World Poker Tour® Tops Off Prize Pool,
Bringing Total to $2,000,000 and Doubling the Guarantee
Las Vegas, NV (July 7, 2016) – Andreas Olympios topped a massive field of 3,956 entries in Las Vegas to win the partypoker presents: WPT500 at ARIA Resort & Casino and the first-place prize of $260,000. Olympios, who hails from Manchester, England, entered the tournament with only $94,000 in live tournament earnings, but he didn’t feel the pressure under the bright lights of the final table set.
“I felt really relaxed, really focused,” Olympios said after the win “Everything fell into place.”
On the final hand, Olympios called an all-in bet from Wesley Hicks holding top pair on a king-high flop. Hicks, who entered the final table as the chip leader, flopped a pair of nines, and was unable to improve. He received $185,000 for his efforts.
“I haven’t really thought about what I am going to do with the money yet,” Olympios said with a grin. “We’ll start off with the party and see what happens from there.”
Final Table Payouts
1st Andreas Olympios – $260,000
2nd Wesley Hicks – $185,000
3rd Drazen Illich – $135,000
4th Robby Seurynck – $100,000
5th Jonathan Opas – $75,000
6th Sanjay Mayekar – $58,000
7th Khoan Ho – $45,000
8th Guy Gorelick – $35,000
9th Guy Cicconi – $27,150
With 3,956 entries, the partypoker presents: WPT500 at ARIA Resort & Casino smashed and nearly doubled the $1 million guarantee. The World Poker Tour® wanted it to be even higher, and decided to contribute to the prize pool along with the players.
WPT President and CEO Adam Pliska said, “Thanks to the tremendous support of the players, partypoker, and Sean McCormack and his staff at ARIA, the partypoker presents: WPT500 at ARIA Resort & Casino soared past the $1 million guarantee with 3,956 entries. World Poker Tour is honored by the commitment of our loyal players, and we happily topped off the prize pool, bringing it to an even $2 million.”
Sean McCormack, Director of Poker Operations at ARIA, added, “We have had a long-time partnership with World Poker Tour and I’d like to congratulate Adam and his entire WPT team on another successful event. Over the last three years, WPT500 has attracted nearly 13,000 entries to ARIA, giving players an opportunity to win a large cash prize at an affordable buy-in.”
The top 11% of players in each flight received a minimum of $950, and the 201 players who reached Day 2 all received a minimum of $1,500. Among the players who reached Day 2 but failed to make the final table were WPT Champions Club members Justin Young, James Calderaro, Alexander Lakhov, Dylan Wilkerson, and Rocco Palumbo; and WPT Player of the Year winners Andy Frankenberger and Joe Serock.
WPT co-host and partypoker ambassador Mike Sexton nearly reached the final table, bowing out in 21st place and earning $10,000.
Two members of Team ClubWPT reached Day 2, with Dave Schillaci exiting in 197th place ($1,500) and Rami Abdella in 123rd place ($2,500). partypoker qualifier Ashley Cheung also flirted with the final table, busting in 25th place ($10,000), and Richard King was eliminated in 134th place ($2,500).
Season XV of the World Poker Tour continues in Durant, Oklahoma from July 14- August 2, with the televised WPT Choctaw Main Event kicking off on July 29. For more information, including on how you can register for the event online, click here.
WPT Media Contact
Rich Ryan – [email protected]
About World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour (WPT) is the premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online, and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 15th season, which airs on FSN in the United States. Season XV of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com, a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 35 states across the United States. ClubWPT.com also sponsors Season 3 of the new WPT Alpha8 series of super-high roller poker tournaments which is currently in production and which airs on FOX Sports 1 in the United States. WPT participates in strategic brand license, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities. WPT Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of Ourgame International Holdings, Ltd. For more information, go to WPT.com.
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