Former Aussie Millions Champ Peter Costa Wins $1,100 Seniors Event
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 is capturing the big headlines, there have been a series of side events playing over the past couple of weeks.
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.
and Boivin led out with a bet of 3,200. The button called and the 
landed on the turn. Boivin made another small bet of 4,000 and his opponent still called.
completed the board and Boivin slid out a stack of 5,000 chips. His opponent sighed and called off his last roughly 40,000 chips. Boivin tabled 
for a set of fives which was good enough to eliminate his opponent who held 
, an early position player checked to Alex Foxen who bet out 8,800, which his opponent called. 
river the action was checked to Foxen who cut out a bet of 19,500 and his opponent went deep in the tank. After close to two minutes of thought, the early position player tossed in a single chip for the call. 
for the pair of twos bluff, while his opponent tabled 
for the winning hand.
and the big blind checked to Mandavia who continued with a bet of 1,600. His opponent called and the 
landed on the turn.
flop hit the felt. The two players got all of their chips in the middle and it was deemed that both players had the exact same stacks.
on the turn gave Schumacher a flush draw but he was already drawing dead with Lin making a full house. The 
and the big blind checked to Khalili who continued for 2,900. Morgan elected on a raise to 12,000 and it folded back to Khalili, who after some thought, made the fold.
