‘I know what’s in front of me’: Spraggy reflects on his best poker year
PokerStars Team Pro Spraggy talks his best poker year to date and the upcoming online mystery bounty events on PokerStars.
For poker content creators, having your ‘best year’ might not necessarily rely on your poker profits. You could base it on your content output, your audience growth, or your consistency.
But if you have all of those things on top of a winning year at the tables, you’re laughing.
With that in mind, from the outside looking in it would appear that Benjamin “Spraggy” Spragg had his best year to date.
“It could be, yeah,” the PokerStars Team Pro says, mulling it over. “I’m winning online – which is great because obviously, that’s where the majority of my volume is.”
In 2023, Spraggy enjoyed successful stints throughout the Spring and World Championships of Online Poker (“They really help shape the year”). But his biggest achievement came when he took down his maiden major live tournament – the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) Brighton Main Event for £69,120.
Spraggy was the champ in Brighton
He followed that up with another UKIPT final table in Edinburgh not long after, which his PokerStars teammate Fintan “easywithaces” Hand went on to win.
And he’s been crushing tournaments online ever since, all while consistently producing fantastic live streams and YouTube content. That includes the Spraggy Vlog, new episodes of which are being filmed here at EPT Prague.
So what’s Spraggy’s secret to such a successful year?
SPRAGGY’S SECRET IN THREE…TWO…ONE…
You didn’t really think there was a secret, did you?
“Here’s the thing,” says Spraggy. “When people win tournaments, they’ll tell you this and that. ‘I’ve been working so hard’ etc. But I’m my same lazy self. This is just waves crashing against a rock — eventually, it’s going to crumble a little bit. It’s more about volume and attrition than nutrition.”
Spraggy feels like he’s always had solid processes, from his study routine to his work ethic and game selection. He hasn’t drastically changed anything hoping for different results. “It’s more about being steady and keeping things in line all the time rather than ‘Here’s this one weird trick that is going to make you win UKIPT Brighton’,” he says.
“That tournament, for example, I just ran insanely good. So sadly, I’ve got no secrets to impart other than run good.”
Gotcha.
He’s being modest, of course. The results have continued to come since his Brighton victory, and we all know you can’t run good all the time. So, we wondered if the live win impacted his mindset in any way.
“It’s a nice feeling to win a live tournament and once you’ve been there and done it, it gives you confidence,” he says. “The familiarity with it, and just believing… knowing that I know how it’s done.”
From the final two tables to navigating the final table bubble, ICM considerations to heads-up play, Spraggy feels like there’s nothing that could surprise him in tournaments now that he’s gone all the way and lifted a trophy. “I know what’s in front of me — the path and how it’s laid out.”
SHOWING THEM WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
The only thing that hasn’t clicked for Spraggy in 2023 the way he would have liked is his results at European Poker Tour stops. He’s been to every event this year and played his heart out, but a big breakthrough score eludes him.
“I feel like I’m always trying to do the things I want to be doing in the right ways,” he says. “So I don’t have any particular goals for the next year, or big regrets from this year. I’m very happy with where I’m at with both poker and content.”
Still, he’s found a way to get the most from his trips even when the cards don’t fall in his favour. Throughout 2023, Spraggy has been vlogging his experiences at poker stops across Europe and around the world.
“Typically when I was coming to PokerStars events before, I was away from the glare of the audience,” he says. “But live poker is booming, so instead of me coming and here and disappearing for two weeks in the eyes of the audience, I can now show them what it’s all about.”
MYSTERY BOUNTIES
As a new year approaches, so too does the New Year Series and the debut of mystery bounty events on PokerStars.
When we speak to Spraggy, he’s on a break from the €3,000 mystery bounty event at EPT Prague. Luckily for us, while a long line of his opponents queue up to pull their bounty envelopes, Spraggy has time to talk.
“I would love to tell you how fun the experience of winning mystery bounties is — I remember it from a far and distant past,” he says, laughing. “Every time I’ve won one in the past it’s been one of the more exciting things you can do in poker.”
“Ahh winning bounties. I remember it well…”
The mystery bounty format has certainly taken the poker world by storm. “I’m delighted they’re coming to PokerStars,” Spraggy says. “From a content perspective, there’s going to be some unbelievable moments.”
Just don’t expect those unbelievable moments to come from his own bounty prizes.
“I can’t wait for other people to enjoy the joys of winning a large mystery bounty prize, while I suffer the immeasurable, crushing disappointment of winning yet another min-bounty. I’ve never won more than a min-bounty!”
