Scott Blumstein, a 25-year-old online professional poker player entering his first World Series of Poker main event, clinched the title, his first bracelet and $8.15 million in cash in the early hours of Sunday morning local time after a gruelling heads up against Pennsylvania online poker pro Dan Ott (25).
The two were part of a trio of finalists who reconvened late Saturday afternoon at the Rio in Las Vegas to decide the winner, with Blumstein holding a significant chip lead.
The original entry field for the Main Event this year numbered 7,221 – the third biggest in WSOP history.
On the 246th hand of the final table Blumstein, who has dominated the final table with a massive chip stack that grew to two-thirds of the chips in play, finally managed to oust Ott, sending him to the rail and a runner up prize of $4,700,000.
Ott put up an admirable fight despite a 5 to 1 chip disadvantage, and it took 65 hands to defeat him in the heads up confrontation.
Blumstein, a graduate accountant turned professional player, scored the win with a final hand of an ace of hearts and a two of diamonds after Ott 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.
Earlier, the plucky French pro Benjamin Pollack kept the excitement levels high as his chip stack rose and fell in some epic clashes, especially with Ott, but in the end the Pennsylvanian pro dispatched him at third for $3,500,000.
Pollack’s downfall was a three-way pot in which he bet 35 million; Ott responded with 45 million and Blumstein called, putting both at risk. However, Ott had the winning hand and picked up the pot, and Pollack was history.
The French pro’s departure at around 9pm local time set up a heads up that many thought would be relatively short, given Blumstein’s 5 to 1 chip lead, but it was just the start of a tough and competitive contest between two skilled and determined players.
Blumstein told reporters after his big win that the cash gave him the freedom to choose from a variety of life options that included poker, starting a business or furthering his education.
“I have the freedom to do that now. That’s the American dream in my eyes and finding happiness is part of that. What a good way to get there,” he said.