The kid had found his groove. Next up was another win at the European Poker Tour London High Roller event. He topped a tough, tough final table of experienced well bankrolled pros and won just shy of another million. So in less than a year, the kid from Florida had milked the Europe Poker Tour to the tune of over 2.6 million.
Yet, it’s almost like if doesn’t happen at the WPT or WSOP Americans are none the wiser. So when this years WSOP came around Mercier put his stake in to poker’s firmament and to say you can now call me a bracelet winner. He bested a large Pot Limit Omahafield to capture his first bracelet. That was worth another 200k+. Still Jason hadn’t gotten the memo to become a name pro you not only have to do it at the World Series it also has to be televised.
So, he trudged on in anonymity but then he got his TV final table. It hasn’t aired yet, but it will, and Mercier, in yet another loaded final table at the World Series of Europeoutlasted two November Niners, and battled toe-to-toe with eventual winner Barry Shulman and second place finisher Daniel Negreanu. Still, it was disappointing for Mercier because he saw a huge chip lead vanish, but he pocketed almost half a million for fourth.
That tournament saw Daniel Negreanu move into first place all time for tournament winnings. Yet, in less than a year it’s amazing that Mercier’s already won a quarter of Negreanu’s lifetime earnings. As for money won in Europe he has to be one of the all time leaders if not number one.
There are a ton of young guns supposedly chomping at the bit who cut their teeth online and are ready to take over the live poker world. They always say that, at least for the last five years, Mercier at least is proof they are out there, and they are taking over.