Laplante, Cheong & Costa Among Early 2023 Wynn Million Side Event Winners
Table Of Contents
- Ryan Wolfson Wins Big in $1,600 Mystery Bounty Event
- Wynn Millions $1,600 Mystery Bounty Final Table Results
- Ryan Laplante Finally Captures Long-Awaited Wynn Trophy
- Wynn Millions $600 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Results
- Joseph Cheong Nabs Early Title in $600 NLH
- Wynn Millions $600 NLH $200K GTD Final Table Results
- Former Aussie Millions Champ Peter Costa Wins $1,100 Seniors Event
- Wynn Millions $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD Final Table Results
- 2023 Wynn Millions Winners Thus Far
The 2023 Wynn Millions kicked off on February 20 and is slated to run through March 19. While the $3,500 buy-in, $3 million GTD Wynn Millions Main Event, which kicks off today, is capturing the big headlines, there have been a series of side events playing over the past couple of weeks.
Follow live updates from the 2023 Wynn Millions here!
Ryan Wolfson Wins Big in $1,600 Mystery Bounty Event
From February 23-26, the $1,600 buy-in, $1.5 million GTD Mystery Bounty took place. With 1,270 entrants competing over three starting days, a $2,463,800 prize pool was created. Among those to make relatively deep runs and earn a piece of the regular prize pool were Nipun Java (14th - $12,303), Eric Baldwin (15th - $12,303), Qing Liu (18th - $9,300), Ben Palmer (21st - $8,125), and Adam Hendrix (22nd - $8,125).
A deal was worked at the final table that ultimately saw Ryan Wolfson of Westbury, New York take $130,080 in prize money plus nine bounties for a total of $163,580 in prizes.
Wynn Millions $1,600 Mystery Bounty Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Wolfson | Westbury, NY | $130,080 |
| 2 | Mike Allis | Post Falls, ID | $93,132 |
| 3 | Tyler Willse | Lake Tapps, WA | $76,317 |
| 4 | Brady Osterman | Henderson, NV | $74,265 |
| 5 | Ken Einiger | Las Vegas, NV | $67,232 |
| 6 | Ike Nlemchi | Houston, TX | $63,232 |
| 7 | Pervez Ahmed | Newbury, Park, CA | $47,304 |
| 8 | Vuong Do | Anaheim, CA | $22,981 |
| 9 | Danith Ham | San Digeo, CA | $19,391 |
As for those who captured big bounties, check out this PokerNews Twitter thread for videos of some of the biggest moments:
Follow this thread throughout the day for the biggest envelope draws from the #WynnMillions $1,600 Mystery Bounty E… https://t.co/YpG7DO2AvO
— PokerNews (@PokerNews)
Check out the Wynn Poker Room review here on PokerNews!
Ryan Laplante Finally Captures Long-Awaited Wynn Trophy
In the $600 H.O.R.S.E. tournament, 92 runners generated a $47,380 prize pool awarded to the top 11 finishers. Two players to cash for $1,279 apiece but fall just short of the final table were Svetlana Gromenkova (10th place) and Ke Chen (11th place).
It was the 19th final table appearance in a Wynn tournament by poker pro Ryan Laplante, but amazingly he had never taken home a coveted trophy. That all changed when he closed out the tournament to the tune of $12,401 after a heads-up deal with Tony Phan, who claimed $12,400 in prize money.
Wynn Millions $600 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Laplante | Las Vegas, NV | $12,401* |
| 2 | Tony Phan | Las Vegas, NV | $12,400* |
| 3 | Daniel Anton | Las Vegas, NV | $5,761 |
| 4 | Ryan Roeder | Missoula, MT | $3,970 |
| 5 | Lawrence Berg | Las Vegas, NV | $2,961 |
| 6 | Leonard August | North Bergen, NJ | $2,350 |
| 7 | Gail Sarett | Las Vegas, NV | $1,928 |
| 8 | Frank Menendez | Tampa, FL | $1,630 |
| 9 | Lindsay McDougal | Las Vegas, NV | $1,421 |
*Denotes heads-up deal.
Joseph Cheong Nabs Early Title in $600 NLH
From February 21-23, the $600 NLH $200K GTD saw 805 entrants generate a $414,575 prize pool, which was reserved for the top 88 finishers. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Tuan Mai (13th - $5,511), Chris McNulty (18th - $3,608), Cole Ferraro (20th - $3,608), Jeremy Pekarek (29th - $2,412), Ben Palmer (35th - $2,412), and Rachel Whetstone (39th - $2,118).
The final table contained several well-known poker players including Elvis Toomas (7th - $10,737), David Jackson (4th - $23,258), and James Van Alstyne (3rd - $32,876). In the end, it was Joseph Cheong defeating Vinny Pahuja in heads-up play to win the tournament for $74,670.
Wynn Millions $600 NLH $200K GTD Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Cheong | Las Vegas, NV | $74,670 |
| 2 | Vinny Pahuja | Jersey City, NJ | $48,339 |
| 3 | James Van Alstyne | Las Vegas, NV | $32,876 |
| 4 | David Jackson | Jacksonville, FL | $23,258 |
| 5 | Julio Pulido | Garland, TX | $17,122 |
| 6 | Russel McClean | Las Vegas, NV | $13,349 |
| 7 | Elvis Toomas | Las Vegas, NV | $10,737 |
| 8 | Dor Peleg | Scotsdale, AZ | $8,913 |
| 9 | Ryan Awwad | Sacramento, CA | $7,515 |
Former Aussie Millions Champ Peter Costa Wins $1,100 Seniors Event
From February 27-28, the $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD saw 240 entrants generate a $232,800 prize pool, which was reserved for the top 27 finishers. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Michael Ruter (10th - $4,598), Danny Bigelow (14th - $3,562), Cy Williams (19th - $2,863), and Arnie Friedman (25th - $2,363).
At the final table, a three-way deal was struck that ultimately saw Peter Costa win the tournament for $44,179. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you recognize Costa as the winner of the 2003 Aussie Millions Main Event for $221,862.
“Just before the mass shutdowns due to COVID in 2020, I decided that I had unfinished business with poker,” Costa shared on social media. “It was just a matter of when rather than if, regardless of the fact that I was not getting any younger … This year, I was determined that the unfinished business needed to be finished.”
He continued: “Looking back at this event, it really was fun seeing the numbers dwindle down with me and my short stack being mere bystanders for the most part … I was just enjoying the moment for it was - a fun time with really nice people.”
Some of his accomplishments that year included victories in the $300 Limit Hold’em event at the California State Poker Championship for $115,662; Bellagio’s $2,500 Limit Hold’em for $112,000; $5,000 Championship Event at the 2002 Hall of Fame Poker Classic for $101,520; a pair of victories at the 2002 Four Queens Poker Classic for nearly $40,000; and winning the Late Night Poker Series 6 Grand Final for $78,275.
Wynn Millions $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Costa | Las Vegas, NV | $44,179* |
| 2 | Mark Gregorich | Las Vegas, NV | $39,376* |
| 3 | Mark Johnson | Las Vegas, NV | $35,454* |
| 4 | Brendan Shiller | Las Vegas, NV | $16,529 |
| 5 | Nick Phoenix | Encino, CA | $12,175 |
| 6 | Sejo Kasic | Las Vegas, NV | $9,382 |
| 7 | Larry Wright | McQueeney, TX | $7,543 |
| 8 | Gary Simpson | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $6,262 |
| 9 | Dennis Pollock | Grand Junction, CO | $5,331 |
*Denotes three-way deal.
2023 Wynn Millions Winners Thus Far
| Date | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Hometown/County | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 20 | $500 NLH $50K GTD | 290 | $124,700 | Maher al Mouselly | Calgary, Canada | $30,228 |
| Feb. 21 | $600 H.O.R.S.E. $30K GTD | 92 | $47,380 | Ryan Laplante | Las Vegas, NV | $12,401 |
| Feb. 21-23 | $600 NLH $200K GTD | 805 | $414,575 | Joseph Cheong | Las Vegas, NV | $74,670 |
| Feb. 24 | %400 PLO Turbo $20K GTD | 129 | $43,860 | Pete Rocha | Victoria, TX | $10,965 |
| Feb. 26 | $400 NLH $40K GTD | 325 | $110,500 | Brian Hughes | Las Vegas, NV | $21,271 |
| Feb. 23-26 | $1,600 Mystery Bounty | 1,270 | $2,463,800 | Ryan Wolfson | Westbury, NY | $130,080 |
| Feb. 27-28 | $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD | 240 | $232,800 | Peter Costa | Las Vegas, NV | $44,179 |
| Feb. 28 | $400 NLH $40K GTD | 296 | $100,640 | Patrick Hackenburg | Manhattan, KS | $24,395 |
PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.
