in the series has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats of online poker.
| Year | Event | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17L: $16.50 Pot Limit Omaha (6-Max, rebuys) | $26,940 |
| 2011 | 25M: $215 7 Card Stud H/L | $13,090 |
| 2011 | 27H: $2,100 Razz | $46,200 |
| 2013 | 25M: $215 FL Hold’em (6-Max) | $23,643 |
| 2014 | 38H: 2,100 HORSE | $47,065 |
| 2015 | 13H: $2,100 Stud | $36,600 |
| 2016 | 40L: $27 8-Game | $7,511 |
| 2017 | 13H: $530 NLHE (3-Max, Turbo, Zoom, PKO) | $62,919 |
| 2018 | 19H: $2,100 NLHE (6-Max) | $126,659 |
| 2018 | 26H: $1,050 FLO8 (8-Max) | $26,305 |
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Mike “sirwatts” Watson – 7 Titles
Mike “sirwatts” Watson is a highly successful and respected Canadian poker player who has made a name for himself on the international poker scene. Watson has won an impressive seven SCOOP titles, with his victories spanning from 2015 to 2021.
Watson’s SCOOP titles have come in a variety of different formats, including obscure games like Badugi and 2-7 Single Draw. Watson has consistently shown his versatility and skill in these different games, which is a testament to his overall prowess as a poker player.
Beyond his SCOOP accomplishments, Watson has also established himself as a fixture in the high-roller circuit of the European Poker Tour (EPT). He has amassed over $18 million in lifetime live tournament earnings and is a respected figure in the poker community.
Watson’s seven SCOOP titles stand as a remarkable achievement, and his consistent success in high-stakes tournaments both online and live further cements his status as one of the best poker players of his generation.
| Year | Event | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 29M: $215 PL Omaha (6-Max) | $58,368 |
| 2015 | 37H: $2,100 PL Omaha Hi/Lo | $65,320 |
| 2019 | 73H: $5,200 6+ Hold’em | $94,915 |
| 2020 | 51H: $1,050 NL 2-7 Single Draw | $22,050 |
| 2020 | 66H: $2,100 NLHE | $80,642 |
| 2020 | 113H: $1,050 6+ Hold’em (6-Max) | $29,997 |
| 2021 | 78H: $1,050 FL Badugi 6-Max | $20,038 |
Jussi “calvin7v” Nevanlinna – 7 Titles
Jussi “calvin7v” Nevanlinna is a Finnish poker player who has achieved great success in SCOOP, with a total of seven titles on his resume. Like Anderson and Watts, Nevanlinna has shown his skill in a variety of different games and formats.
Nevanlinna’s SCOOP victories date back to 2014 when he won the 2014 $215 PL Omaha Heads-Up event for a prize of $26,979. His most recent SCOOP titles came in 2021 when he took down both the high and low versions of the FLO8 8-Max event.
Impressively, Nevanlinna has turned a couple of dollars into thousands on more than one occasion, and his continued success in SCOOP events is a testament to his dedication and hard work in the game of poker.
| Year | Event | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 14M: $215 PL Omaha [Heads-Up] | $26,979 |
| 2015 | 28M: $215 Stud Hi/Lo | $14,630 |
| 2016 | 40M: $215 8-Game | $18,506 |
| 2018 | 46L: $5.50 8-Game | $2,130 |
| 2018 | 28L: $5.50 NLHE | $4,431 |
| 2021 | 21-H: $1,050 FLO8 8-Max | $23,735 |
| 2021 | 21-L: $11 FLO8 8-Max | $4,534 |
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Benny “RunGodLike” Glaser – 7 Titles
Benny “RunGodLike” Glaser is a highly successful online poker player from the United Kingdom and joined the “Seven SCOOP titles” club last year after he won the $2,100 H.O.R.S.E event for a prize of $31,080.
In addition to his seven SCOOP titles, Glaser has also won six World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) titles and four World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets. He also finished as the runner-up in the inaugural 2022 WPT World Championship Main Event for a career-best cash of $2.83 million.
With a record like the one listed, is there any doubt that he is the greatest poker player of all time to hail from the UK?
| Year | Event | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 33H: $2,100 Stud Hi/Lo | $54,390 |
| 2018 | 17L: $22 FLHE | $6,201 |
| 2019 | 41-H: 8-Game | $1,050 |
| 2019 | 13-M: 2-7 Triple Draw | $215 |
| 2020 | 06-H: $2,100 8-Game | $54,853 |
| 2021 | 73-M: $215 PLO 6-Max, PKO | $29,549 |
| 2022 | 09-H: $2,100 HORSE | $31,080 |
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Ole “wizowizo” Schemion – 7 Titles
It may come as a surprise that German professional poker player Ole “wizowizo” Schemion only secured his first wins under the SCOOP umbrella in 2018. Since then, he has been on an absolute heater and has become one of the most successful SCOOP players ever, thanks to bagging a trio of titles in 2022.
Impressively, five of his seven triumphs have been for six-figure paydays, with his largest being $283,261 after he was the last player standing in the 2018 $10,300 PLO 6-Max High Roller. And unlike anyone else on this list, he is the only player to have three SCOOP wins in tournaments that have buy-ins of more than $10,000.
| Year | Event | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 32H: $10,300 PLO [6-Max, High Roller] | $283,261 |
| 2018 | 36H: $530 NLHE [Deep Stacks] | $85,081 |
| 2020 | 102-H: $10,300 NLHE 8-Max, High Roller | $258,639 |
| 2020 | 16-H: $2,100 PLO, 6-Max | $111,854 |
| 2022 | 13-H: $10,300 NLHE [Super Tuesday High Roller] | $202,432 |
| 2022 | 57-H: $320 NLHE [Weekend Starter] | $27,691 |
| 2022 | 75-M: $1,050 NLHE [Super Tuesday] | $151,575 |
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Players with 5+ SCOOP Titles
The roster of top-tier poker pros with five or more SCOOP titles is impressive, with many still in the game and poised to add more trophies to their collection during SCOOP 2023. It’s worth keeping an eye out, as the festival could produce a new crop of legendary SCOOP players and shift the hierarchy of the greatest of all time by the end of the series.
| Name | Country | SCOOP Titles | Last Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn “Buck21” Buchanan (pictured) | Canada | 6 | 2016 |
| Connor “blanconegro” Drinan | United States | 6 | 2020 |
| Patrick “pads1161” Leonard | United Kingdom | 6 | 2022 |
| Niklas “Lena900” Astedt | Sweden | 6 | 2022 |
| Simon “C. Darwin2” Mattsson | Sweden | 5 | 2022 |
| Ilya “Leqenden” Anatsky | Belarus | 5 | 2022 |
| Andrei “Premove” Skvortsov | Russia | 5 | 2022 |
| Matthew “MUSTAFABET” Ashton | United Kingdom | 5 | 2022 |
| Adrian “Amadi_017” Mateos | Spain | 5 | 2021 |
| Jason “JasonMercier” Mercier | United States | 5 | 2016 |
| Luke “lb6121” Schwartz | United Kingdom | 5 | 2016 |
| Joao “Naza114” Vieira | Portugal | 5 | 2021 |
| Nicolas “niccc” Chouity | Lebanon | 5 | 2020 |
| Talal “raidalot” Shakerchi | United Kingdom | 5 | 2021 |
| Rui “RuiNF” Ferreira | Portugal | 5 | 2019 |
| Shaun “shaundeeb” Deeb | United States | 5 | 2012 |
Editor & Live Reporter
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.