Shaun Deeb is one of the best tournament poker players in the world, but he is also known as one of the best at getting people to make crazy bets against him.
In 2023, Shaun made one of his wildest prop bets yet, with billionaire philanthropist Bill Perkins betting that he could not get his body fat down to 17% within a year.
At the time, Shaun was experiencing significant body weight issues, and his body fat stood at 40.2%. Getting it down to 17% within 12 months seemed like a massive challenge, but Shaun was up for it.
Unlike many of his other prop bets, this one actually had a massive benefit beyond the money, as losing the body fat was certainly the healthy choice.
Yet, when the bet was first made, many believed it could not be achieved and that Shaun would not be willing to do what it takes to reach the goal.
The Rules Are Set
Before the prop bet could start, the two sides had to agree on the exact rules. Fortunately, there weren’t many in place, as Bill didn’t seem to mind what methods Shaun used to get to the 17% goal.
To begin with, Bill agreed he would be betting $1,000,000 against Shaun’s $100,000, giving him 10:1 odds on the bet, which seemed fairly reasonable considering the difficulty of the challenge set before Shaun.
Beyond that, it was agreed that Shaun has exactly 12 months to reach his goal, and that the sides could negotiate an early buyout if they so choose.
Beyond that, there were very few rules to keep in mind. Deeb was allowed to eat what he wanted, work out how he wanted, and use any supplements or drugs he thought would help him.
Many in the poker community believed Shaun would try to go down the route of heavy medication and avoid doing things the natural way, but what happened was the exact opposite.
Deeb Locks In for the Challenge
Shaun Deeb was someone known in the poker world for his love of the good life and his complete unwillingness to give up the things he enjoys for his health.
So, when he started living like an athlete in 2023, his fans and friends were left in utter shock. Shaun started out by assembling a strong team of coaches and nutritionists, who would help lead him down the path he needed to follow to reach his goals.
Yet, even with their help, getting to 17% body fat was a massive challenge, as Shaun would have to lose many pounds of body fat, gain lots of lean muscle mass, and maintain his habits for months on end.
Just like he does at the poker tables, Deeb locked in completely, giving up other things in his life for the sake of winning. It wasn’t about the money, but rather about showing himself and the world he could do it.
The early months were difficult, but as time went by, Shaun started to show results. As Shaun’s weight and body fat index started to go down, the support for his cause grew, and it seemed like he might actually have a chance to win.
Perkins’ Noble Goals
Prop bets are often made out of spite or rivalry, but the one Bill Perkins made with Shaun Deeb was made for the exact opposite reasons.
While he never actually wanted to lose a million dollars, Perkins said in multiple interviews that he saw this as a bet he could not really lose.
If he won and Shaun didn’t reach his goal, he would get $100,000, which didn’t mean much to him considering his wealth, but he would walk away a winner.
If he lost, on the other hand, it would mean that Shaun had turned his life around, and despite losing a million dollars, helping a friend do that would be victory enough.
In making this bet, the author of “Die with Zero” once again demonstrated his unique perspective and take on life.
The Bet Enters the Final Stretch
With just a few months left before the 2024 World Series of Poker, when Shaun and Perkins were meant to finalize their bet, Shaun had gotten his body fat down to 23.9% and was well on his way to reaching the 17% goal.
Deeb had lost over 50 pounds of fat, gained significant amounts of muscle, and looked more fit than ever before. His fans could hardly recognize the poker champion, and this was already a victory of sorts.
As the WSOP was approaching, Shaun faced some additional challenges, as balancing his workouts and diet with his family life was getting difficult, but he wasn’t about to let anything stop him.
With his wife as a huge support, Shaun was able to keep making progress every day, which eventually prompted Perkins to start negotiating a buyout.
As Bill was now convinced he would lose, he offered Shaun an $800,000 buyout, but only if he agreed to the pledge that he would continue working toward the 17% goal despite winning the bet.
In February, the two settled the bet, and Perkins paid Deeb $800,000, while Shaun published multiple videos talking about his journey and pledging to keep up with the workouts and the healthy habits, although perhaps not as extensively as he had been doing up to that point.
Winning In Life and at the Poker Tables
The body fat loss prop bet he made with Bill Perkins was perhaps the best decision of Shaun’s entire life, as it was the first time ever he was able to attain a healthy figure and physique.
Since getting back to the poker tables following the prop bet, Shaun was able to win three new WSOP bracelets, become the WSOP Player of the Year in 2025, and is currently in contention for the same title in 2026.
Getting healthier helped Shaun become a better poker player, a better father and husband, and likely live a much longer life than he had originally planned for, as he often said he didn’t expect to live past his 50s.
While Shaun hasn’t exactly remained the gym freak he had been during the year before the 2024 WSOP, his incredible efforts have demonstrated that nothing is impossible with sufficient discipline, willpower, and dedication.
