{"id":1413,"date":"2024-12-16T07:56:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/?p=1413"},"modified":"2024-12-23T13:03:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T13:03:55","slug":"the-wpt-mints-two-millionaires-in-two-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/2024\/12\/16\/the-wpt-mints-two-millionaires-in-two-days\/","title":{"rendered":"The WPT Mints Two Millionaires in Two Days"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Champions crowned<\/h2>\n

Someone winning a million dollars isn\u2019t cool. Do you know what is cool? Two people winning a million dollars. On back to back nights in the Wynn Ballroom, Las Vegas, the World Poker Tour (WPT) crowned two champions, both of whom walked away with a colossal seven-figure payday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Zak VanKeuren emerged victorious after a virtuoso performance<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On Saturday, the WPT Prime Championship reached its denouement in front of a packed and rowdy rail. The talented Zak VanKeuren emerged victorious after a virtuoso performance, thoroughly dominating his opponents over seven hours of engrossing poker. <\/p>\n

On Sunday, ClubWPTGold made history as it concluded its much-hyped and eagerly anticipated $5 Million Freeroll. The 36-year old former semi-poker pro turned businessman Chase Bricker won his entry via a random drawing, parlaying that good fortune into an actual fortune after he was the last person standing in the unicorn poker event. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Nine to six<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not every day you get to watch someone turn $1,100 into $1,162,350 but I had a front row seat for exactly that as the WPT Prime Championship played from nine down to a winner in the Wynn, Las Vegas. Kevin Calenzo held the overnight chip lead but there was a chasing pack brimful of quality, all of whom had boshed and carved their way through a gargantuan field of 9,670 entrants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One major threat was in the form of former WPT champion Justin Young who found the last bet time and time again on the penultimate day, opening light, three-betting light, and never afraid to put it all on the line when he had a read. However, in a surprising turn of events, he was coolered out of the tournament in ninth, running Ace-King suited into the Aces of Calenzo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Maximum pain for @WPT<\/a> Champions Club member @Justinyoung07<\/a> \"\ud83d\ude28\"<\/p>\n

He takes home $114,000 for 9th place.<\/p>\n

\"\ud83d\udcfa\"Livestream – https:\/\/t.co\/w7vOBzPGos<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/wZkwxAh8FM<\/a><\/p>\n

— WPT Live Updates (@WPTlive) December 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The short stack Ralph Marquez was next to depart after his Queen-Ten suited succumbed to VanKeuren\u2019s King-Jack. This came much to the delight of Ryan Stiner who was also grinding shallow. Moments later, he would clamber his way up another rung of the payout ladder after a painful mis-step by Colin Hung who hero-called versus quads. <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Is @ZakVankeuren<\/a> in dream land? \"\ud83d\ude32\"<\/p>\n

\"\ud83d\udcfa\" Livestream – https:\/\/t.co\/w7vOBzPGos<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JDzlnpCKCd<\/a><\/p>\n

— WPT Live Updates (@WPTlive) December 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

VanKeuren put on a big-stack masterclass <\/h2>\n

From there, VanKeuren put on a big-stack masterclass, small-balling his way into a clear lead. Jim Casement managed a big double when his Ace-Queen overcame the Ace-King of Calenzo. Both Stiner and Joe Ozimok found gambling spots to bow out in sixth and fifth, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n

VanKeuren continued with the relentless aggression, putting even more daylight between him and his opponents. He nudged and nurdled, winning most of the small but then he also had the goods in the big ones. With 7-5 suited, he smashed the J-7-7 flop versus Malik Zaman, whose J-T was doomed when a Ten hit the turn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

The fours held, setting up a heads-up contest between Casement and VanKeuren<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With three players left, VanKeuren had 70% of the chips in play and a stranglehold over two opponents who he was manipulating into a race for second. With the opportunity to play pots versus one another few and far between, Casement launched all in with pocket fours from the button for 22 big blinds, a somewhat rash move that was met with a rasher still small blind call from Calenzo with Jack-Ten suited. The fours held, setting up a heads-up contest between Casement and VanKeuren.\u00a0<\/p>\n

VanKeuren takes it down<\/h2>\n

Notably, there was a camaraderie between the players on the final table that did justice to the occasion and the shared experience by all of having navigated such a mammoth field. That was particularly in evidence at the death between VanKeuren and Casement, who for four days had both played out of their skins.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Heads-up lasted nineteen hands with a bit of to and fro but, in the end, it would come down to a standard spot. VanKeuren limp-trapped Ace-King and Casement shoved with King-Jack. The board ran out clean and VanKeuren\u2019s rail erupted. He had promised them all a late night trip to the McDonalds drive-thru after all.<\/p>\n

$1,162,350 plus a $10,400 seat to the 2025 WPT World Championship were the spoils of victory, a huge payday for a man whose poker career is in the ascendancy having won a WSOP bracelet online in July and chopped the NAPT Cup just a month ago here in Las Vegas. Playing well and running well is an unstoppable combination. <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

A new @WPTPrime<\/a> Champion is CROWNED! \"\ud83d\udc51\"\"\ud83c\udfc6\"@ZakVankeuren<\/a> takes down the $1,100 @WPTPrime<\/a> Championship @WynnLasVegas<\/a> @WynnPoker<\/a>, earning himself the title and $1,162,350 including a seat to the @WPT<\/a> World Championship!<\/p>\n

Congratulations to our newest @WPTPrime<\/a> Champion! pic.twitter.com\/SJnduCUoQq<\/a><\/p>\n

— WPT Prime (@WPTPrime) December 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

WPT Prime Championship final table standings:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1st:  Zak VanKeuren  –  $1,162,350
2nd:  Jim Casement  –  $759,890
3rd:  Kevin Calenzo  –  $560,000
4th:  Malik Zaman  –  $420,000
5th:  Joe Ozimok  –  $320,000
6th:  Ryan Stiner  –  $240,000
7th:  Colin Hong  –  $186,000
8th:  Ralph Marquez  –  $145,000
9th:  Justin Young  –  $114,000<\/p>\n

2000 Golden Passports awarded<\/h2>\n

Less than 24 hours later, another hopeful nontuple took their seats in the arena with dreams of winning life-changing money. For this one, ClubWPTGold awarded 2000 Golden Passports, 1,457 of which were claimed. A top-heavy structure promised a cool million dollars to the winner with lots of mystery bounties and WPT World Championship seats adding to the fun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A day and a half on the felt whittled the field down to a final table which included StakeKings CEO Tyler Hancock, poker pros Patrick Eskandar and Daniyal Gheba, and the 2022 $800 WPT Steps Mystery Bounty winner Chase Bricker. There was also a Cinderella story developing with poker novice Victor Avallone pledging to take whatever money he won to help his mom keep her home.<\/p>\n

\n

Gheba took two out by the roots, claiming the big $200,000 bounty and another $25,000<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Right out of the gate, Gheba took two out by the roots, claiming the big $200,000 bounty and another $25,000 to boot. A three-way clash saw Josh Guindon bust in seventh. Card death became Hancock who fell in sixth. Eskandar and Avallone were eliminated in fifth and fourth, respectively. Meanwhile, poker novice Jason Christopher was making progress, adding to his stack, as was Chase Bricker. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Bricker wins a cool million<\/h2>\n

The unique payout structure removed most of the ICM implications so the final three were all free to play close to chip EV poker. Chips went back and forth as the players jostled for rank. Gheba eventually got short and shoved 7-3 suited blind versus blind, running into the pocket Kings of Bricker who took a 5-2 lead into heads up play. <\/p>\n

In the final hand, Bricker induced with Ace-Queen and Christopher moved all-in from the big blind with Ace-Ten. A dry board was met with a primal scream from Bricker and a rapturous round of applause from all assembled. As runner-up, Christopher earned himself $250,000 but it was a cool million for Bricker. <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Chase Bricker is our newest @WPT<\/a> made millionaire! \"\ud83c\udfc6\"<\/p>\n

Chase Bricker wins the @ClubWPTGold<\/a> $5,000,000 Invitational Freeroll, getting into the event for FREE and winning the top prize of $1,000,000. \"\ud83d\udcb0\"<\/p>\n

On top of that, he pulled four final table bounties to earn an additional\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/kA0v5S2dnw<\/a><\/p>\n

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) December 16, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

WPT $5M Freeroll final table standings:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st:  Chase Bricker  –  $1,000,000
2nd:  Jason Christopher  –  $250,000
3rd:  Daniyal Gheba  –  $125,000
4th:  Victor Avallone  –  $75,000
5th:  Patrick Eskandar  –  $50,000
6th:  Tyler Hancock  –  $40,000
7th:  Josh Guindon  –  $30,000
8th:  Eric Zheng  –  $25,000
9th:  Jacob Stufflebean  –  $20,000<\/p>\n

Final table mystery bounties:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

$200,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Daniyal Gheba
$50,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Chase Bricker
$25,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Daniyal Gheba
$25,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Chase Bricker
$25,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Chase Bricker
$10,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Daniyal Gheba
$10,000 \u00a0– \u00a0Chase Bricker
$0 \u00a0– \u00a0Jason Christopher<\/p>\n

The post The WPT Mints Two Millionaires in Two Days<\/a> appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Champions crowned Someone winning a million dollars isn\u2019t cool. Do you know what is cool? Two people winning a million dollars. On back…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1413"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1414,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1413\/revisions\/1414"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extraniceshirts.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}