Because the inception of the World Poker Tour World Championships (WPTWC) in 2022, the WPT has constantly ensured that every version of its flagship competition gives one thing extraordinary to advertise the sport and provides again to the neighborhood that has made the WPT probably the most recognizable manufacturers in all of poker.
The inaugural WPTWC set a brand new commonplace by that includes a $15 million assure on its $10,400 WPT World Championship—the biggest assured prize pool in stay poker historical past on the time. Only a 12 months later, the WPT shattered its personal report, elevating the stakes with an unprecedented $40 million assure for its December 2023 showstopper.
For the 2024 instalment, the pattern of introducing a marquee characteristic continued. Within the build-up for the 2024 WPTWC, the tour introduced an progressive and unique occasion that had by no means been seen earlier than in poker—the ClubWPT Gold $5M Invitational Freeroll.
An Occasion Like No Different
The WPT shared that 2,000 Golden Passports, the ticket wanted for gamers to e book their seats on the desk, could be obtainable to be gained. Gamers might get their palms on one of many coveted passes by collaborating in qualifiers on ClubWPT Gold, the WPT’s new online-based sweepstakes poker platform. Moreover, WPT ambassadors and poker content material creators dished out Golden Passports by numerous competitions and giveaways. Even PokerNews despatched one fortunate participant to the freeroll. From the get-go, waves of poker fanatics and individuals who’d by no means squeezed a pair of playing cards of their lives put a Golden Passport on the prime of their Christmas wishlist.
It was a first-of-its-kind alternative within the pokersphere, made even sweeter with the affirmation that the match winner would stroll away with $1 million from the $5 million assured prize pool. Of that $5 million, $2,895,100 went into the common prize pool, whereas the remainder was cut up between Thriller Bounty prizes, which featured a $100,000 prime bounty envelope. 100 WPT World Championship tickets have been additionally among the many different prizes.
“Initially, I believe the dialogue was what if we did a $2.5 million three-day occasion, and it simply saved going up.” mirrored WPT CEO Adam Pliska as he defined how the freeroll got here to fruition.
“We might actually give again to the gamers by a mechanism that didn’t solely give them an opportunity to essentially take part in one thing that was distinctive in the course of the Championship competition but in addition, you already know, get the life-changing cash. It simply injects a level of enthusiasm into poker.”
The match ran from December 13-15, and the gamers who gained entry into the freeroll bought much more bang for his or her again when virtually 1 / 4 of the Golden Passport winners failed to indicate as much as Wynn Las Vegas.
On the morning of the opening shuffle-up and deal, the ambiance within the corridors as gamers slowly made their manner into the match room was one thing I would by no means seen or felt earlier than in my time of working within the poker business. As WPT’s Lance Bradley wrote, it actually did really feel like “first date vibes,” because the Passport winners mingled and exchanged how they every bought the possibility to participate in one thing historic.
The participant variety was additionally one thing to behold. You had the largest title in poker, Phil Ivey, in attendance, together with Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Brad Owen, Jamie Kerstetter and different figures in poker’s echelons. Then you definitely additionally had first-timers and amateurs. Many poker gamers commented it had a really native card room really feel regardless of a seven-figure prize on the road.
Playing cards Go within the Air
At 10 a.m. on December 13, the ever-charismatic face of the WPT, Lynn Gilmartin, took centre stage to kick off the occasion. WPT CEO Adam Pliska, joined by key figures like Tony Dunst, Vince Van Patten and Matt Savage, adopted with heartfelt due to the individuals for his or her unwavering help.
Playing cards then went within the air, and the primary story did not take lengthy to emerge. It was solely becoming that the occasion’s first elimination could be one thing really exceptional and one that will be remembered for a very long time.
Aaron Elam despatched one participant prematurely packing throughout the first orbit of play with a sickening unhealthy beat. Elam, a world champion Halo participant, picked up aces within the huge blind and bought his chips within the center in a five-bet pot that additionally noticed his opponent showdown aces.
Each gamers anticipated to cut the pot, however there was a glimmer of hope for the person aptly nicknamed “Ace” as he was freerolling to scoop the complete pot after the flop introduced in two golf equipment. Elam, who held the A♣, then picked up the flush draw on the flip. The river introduced in a fourth membership, giving Elam the checkmark and the right begin to the match.
The pot propelled Elam to a 228th-place end, good for a $1,700 payout, and the gaming legend can thank his Halo expertise for sending him to the freeroll as he defeated WPT International ambassador Patrick ‘Egption’ Tardif in a Halo contest the place a Golden Passport was up for grabs. Who ever stated that video video games have been a waste of time?
The preliminary subject of 1,457 shortly started to close the 503 paid locations, the place the min-cash was $1,000. PokerNews Podcast co-host and two-time WSOP On-line Participant of the Yr Mike Holtz was amongst these with a brief stack on the stone bubble. The truth is, his stack was so small that he was compelled all-in from the large blind. Jack-four could have been adequate for Robbi Jade Lew as soon as upon a time, but it surely marked the tip of Holtz’s journey as his less-than-ideal gap playing cards did not prevail over Christopher Byers’ aces and Poker Corridor of Famer Eli Elezra‘s ace-ten.
When 290 gamers remained, the Thriller Bounties got here out, which ranged from $500 to $100,000, and two six-figure envelopes have been obtainable to be gained. Victor Avallone, enjoying to avoid wasting his mom’s residence, took one among them. The opposite went to Josh Guindon, who joined the previous on the ultimate desk.
By the point the ultimate card was dealt on Day 1, the sector was decreased to 49 gamers, with Floyd Achtzehnter taking the in a single day chip lead. WPT Champions Eli Elezra, Darryll Fish, and seasoned grinders Femi Fashakin and Nick Pupillo have been among the many cohort to make it over the primary hurdle.
Nonetheless, that quintet of gamers have been despatched to the unsuitable aspect of the rail as Day 2 quickly progressed to the ultimate desk bubble.
The ultimate hand of the second stage noticed Ivan Tsao ship in his 1,500,000 stack. Chip chief Gheba known as from the small blind for the playing cards to go on their backs. Tsao tabled ace-five of hearts however was dominated by Gheba’s ace-ten. A 5 got here on the flop to present Tsao the lead, however Gheba discovered operating golf equipment to make a flush and produce the curtain down on Day 2.
ClubWPT Gold Participant Walks Away with Luxurious Sports activities Automobile
Main as much as the freeroll, ClubWPT Gold held prize drawings providing gamers an opportunity to win Golden Passports to the unique match, together with thrilling rewards like WPT chip units, unique merchandise, and Wynn Subject Membership seats for the December 16 Las Vegas Raiders vs. Atlanta Falcons sport at Allegiant Stadium.
But, one prize had each participant speaking. Up for grabs was a 2025 McLaren GTS sports activities automotive valued at an eyebrow-raising $240,000. Richard Wilson, a Las Vegas magician, was the lucky recipient of the car.
“That is exhilarating. It smells superb in right here. My gosh,” Wilson stated as he sat behind the wheel of the McLaren for the primary time.
“I’m at the moment driving a 2010 Subaru Outback, so that is 15 years newer—and about $245,000 costlier. It’s a giant improve.”
Nonetheless, Wilson opted to maintain his present set of wheels and traded within the sports activities automotive for a $150,000 money prize.
$0 ‘Distress Bounty’ Steals the Highlight on Last Desk
A number of hours after Wilson gained the McLaren, the ultimate desk of the freeroll started. Gheba, the overwhelming chip chief at the beginning, bowed out in third. Regardless of lacking out on the $1 million, he picked up a $200,000 bounty prize on the remaining desk to melt the blow. The match was finally gained by Chase Bricker, after he bested Jason Christopher in heads-up play.
Christopher took $250,000, however he’ll be remembered because the sufferer of probably the most elaborate trolls in poker.
Among the many remaining desk bounties, a merciless $0 was included and Christopher was the one to drag it from the briefcase. His response was shortly shared amongst the poker neighborhood and can be an enormous a part of the legacy that the freeroll created.
Pliska detailed why there was a $0 bounty within the combine on the remaining desk, saying “Should you return to Steve Lipscomb and his enterprise mannequin of placing poker on tv, he all the time stated he wished to do a five-act play and that poker was a Greek tragedy.
“Any person was going to win $1 million — that is a narrative. And anyone else did not get something. Nevertheless it’s all a part of the narrative. For probably the most half, it channelled some enthusiasm, and I believe individuals are nonetheless speaking about it.”
Photos courtesy of the World Poker Tour
Calum Grant
Senior Editor & Stay Occasions Govt
