Rajaee Wazwaz

Rajaee “Rob” Wazwaz is a highly respected poker player from Minnesota whose career took off on the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT). He notched his first major MSPT victory in 2018 at Canterbury Park, earning $109,375. This win set the stage for a series of consistent cashes that would eventually secure his place in the MSPT Hall of Fame. By 2021, Wazwaz had amassed 25 MSPT Main Event cashes, culminating in an 11th-place finish in the MSPT Venetian $1,600 Main Event for $26,753. With that result, he became just the eighth player to earn induction into the MSPT Hall of Fame, a testament to his sustained excellence on the tour. Beyond MSPT, Wazwaz also claimed his first Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) title at East Chicago in 2018, winning $173,385 and crossing the $1 million career earnings mark. This victory demonstrated his ability to dominate live events across the Midwest.

Wazwaz’s biggest career achievement came at the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) when he won Event #25: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deep Stack. Outlasting a massive field of 4,062 entrants, he took home $353,346 and became just the tenth Minnesotan in history to win a WSOP gold bracelet. This score remains the largest of his career. He has consistently performed at the WSOP, with deep runs in multiple events. In 2025, he finished as the runner-up in Event #92: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty, earning $207,510. Other notable WSOP cashes include a 16th-place finish in the 2025 $800 Summer Celebration ($25,020) and a 50th-place finish in the 2023 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha ($5,454). His versatility is evident in his success across both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha events.

In recent years, Wazwaz has continued to prove his skill on the felt. At the 2025 WPT World Championship at Seminole Hard Rock, he finished 8th out of 1,224 entrants in the $3,500 event, cashing for $76,000. He remains a force on the MSPT, with frequent cashes in 2025 and 2026 at venues such as Running Aces, Riverside Casino, and Potawatomi. His recent results also include a 34th-place finish in the MSPT Running Aces Main Event ($3,533) and an 8th-place finish in the MSPT Riverside Main Event ($18,111). Wazwaz’s ability to switch between high-stakes events and mid-major tours showcases his adaptability and deep understanding of tournament poker.

Wazwaz is known for a tight-aggressive style, mixing patient preflop play with calculated aggression postflop. He excels at reading opponents and controlling pot sizes, traits that have served him well in both small and large fields. His calm demeanor at the table has earned him the unofficial nickname "Silent Killer" among peers, though he is also known for his willingness to share strategy insights. With over $3.4 million in live earnings, a WSOP bracelet, and induction into the MSPT Hall of Fame, Rajaee Wazwaz has cemented his legacy as one of the top players from the Minnesota poker scene and a consistent threat in tournaments nationwide.