Steven was one of the Internet qualifiers at a time when the Internet elimination blackjack game did not exist. Details of how these players won their seat are sparse, but I believe they won the seats in a poker tournament at UltimateBet. (The other 6 players won their way onto the final table by defeating a 63 player field in a blackjack tournament held in Lake Las Vegas.)
It is quite possible that what you saw on TV was Steven Suh's first time ever to play a blackjack tournament, though I don't know that.
In addition, he may well have miscounted chips, and misunderstood his position.
Steven did win some cash for his finish. I don't have my notes handy to see the exact prize structure, but first place paid $50,000, second paid $25,000, and all seven received something.