From Mid-Flight Heroics to Poker Glory: Sinéad Davenport Wins $400 Deepstack Challenge Event
When Sinéad Davenport boarded a flight to Las Vegas in 2024, she had no idea she’d be the reason someone else made it there alive. Midway through the transatlantic journey, a fellow passenger collapsed and began choking.
With no working medical equipment onboard, Davenport, who had only recently left her nursing career to pursue poker full time, sprang into action and her swift response helped save a life at 35,000 feet.
Fast forward to 2025, and Davenport’s latest Vegas trip is off to a flying start of a very different kind.
On Wednesday, she topped a competitive field in the $400 Daily Deepstack, part of the 2025 PokerNews Deepstack Challenge, earning $15,067 and capturing the ninth recorded tournament win of her career. The result pushes her over $450,000 in live earnings, continuing a remarkable run that began with a breakout 2024 on the UK circuit.
The event paid 31 players and built a $70,902 prize pool. Davenport outlasted a tough final table that included Branden Shimamoto, Mika Hilaire, and Shayne Mogilski.
Davenport once again proved that she’s a force on both sides of the Atlantic, and that her 2025 grind is just heating up.
Read more about Sinéad Davenport’s incredible poker journey
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinéad Davenport | $15,067 |
| 2 | Branden Shimamoto | $9,992 |
| 3 | Mika Hilaire | $6,822 |
| 4 | Adam Greenlee | $4,793 |
| 5 | Shayne Mogilski | $3,467 |
| 6 | Aaron Magers | $2,585 |
| 7 | Jennifer Zewe | $1,989 |
| 8 | Drake Espenlaub | $1,580 |
| 9 | Carson Davis | $1,298 |