Once this event got heads up, it turned into a carnival atmosphere. The drinks were flying as quickly as the cards, and at times, the players didn't seem overly interested in the outcome.
While Eli Elezra won nearly $200,000 in prize money, he made much more with the side action. He specifically mentioned a bet with Barry Greenstein -- Greenstein put him at 10-to-1 to win a bracelet this year, and Elezra bet $25,000. Elezra can now collect the $250,000, and during his interview he said, "I'm sorry, Barry Greenstein. I got you, baby!"
Elezra mentioned additional side action which might take his total earnings to $500,000 -- plus the paltry $200,000 of "official" prize money.
This is Eli Elezra's first WSOP bracelet, and before today, he was one of the best poker players in the world without one on his resume. That can't be said anymore.
Hand #177 - Scotty Nguyen is all in on third street, and he shows (7-7) A. Elezra shows (K-Q) 10. The final hands look like this on sixth street:
Eli Elezra: (K-Q) 10-7-3-J
Scotty Nguyen: (7-7) A-2-10-Q
Nguyen has the lead with a pair of sevens, but Elezra has a lot of outs -- an open-ended straight draw and four over cards. The last card is dealt, and both players take a very, very long time to look at their cards.
After about two minutes of back-and-forth teasing, Elezra starts to climb on the table with his knees, and he shows his last card -- the . Nguyen is drawing dead.
Eli Elezra wins the hand -- and his first WSOP bracelet -- with an ace-high straight.
Scotty Nguyen is eliminated in second place, earning $110,731.
Eli Elezra wins Event #24 ($3,000 Seven Card Stud Hi Lo), earning $198,984, a Corum watch, and a coveted WSOP bracelet.
Hand #175 - Elezra (2-8-9-Q) and Nguyen (4-3-7-2) take it to seventh street. Nguyen shows two pair, threes and deuces, and Elezra shows two pair, nines and eights. Elezra takes the pot.
It took Elezra a good 15 seconds to figure out he had the better hand. He then knocks over Nguyen's chips again. They are drinking and laughing like old friends.