Harvey Castro biography
Harvey Castro grew up in Flower Mound, Texas, and attended Southern Methodist University on a Division One soccer scholarship while pursuing a finance degree, an athletic background that shaped the mental discipline he later brought to the poker table.
His tournament career took off remarkably quickly after his first recorded cash in 2023, headlined by a title in the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event for $275,000 that same year, followed by runner-up finishes on the PGT and at WPT Thunder Valley, and a 5th-place finish in the star-studded 2025 WSOP $25,000 Heads-Up Championship.
Castro has credited his competitive athletic background for his ability to compartmentalize under pressure, saying that at the table "everything else becomes a blur" and he can focus solely on the game, while also crediting a faith-based mindset for managing the emotional swings of variance, saying his sense of self-worth "doesn't come from results" but from his faith. Alongside his own play, he has built a coaching business for aspiring professionals through his @HC_Poker stable.
Career summary
A former Division One soccer scholarship athlete turned rapid tournament success story, with over $1.5 million in earnings within two years of his first cash, headlined by a 2023 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event title for $275,000.
Harvey Castro poker winnings
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event | 1st | $275,000 |
Verified live tournament earnings: $1,500,000+.
2025 - WSOP $25,000 Heads-Up Championship - 5th
WPT Thunder Valley - Runner-up finish
Multiple PGT runner-up finishes
Harvey Castro playing style
A high-pressure, competitively trained player who uses athletic-honed compartmentalization and a faith-based mindset to manage variance, focusing narrowly on decision-making rather than results.
Cash games
Plays mid-to-high stakes cash games alongside his tournament schedule, balanced with a broader coaching business.
Business & sponsorships
Runs a poker coaching stable for aspiring professionals under the handle @HC_Poker; attended Southern Methodist University on a Division One soccer scholarship while pursuing a finance degree.
Why Harvey matters
A former Division One soccer scholarship athlete from Flower Mound, Texas, who channeled the compartmentalized focus and faith-based mindset he built on the pitch into a rapid rise on the tournament felt, going from his first cash in 2023 to over $1.5 million in earnings within two years.
FAQ about Harvey Castro
How did Harvey Castro's athletic background influence his poker game?
His experience as a Division One soccer scholarship athlete at SMU taught him to compartmentalize under pressure, a skill he has said lets "everything else become a blur" so he can focus entirely on the game during high-stakes moments.
What does Harvey Castro do outside of playing tournaments himself?
He runs a coaching stable for aspiring poker professionals under the handle @HC_Poker, sharing the mid-to-high stakes strategy and mental-game approach that fueled his own rapid rise in the game.
How much has Harvey Castro won playing poker?
Harvey Castro has won $1,500,000+ in live tournament earnings.
How many WSOP bracelets does Harvey Castro have?
Harvey Castro has not won a WSOP bracelet yet.