ClubWPT.com Qualifier Bill Mynatt Shoots to Thrill at WPT Five Diamond

By Matt Clark

The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic is prestigious for a number of reasons. Not only does the event consistently carry the largest prize pool of the season, it also gives ClubWPT.com members the chance to compete with the very best in the world.

Bill Mynatt (pictured) earned his seat after joining ClubWPT.com for the second time in July 2017 and drove all the way from Wyoming to Las Vegas with his wife, Connie, to play today.

“We took time driving down,” Mynatt told WPT.com. “I’m an avid western reader and I took time driving down the Spanish Forks, through Salt Lake City, and other stuff in the area.”

There are fans of the World Poker Tour across the country and Mynatt is chief among them. He watches all episodes and recently watched Bellagio episodes in the leadup to this week.

Mynatt is enjoying his first trip to Las Vegas and says he is on the “lifetime freeroll” by playing this week. That freeroll is giving Mynatt sky-high expectations for the week. First place is expected to approach $2 million and Mynatt envisions himself with a few extra commas to his name by the time the tournament ends.

“To me, it’s like I’m walking on cloud nine,” Mynatt said. “No matter what I do in poker, I’ve got a freeroll from this point forward because I’m here. I plan on winning the bitch. I plan on going all the way and winning it. If every other poker player doesn’t have that attitude, then what are they doing here?”

There are no soft tables in play on Day 1 and Mynatt’s follows that trend with Season XIII WPT Five Diamond champion Mohsin Charania on his right.

If Mynatt had to pick his “dream table” it would become even tougher with legends of the game next to him.

Mynatt’s favorite players are Doyle Brunson and former WPT Five Diamond champions Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari. In his brief time at the Bellagio this week, Mynatt managed to snag Brunson’s autograph and watch the “Godfather of Poker” play in Bobby’s Room.

Brunson played a role in improving Mynatt’s game as he read Super System and found the book integral in allowing him to achieve both cash game and tournament success.

By the end of the tournament (outside of winning, of course), Mynatt hopes to have either one of the three bust him or he knocks out one of them. So far, Brunson, Esfandiari, and Negreanu have yet to register.

In the early goings, Mynatt is hanging in near the starting stack of 30,000 and has a plan in place to reach his goal of winning the event.

“Today, I want to be chip leader,” Mynatt said. “That’s my shot, it’s what I’m going for.”

With his playlist that includes AC/DC, Kid Rock, and Metallica plugged into his ears, Mynatt is going full throttle in his pursuit of a World Poker Tour title.

Looking to win your way to a World Poker Tour event for your shot at becoming a WPT champion? Play for your chance on ClubWPT.com, where eligible VIP Members can play for over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month, including seats to WPT events, no purchase necessary.