Recreational Player Wins WSOP Main Event Seat at RPT Casino State Championship
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More than a decade ago, Preston Dean claimed the title of biggest winner in North Dakota poker history when he won the State Championship. He had been surpassed in the years since, but Dean took back his crown today on Championship Sunday of the record-breaking $250 Roughrider Poker Tour Casino State Championship.
Dean prevailed over a massive field of 1,655 entries to win the largest poker tournament ever held in the state, earning $49,300 and a WSOP Main Event package after slamming down a full house to defeat Steve Kelly heads-up.
RPT Casino State Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preston Dean | United States | $49,300 + $10,700 WSOP Main Event package |
| 2 | Steve Kelly | United States | $30,000 |
| 3 | Kim Rasmussen | United States | $23,000 |
| 4 | Kamden Keleher | United States | $17,000 |
| 5 | Shane Koenig | United States | $13,000 |
| 6 | Jamie Meidinger | United States | $10,000 |
| 7 | Mitch Hogue | United States | $7,700 |
| 8 | Kyle Shipman | United States | $6,200 |
| 9 | Riley Vareberg | United States | $4,300 |
“It means a lot. It’s been a long time since I won the state tournament, back in 2014 up in Minot. I’ve had some decent wins, a couple of fairly good RPT wins, and a lot of plaques and trophies from them, but to win another big one after this long, it definitely means a lot,” Dean said after claiming the championship belt.
Dean, who owns a Roto-Rooter franchise back home in Minot, began playing poker 15 years ago, mostly in bar tournaments and the state tournament in Minot. He earned $50,000 for taking the title in 2014, beating a field of more than 1,300 players. He also has nine trophies on the RPT since the start of 2020, but none as big as this one. He was happy to take his title back and etch his name into North Dakota poker history.
“Huge. Up until they started doing these, I was always the biggest winner in North Dakota history. And then last year of this one, I think with the WSOP seat, the payout was higher than my $50,000 win back in 2014. So it’s nice to get that title back,” he said.
Day 2 Action
The finale of the RPT Casino State Championship began with 165 players returning to the Spirit Lake Casino & Resort in St. Michael after surviving one of six starting flights.
New RPT Hall of Fame inductee Brent Slaubaugh (159th), Miles Barnum (144th), Tyler Kolness (83rd), and Tri-State Poker Championship winner Bridget Johnson (75th) were among those to be sent to the payout desk early in the day. Start-of-day chip leader Skyler Sand was eliminated in 64th place, while three-time RPT Player of the Year Arlie Brandvold bowed out in 56th.
From there, the pace quickened as familiar faces and former champions fell by the wayside, including defending champion Jon Maras, whose title defense ended in 52nd place. The field was eventually whittled down to a ten-handed final table late in the evening, with eventual runner-up Kell leading the way and Dean positioned close behind in second.
Kelly flexed his stack early at the final table, scoring several eliminations, but Dean stayed within striking distance as more stacks busted. Dean surged into the chip lead thanks to a massive cooler with pocket aces that wiped out both Kamden Keleher (queen-ten) and Kim Rasmussen (pocket kings) to set up heads-up play.
Heads-up lasted only a handful of hands. What began as a limped pot escalated quickly on the river, where Dean showed down kings full to seal the win.
Dean not only received the first place prize and championship belt for his historic achievement, but also earned a package to the WSOP Main Event this summer, which for the recreational player will be a dream come true. “Dreaming about it, hoping for a long time. It’ll be fun,” he said.
