Benjamin “bencb” Rolle – Online-poker mastermind and 2025 WSOP Online Main Event champion

On 23 September 2025 Benjamin “bencb” Rolle etched his name into poker history by capturing the $5k WSOP Online Main Event. The German professional and founder of Raise Your Edge outlasted nearly 6,000 entrants, earned $3.9 million, and, most importantly, secured his first World Series of Poker bracelet. The triumph was particularly meaningful after his 8th-place finish in the same event a year earlier. Entering the final table as chip leader, Rolle dominated the action and sealed victory in a heads-up duel against Anatoly Zlotnikov.

This profile traces Rolle’s journey from his early life in Cottbus, Germany, to becoming one of the most respected minds in modern poker.

Benjamin Rolle was born on 3 February 1989 in Cottbus, Germany. A talented athlete, he played youth football for Energie Cottbus and other local clubs before discovering poker during his college years. His first job as a supermarket cashier left him uninspired, and he soon turned his competitive focus to online poker. Starting with $1 sit-and-gos, he endured multiple bankroll busts before committing to disciplined study and eventually grinding his way up to the highest stakes.

• 2014 SCOOP victory: Rolle’s first major breakthrough came when he won a Spring Championship of Online Poker event on PokerStars, earning around $200,000.
• 2016 WCOOP $102k Super High Roller: He captured worldwide attention by defeating a final table stacked with elite players such as Phil Ivey, Fedor Holz and Isaac Haxton. A heads-up deal with Holz secured him $1.17 million and solidified his reputation as one of the best online tournament players.
• Consistency at the top: Over the years, Rolle added SCOOP and WCOOP final tables, a GGMasters title, Super MILLION$ wins, and multiple GGPoker high-roller trophies. By 2025 his total online tournament winnings exceeded $35 million.

For years Rolle played anonymously under aliases such as “bencb789.” His reputation grew through Twitch streams and strategic hand reviews, which eventually led him to reveal his identity in 2019. This marked the beginning of a more public presence, including podcasts, interviews and direct interaction with the poker community.

In 2014 Rolle founded Raise Your Edge, which quickly became one of the most respected training platforms in online poker. Its Tournament Masterclass is widely regarded as a benchmark for high-level strategy education, blending GTO concepts with practical exploitative adjustments. Through Raise Your Edge, streams and social media, Rolle has influenced thousands of players, shaping how modern tournament poker is studied.

Beyond strategy, Rolle emphasizes mental and physical balance. He has worked with performance coaches, practised meditation and hypnotherapy, and trained with professional fighters to develop discipline and endurance. This holistic approach has become a hallmark of his career.

• PokerStars Team Pro (2021–2023): Rolle represented PokerStars as a global ambassador, streaming and promoting responsible study.
• CoinPoker (since 2024): He later joined CoinPoker, aligning with its crypto-focused ecosystem while continuing to play the toughest online tournaments.

In 2024 Rolle reached the WSOP Online Main Event final table but started short-stacked and finished eighth for $651,921. The result fueled his determination to return and win the following year.

The 2025 edition drew 5,961 entries and built a prize pool of more than $28 million. Rolle began the final table as chip leader and never relinquished control. He eliminated multiple opponents, won key pots with ace-king, and eventually closed the tournament when his king-queen prevailed against Zlotnikov’s ace-nine.

• 1st: Benjamin Rolle – $3,900,707
• 2nd: Anatoly Zlotnikov – $3,006,763
• 3rd: Felix Rabas – $2,318,640
• 4th: Daniel Smiljkovic – $1,788,027
• 5th: Marco Perez – $1,378,866
• 6th: Santiago Plante – $1,063,360
• 7th: Andreas Christoforou – $820,073
• 8th: Amit Ben Yacov – $632,473
• 9th: Zengxiang Chen – $487,813

The victory ended a 21-hour marathon across two days and gave Rolle redemption for 2024 while cementing his place among online poker’s greats.

Rolle has generally maintained a clean reputation, though he faced criticism in 2021 after comments on gender in poker were perceived as dismissive. He later apologised, but the incident sparked discussion on inclusivity in the game.

Despite his online dominance, Rolle has only modest live results, with around $125,000 in live earnings and a best cash of approximately $45,000. His 2025 online bracelet remains his signature achievement.

At 36, Benjamin “bencb” Rolle embodies the evolution of online poker: analytical, disciplined, physically and mentally prepared, and committed to education. His Raise Your Edge platform has shaped countless careers, while his own success has proven the effectiveness of constant study and adaptation.

The 2025 WSOP Online Main Event victory is more than a bracelet—it is validation of over a decade of grinding, teaching and innovating. Rolle’s influence will endure, both through his own play and through the generations of players he continues to mentor.