Coming up on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, the World Poker Tour® will be back in Jacksonville, FL for the Season XV WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble. The $1 million guaranteed, $5,000 buy-in WPT® bestbet Bounty Scramble Main Event highlights a 23-event festival, and there will be more than 30 players in the event as special celebrity bounties. Knocking one of these bounties out will earn a player $2,500 in cash, plus a $5,000 bonus will be awarded to the chip leaders of each of the two starting days.
The WPT bestbet Jacksonville stop debuted on the tour in Season X, and has been a competitive and entertaining event attracting players from near and far ever since. Let’s take a look at the past five editions of the event.
Season X: Anthony Ruberto Wins Inaugural WPT bestbet Jacksonville
The first-ever WPT bestbet Jacksonville event attracted 393 entries and generated a prize pool of $1.277 million. The top 40 spots made the money, but it was Anthony Ruberto who finished atop them all when he conquered the field for a score of $325,928.
For Ruberto, the victory became not only the first WPT title of his career, but also the largest score and first overall title in any tracked major live poker tournament.
Ruberto defeated Sam Soverel in heads-up play, and Lisa Hamilton placed third. Vitor Coelho, Artie Rodriguez, and Darryll Fish rounded out the final table in places fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Season XI: Noah Schwartz Takes the Title
The second edition of WPT bestbet Jacksonville grew to 477 entries and generated a prize pool of $1.526 million. Walking away with the $402,972 top prize was Noah Schwartz after he defeated Byron Kaverman in heads-up play.
On the final hand between the two, Schwartz had top pair when the money went in on the turn against Kaverman’s two pair. Luckily for Schwartz, he made a higher two pair on the river and claimed the title.
Lee Markholt was also at the final table, busting in sixth place, and the top 45 places reached the money.
Season XII: Jared Jaffee’s Time To Shine
In the Season XII WPT bestbet Jacksonville Fall Poker Scramble, Jared Jaffee topped a field of 358 entries to score the $252,749 first-place prize.
Jaffee beat Blake Purvis in heads-up play to win the title, and the top 45 spots paid out. Finishing in the money was Jeff Madsen (15th place), Timothy Miles (23rd place), Jake Schwartz (33rd place), and Byron Kaverman (45th place). Also cashing was the event’s first-ever winner, Anthony Ruberto, who took 44th place.
Season XIII: Ryan Van Sanford Is the Best at bestbet
Ryan Van Sanford took down the Season XIII WPT bestbet Jacksonville Bounty Scramble for $421,068. He topped a field of 461 entries and took home the lion’s share of a $2.144 million prize pool.
Van Sanford beat out Chris Bolek in heads-up play for the title, with Brian Reinert coming in third place. Rounding out the final table were Jared Reinstein, Jason Helder, and Corey Hochman, finishing fourth through sixth, respectively.
The top 54 spots reached the money, and deep runs were had by Michael Gracz (12th place), Darryll Fish (21st place), Nick Yunis (30th place), and three-time NFL Super Bowl champion Richard Seymour (37th place).
Season XIV: Tyler Patterson Defeats Ben Zamani for the Win
Ben Zamani has been on quite the run on the WPT as of late, and it all began with the Season XIV WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble and his second-place finish. But last season’s event was more about Tyler Patterson, who won the event for $375,270 after he topped a field of 412 entries. It was the eighth WPT cash for Patterson, and the score was the largest of his live poker career.
Joining Patterson and Zamani at the final table were Stan Jablonski in third, Marvin Karlins in fourth, Ryan Dunn in fifth, and Jake Schwartz in sixth.
The top 53 spots were paid out from the $1.916 million prize pool, and some of those finishing in the money were Loni Harwood (9th place), Ray Qartomy (17th place), John Racener (27th place), and Christian Harder (38th place).
That wraps up our snapshot of the past editions of WPT bestbet Jacksonville. Stay tuned to WPT.com for more on this event, including coverage to start when the event kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 14.
For more information on the Season XV WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble, click here.