It was solely February this 12 months, however one of many massive tales from early 2024 was Shaun Deeb’s daring $1 million prop guess with hedge fund supervisor Invoice Perkins.
Slightly below 12 months earlier, the five-time WSOP bracelet winner wagered $100,000 towards Perkins that he might scale back his physique fats to 17% by the beginning of the 2024 World Sequence of Poker (WSOP). With 10:1 odds, Deeb stood to win $1 million if profitable.
Having undergone an enormous bodily transformation, the fruits of the story noticed Deeb settle for a six-figure buyout in early 2024, displaying that the period of high-stakes prop bets is not over!
The Guess That Sparked a Transformation
In March 2023, Deeb weighed 306 kilos and was set the duty of drastically decreasing his physique fats proportion from 40.2% to 17%. When surveyed, virtually two-thirds of PokerNews readers stated that his probabilities had been between “extremely unlikely” and “not an opportunity in hell.”
Early gymnasium classes had been grueling, however his willpower remained steadfast. “I’m coming for you, Invoice,” he declared, sharing updates along with his rising social media viewers.
Quick ahead to January 2024, and Deeb’s efforts had been paying off. A follow-up scan revealed his physique fats had dropped to 23.9%, down from over 40%. He had shed greater than 80 kilos, slicing his fats mass in half—from 119.2 kilos to 53.2 kilos.
With simply over three months remaining earlier than the WSOP, Perkins supplied Deeb an $800,000 buyout, recognizing Deeb’s willpower and the probability of reaching the 17% objective. Deeb accepted however pledged to proceed his health journey out of respect for individuals who had aspect bets on his success.
Balancing Health, Household, and Poker
“(Perkins) knew I used to be forward of tempo, knew my trainers had been doing all the things proper. I used to be sustaining my lean muscle mass,” Deeb informed PokerNews in a February 2024 interview.
“The one problem I had was simply balancing house life and the children, giving my spouse a break, or making an attempt to do this with out utterly neglecting them,”
To reduce the chance of damage, his coach adjusted exercises at any time when Deeb skilled discomfort.
“My coach would again off for worry of damage on days I had even the slightest trace of ache,” he defined.
Deeb credit assembling a top-notch health workforce—coach, nutritionist, and therapeutic massage therapist—inside 48 hours of accepting the guess. “Understanding what I do know a 12 months later, I had the best workforce,” he mirrored. This well-rounded help system ensured he adopted the best train routine, maintained a high-protein eating regimen, and prioritized restoration.
All through the journey, Deeb stayed disciplined, not often deviating from his plan. “Final week, there have been cookies on the counter, and I broke off one little nook and ate it. That was my cheat for like a month,” he recounted.
Even after accepting the buyout, Deeb remained laser-focused. “I didn’t have fun, didn’t have pizza, didn’t cheat on meals, didn’t delete my meal plans. I’m dedicated to proving to folks it’s doable. And if I can do it, anybody can do it.”
What do you consider Deeb’s story? Might you see your self taking over a problem of this magnitude, or does the chance outweigh the reward? Share your ideas under!
Chad Holloway
PR & Media Supervisor
