Mark Newhaus: The Tragedy of Finishing Ninth in the WSOP Main Event

Mark Newhaus, a professional poker player, has had a tumultuous career marked by both significant wins and profound losses. In 2006, at the age of 21, Mark won the WPT Borgata Poker Open, earning $1.5 million. This victory catapulted him into the spotlight, but his poker journey was far from smooth.

Mark's father, Sheldon Newhaus, recalls his son's early interest in competitive games. Mark's serious approach to Magic: The Gathering foreshadowed his future in poker. Sheldon was initially skeptical when Mark dropped out of college to pursue a career in poker, but Mark's subsequent win at the WPT Borgata Poker Open with a $10,000 buy-in changed his father's perspective.

Despite his early success, Mark faced significant financial struggles. He lost $280,000 in a single online poker session and eventually lost his entire bankroll of $400,000 within a year. Mark's friend, Hack Saed, helped him financially during this difficult period. Mark's ninth-place finishes in the WSOP Main Event in 2013 and 2014, earning $730,725 in 2014, are considered by him to be the biggest mistakes of his poker career. He quit smoking on November 4, 2018, as part of his journey to overcome the emotional and financial turmoil of his poker career.