WPT Borgata Champ in the Field: Viny Lima Talks Poker and Business

By Sean Chaffin

As Day 1B of the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open plays out, Season XVII champion Viny Lima (pictured) is among those in the field. Last year, he finished off the event as one of the first winners at  HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor Las Vegas. Lima topped a field of 1,415 for a score of $728,430 and is happy to be back in the field.

This season, Lima won’t play too many events because his girlfriend is having their first child. The couple also recently bought a new house. Beyond poker, he’s working on a new business venture in the medical sales field. The company is getting close to launch and will focus on wholesaling TENS units and other pain management devices. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator and are small portable devices that can be used to relieve pain in different parts of the body.

Business has always been an interest for the 25-year-old – especially sales. He’s now hoping to use some of those skills in his entrepreneurial effort.

“Ever since I was 16, I’ve always had some sort of interest in sales,” he says, “whether it was buying and selling a car or shoes or anything I can get my hands on really and flip for a profit and still give somebody the best deal they could find. I’ve always been interested in sales. I think the backbone of it is making money and not working for anybody else.”

In July, Lima played at the WPT Gardens Poker Festival and put together a deep run – finishing 15th for $19,225. In November, he came close to adding a WSOP Circuit ring to his resumé after finishing runner-up for $11,102 in a $400 event at Planet Hollywood.

The Borgata championship came after Lima received some backing from 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Scott Blumstein after the two met on a basketball court in Las Vegas. An injury has curtailed some basketball for the time being, but Lima enjoys hiking and spending time with his girlfriend.

“After the win, I played at the World Series of Poker and had a break-even summer,” he says. “Now I haven’t been able to travel and play a lot.”

How would it feel to put together another deep run at Borgata?

“The timing would be perfect with a baby on the way,” he says. “It would kind of validate some things and it would be another surreal experience if I could go back to back.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions