Joe Matton Victorious in Event #12: $600 NLH for $22,775
PokerNews is in town to live report both the Main Event and High Roller here at the World Series of Poker Circuit Bicycle Casino, but those are just two of the gold ring events that will have played out by the end of the series.
In Event #12: $600 No-Limit Hold’em, 178 runners created a $91,670 prize pool that was paid out to the top 27 players including Dana Kellstrom (12th - $1,590), Shane Martin (19th - $1,075), and Sohale Khalili (21st - $1,075), just to name a few.
In the end, Joe Matton defeated Eddie Bryant in heads-up play to win the title and $22,775 first-place prize.
“I’ve definitely put the time in from studying and just playing a lot… I do have a full-time career, so it’s hard for me to play as often as a professional would,” said the 51-year-old recreational player. “So, for me to make this, and achieve this, I know it means a lot to people who love this game and I really feel fortunate to be a part of that.”
He added: “I’ve been really trying to play at a more competitive level for the last five years, and I’ve never been able to break through this and it just feels really good because I know how difficult it is … I have a lot of respect for people who do this for a living… I’m fortunate that I can do this for fun. I’m really happy with the job that I have today, but I think I’m definitely open to making that transition eventually because I just truly love the game.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Matton | Coto De Caza, California | $22,775 |
| 2 | Eddie Bryant | New Ellenton, South Carolina | $14,070 |
| 3 | Robert Kotecki | Santa Maria, California | $9,860 |
| 4 | Jason Hickey | Bakersfield, California | $7,070 |
| 5 | Sean Yu | Los Angeles, California | $5,190 |
| 6 | Jared Kawalsky | Los Angeles, California | $3,900 |
| 7 | David Jones | Long Beach, California | $3,000 |
| 8 | Mark Allen | Redondo Beach, California | $2,365 |
| 9 | Arkadiy Tsinis | Miami, Florida | $1,915 |