Thuận B. "Scotty" Nguyễn (born October 28, 1962) is a Vietnamese-American professional poker player who is a five-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, most notably as the winner of the 1998 World Series of Poker Main Event and the 2008 World Series of Poker $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship. He is the first, and currently only, player to win both the WSOP Main Event and $50,000 Players' Championship. Early life Scotty Nguyen was born in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Due to the conflict in Vietnam, his mother sent him out of the country, first to Taiwan. He came to the United States at the age of 14 after finding a sponsor in Orange County, California. He was expelled from school for spending too much time in underground poker games. Nguyen attended dealer school at the age of 21 and was employed at Harrah’s poker room. While with Harrah's, he made about $150 a night and lost most of it playing $3–$6 stud. He described himself as a "fish" but wanted to gamble regardless. His luck improved in 1985 when he was invited to Lake Tahoe to deal in a no-limit Hold’em tournament. He dealt all day and played cash games all night with the meager bankroll he brought with him. He built his bankroll to $7,000 and felt he was invincible. He returned to Las Vegas and gambled his bankroll up to $1 million. His name spread around Vegas and soon he began playing poker with Johnny Chan, Puggy Pearson, and David Grey. He purchased a Chevrolet Camaro for $17,000, a Corvette for $21,000, and a condominium for $60,000 all in cash. He lived in Caesars Palace and was winning $50,000 to $900,000 a night. Bad habits plagued Nguyen; recreational use of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol developed into full-scale addictions. After a costly losing streak, he ended up going broke. Nguyen was spared a room and $5,000 in cash. Poker career Nguyen had to rebuild his bankroll after losing his million. His next success came at the 1997 World Series of Poker where he won the $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better event, netting a profit of over $150,000. Unfortunately, Nguyen blew this bankroll again and was completely broke shortly before the 1998 World Series of Poker. Nguyen had to play in a small satellite tournament which he did not even have enough money to buy into. Mike Matusow saw potential