Practice, Practice, Practice
A rookie card player with a degree in accounting is this year’s World Series of Poker champion.
New Jersey native Scott Blumstein won the series’ marquee no-limit Texas Hold ’em main event early Sunday in Las Vegas surrounded by dozens of supporters including relatives and college friends.
He is now more than $8.1 million richer after eliminating Pennsylvania’s Daniel Ott on the 246th hand of the final table, more than 60 hands with just the two of them with bricks of bills and a gold bracelet separating them.
‘I’m really happy about how I played tonight,’ said Blumstein, who’s 25.
‘This is just one poker tournament. It takes variance and luck and playing your best, and all those things came together, and I’m happy to be the winner.’
Blumstein’s final hand of an ace of hearts and a two of diamonds ended up being stronger than that of Ott, who went all in with an ace of diamonds and an eight of diamonds.
The community cards were a jack of spades, a six of spades, a five of hearts, a seven of hearts and a two of hearts. It was the last card that prompted Blumstein’s supporters to erupt.
‘I’m really happy with the result, really happy with the deuce because I was playing good, but I’m pretty tired of poker at this point honestly, and to have to go back and battle pretty deep again, I wasn’t looking forward to it,’ said Blumstein, who fell to his knees near his supporters after the two of hearts was revealed.
Blumstein, Ott and seven other players reached the final table after having bested more than 7,200 participants.
Unlike the past several years, the final nine players didn’t have to wait until November to take their spots at the final table. Each of them was guaranteed at least $1 million.
The famed tournament marked the end of this year’s series, in which dozens of tournaments drew 120,995 entrants from around the world, shattering attendance records.
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