Joseph Stiers

Joseph Conor Stiers, commonly known as Joseph Stiers, is a poker player from Silver Spring, Maryland. His recorded live tournament earnings total approximately $99,392, accumulated through a series of cashes in regional events, primarily on the East Coast of the United States. Stiers has been described as a professional poker player, though his career has been marked by controversy and legal disputes with casino operators.

Stiers' results are tracked in The Hendon Mob poker database, where his records appear under two separate entries: one as "Joseph Stiers" and another as "Joseph Conorstiers." The latter entry lists a residence in Washington, DC, while the primary record shows Silver Spring, Maryland. This discrepancy has fueled speculation that Stiers may have used a second form of identification to circumvent a casino ban.

His most notable tournament results include a cash in the 2016 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which, along with other cashes from that year, was recorded under the munged name "Joseph Conorstiers." Stiers has also claimed to have spent over $200,000 on WSOP entry fees over his career, though his documented winnings from those events do not match that expenditure.

In 2017, Stiers was evicted from the WSOP Main Event after tournament staff discovered that he had been banned from Caesars Entertainment properties since 2015. The ban stemmed from repeated incidents of card counting at blackjack tables in the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore. Stiers had been ejected from the casino for card counting and later attempted to enter a poker event at the same facility, only to be removed again.

Following his eviction from the 2017 WSOP Main Event, Stiers filed a lawsuit against Caesars Entertainment (CEC), the parent company of the WSOP. The core of his complaint sought the return of his $10,000 buy-in plus $150,000 in alleged expected value from his tournament stack. The lawsuit also included extensive arguments about the unfairness of being barred from Caesars-owned WSOP events as a professional poker player. Critics have noted that Stiers' history of disregarding casino rules undermines his claims of unfair treatment.

Stiers is not widely known for a distinctive playing style, but his tournament results suggest a steady, grinding approach typical of players who focus on smaller buy-in events. He has been described as a "grinder" who builds his bankroll through consistent cashes rather than major titles. However, his reputation has been overshadowed by the blackjack card-counting incidents and the subsequent legal battle, which have led some to view him as a player who does not respect casino authority.

The Stiers case has become a notable example in poker circles of the consequences of casino bans and the legal challenges that can arise when players are excluded from major events. His lawsuit against Caesars Entertainment highlighted the tensions between professional players and casino management, though the outcome of the case is not publicly documented. For many, Stiers serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of adhering to casino policies and the potential fallout from attempting to circumvent bans.