While much of the poker world was focused on the WPT Borgata Poker Open last week, there were a couple of smaller events running outside of Atlantic City that caught our attention.
In Tampa, 323 entrants turned out for the WPT Regional Florida Fall Tampa Bay Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The $1,500 buy-in event generated a prize pool worth more than $307,000 and paid the top 27 finishers, with first-place worth a whopping $86,065.
When all was said and done, Scott Anderson took home the title and more than $68,000 after negotiating a chop with second-place finisher Song O.
Meanwhile, over in Reno, there was no talk of a deal at the final table where WPT Champions Club member Steve Brecher added another $58,000 to his lifetime tournament earnings after winning the WPT Regional Nevada Western Poker Challenge at Atlantis Casino. With a buy-in of $1,650 and a $200,000 guarantee, this tournament attracted just 111 entrants and provided a nice overlay for those players who reached the money.
Payouts – WPT Regional Florida Fall Tampa Bay Open
- Scott Anderson – $68,393
- Song O – $68,393
- Alan Percal – $33,814
- Robert O’Rourke – $23,516
- Robert Allen – $17,522
- John McNulty – $13,526
Payouts – WPT Regional Nevada Western Poker Challenge
- Steve Brecher – $58,000
- Roger Sippl – $38,000
- Dean Freedlander – $25,000
- Jed Hoffman – $18,000
- Gerald Morrell – $14,000
- Rafael Ibaibarriaga – $10,000