George Psarras Wins Aussie Millions Event #17
Australia's George Psarras outlasted a field of 198 entrants to win Aussie Millions Event #17: AUD$2,500 No Limit Hold’em at at Crown Melbourne to collect AUD$111,385.
The victory represents Psarras' biggest cash haul, with his previous biggest win coming when he shipped the AUD$440 WSOP Circuit Sydney Opening Event for AUD$90,000 in November 2016.
Event #17 paid out 21 players, with Czech Republic's Lukas Soucek the first player to cash after bowing out in 21st place for AUD$4,455. Not too long later, 2015 WSOP Europe Berlin Event #2 gold-bracelet winner Dietrich Fast exited in 19th place for AUD$4,455.
Local poker legend Grant Levy was the first player eliminated at the final table, banking AUD$11,140 for his ninth-place performance. American Grayson Ramage (eighth - AUD$15,590), who appeared on his second Aussie Millions final table this year, was the next to go followed by Australian poker players Kiavash Arbabi (seventh - AUD$20,045) and Timothy Ulmer (sixth - AUD$24,500).
Players from three different countries were the next to exit the tournament. Taiwan's Yenhan Chen collected AUD$30,075 for fifth place, American Angelina Rich banked AUD$37,865 for fourth place and United Kingdom's Preben Stokkan took home AUD$46,775 for third place.
Australians Michael Tchong and Psarras were the last two standing in the tournament. Tchong was guaranteed to improve on his previous best finish in a live poker event, which came in 2014 when he took third place in the AUD$1,100 Australia Poker Hall of Fame Classic for AUD$21,750.
However, after the final cards were dealt, it was Psarras who earned the victory, leaving Tchong with the runner-up prize of AUD$73,510.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Psarras | Australia | AUD$111,385 |
| 2 | Michael Tchong | Australia | AUD$73,510 |
| 3 | Preben Stokkan | United Kingdom | AUD$46,775 |
| 4 | Angelina Rich | United States | AUD$37,865 |
| 5 | Yenhan Chen | Taiwan | AUD$30,075 |
| 6 | Timothy Ulmer | Australia | AUD$24,500 |
| 7 | Kiavash Arbabi | Australia | AUD$20,045 |
| 8 | Grayson Ramage | United States | AUD$15,590 |
| 9 | Grant Levy | Australia | AUD$11,140 |
