[8] When the blinds were 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante earlier in the 2012 Main Event, Merson was down to 50,000 chips,[9] meaning he nearly had to settle for a $52,718 payday and an approximate 150th-place finish.

[10] On Day 7, he began in 12th place of 27 remaining entrants, but was the chip leader when the field was narrowed to 12 players.

[12][13] As a result, he was the leader in the 2012 WSOP Player of the Year race following the main Las Vegas set of events.

[14] In the early morning of October 30, Merson became one of three to go to the final day of the WSOP 2012 Main Event, alongside Jesse Sylvia and Jacob Balsiger.

[19] Prior to his 2012 bracelet wins, his biggest payout in any tournament came when he owned a 5% stake in a player who succeeded at a PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, earning himself $75,000.

His best personal tournament result was a 2nd-place finish in the 1,564-person $200 + $15 July 25, 2010 PokerStars Sunday Second Chance event where he earned $40,664.

[3][22] Merson overcame both marijuana and cocaine addictions before winning the World Series of Poker.