The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) event at the Choctaw Casino and Resort has run its course, with the Main Event ring, along with the top prize of $237,307, going to Philip Bertram.
The festival, which kicked off on October 30, awarded $3.1 million in prizes before the close of play late on Sunday.
Along the way, the festival also found fingers for 18 new WSOPC rings.
Main Event Action
When the WSOP Circuit was last in town for an event at the Choctaw Durant it was still July and the Main Event attracted 1,017 entries for a $1,540,755 prize pool. Both these numbers were down a little for the November edition of the event.
This time around, the WSOPC Choctaw Durant $1,700 Main Event pulled in 944 entries split across two Day 1s. This resulted in a prize pool of $1,430,130.
The top spot went to Phillip Bertram, who had a little under $60k in live cashes before he took home the $237,307 first prize.
Among the other player’s who cashed were poker legend T. J. Cloutier who came 38th for $5,884 and ring winners Thai Ha and Justin Kruger both of whom earned their rings at the Choctaw Casino earlier during the festival.
WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phillip Bertram | North Richland Hills, TX | $237,307 |
| 2 | Zachary Baron | Dallas, TX | $158,217 |
| 3 | Michael Perrone | Chicago, IL | $110,000 |
| 4 | Robert Peacock | Las Vegas, NV | $78,345 |
| 5 | Vincent Pratt | Sachse, TX | $56,538 |
| 6 | Lawrence Wayne | Houston, TX | $41,509 |
| 7 | Vincent Rubianes | Stockton, CA | $31,013 |
| 8 | Benjamin Anderson | Killeen, TX | $23,587 |
A Round of Tequila Shots
Bertram’s journey to the top took three days, battling through the nearly thousand–strong field and the effects of at least one tequila shot. The whole final table knocked back a round of Jalisco’s finest during the second blind level. After that, the final table action picked up a bit.
In the end, it came down to either Bertram or Zachary Baron, a Dallas-based poker player who came third in the July edition of this event.
Baron looked set to go all the way this time, coming into heads up play with a three-to-one lead over Bertram.
However, a few smaller losses and a big missed draw first reduced, then eliminated Baron’s stack, leaving Bertram to collect his paycheck and the WSOPC ring. Baron took home $158,217 for his second-place finish.
Upcoming Action
The WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant may be done and dusted, but the WSOP Circuit Grand Victoria is still underway in Illinois.
After that, there are only three more stops to go in 2024.
First, the WSOPC hits up the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles from November 14 to 25; then it’s off to the Horseshoe in Las Vegas on November 21; and last of all Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina on November 28.
You can see the full results from the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant below.
WSOP Circuit Choctaw Durant Full Series Results
| EVENT | ENTRANTS | PRIZEPOOL | WINNER | HOMETOWN | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $130 Seniors Kick-Off | 651 | $65,100 | Jeff Wilkins | Forney, TX | $8,243 |
| Event #2: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 170 | $34,000 | Fuat Temiz | Grapevine, TX | $8,243 |
| Event #3: $300 Monster Stack | 343 | $82,320 | Badr Imejjane | Frisco, TX | $16,971 |
| Event #4: $250 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo | 85 | $25,000 | Kenneth Biggs | Henderson, TX | $7,082 |
| Event #5: $500 No-Limit Hold’em – The Gargantuan | 1,246 | $523,320 | Trung Pham | Houston, TX | $74,822 |
| Event #6: $250 Ladies Event | 110 | $22,000 | Ruth Hall | Round Rock, TX | $5,762 |
| Event #7: $300 No-Limit Hold’em | 348 | $83,520 | William “Tom” Goddard | Lakewood, WA | $17,129 |
| Event #8: $500 Pot-Limit Omaha | 143 | $60,060 | Tae Livermore | Dallas, TX | $15,257 |
| Event #9: $250 Seniors Event | 500 | $100,000 | Dan Lowery | Peter Pender, AR | $18,682 |
| Event #10: $300 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack | 312 | $74,880 | Steve Lamphear | Grove, OK | $15,870 |
| Event #11: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty | 200 | $103,000 | Donald Howell | Weatherford, TX | $14,676 |
| Event #12: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 166 | $33,200 | Justin Kruger | Krugerville, TX | $8,136 |
| Event #13: $500 No-Limit Hold’em | 667 | $280,140 | Jeffrey Muehlhausen | Henryetta, OK | $47,047 |
| Event #14: $1,700 MAIN EVENT | 944 | $1,430,130 | Phillip Bertram | North Richland Hills, TX | $237,307 |
| Event #15: $300 No-Limit Hold’em | 193 | $46,320 | Eric Adascheck | Little Elm, TX | $10,900 |
| Event #16: $400 No-Limit Hold’em – The Twilight | 183 | $60,390 | Mohammad Nabatian | Dallas, TX | $14,348 |
| Event #17: $400 No-Limit Hold’em – The Finale | 208 | $68,640 | Thai Ha | Philadelphia, PA | $16,137 |
| Event #18: $250 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo | 127 | $25,400 | Donovan Dean | Rainsville, AL | $6,344 |