Seipol and Badziakouski Win Big at WPT World Championship

Unlike the 2023 GGPoker tournament which ended on a scandalous note, the World Poker Tour World Championship recently concluded at Wynn Las Vegas without such controversy. Overall, the event proved to be wildly successful with two of the biggest winners of the series being Dan Sepiol and Mikita Badziakouski.

Badziakouski won the $1 million Big One for One Drop, earning a career-best $7.1 million. Dan Sepiol won the WPT World Championship Main Event, earning a career-best $5.2 million. However, the WPT World Championship may be remembered less for Sepiol’s win and more for the massive multi-million dollar overlay.

Mikita Badziakouski Newest Big One for One Drop Champion

One of the highlights of the WPT World Championship Festival was the return of the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop. From 2012 until 2018, the World Series of Poker hosted the Big One for One Drop charity event. The $1 million buy-in is best known for Antonio Esfandiari winning the inaugural event and a then-record $18.34 million top prize.

However, attendance fell by almost half by the 2018 edition, and the One Drop went on hiatus. The event returned in 2023, but this time hosted by the World Poker Tour. While the event was well-publicized amongst the high roller community in poker, the event drew the smallest field yet.

There were just 17 entries in this year’s Big One event, with only the top four players earning a payday. Isaac Haxton came in 4th place and took away $1,224,800. Dan Smith was a favourite going into the final table but had to settle for third and $2,806,750.

Heads-up play was between Mikita Badziakouski and Mario Mosboeck. Mosboeck started heads-up with a 2 to 1 chip lead, but Badziakouski managed to storm back and took a 3 to 1 lead. In the final hand, Mosboeck shoved with K-J against A-9 for Badziakouski. The board blanked both players, and Mosboeck had to settle for the runner-up prize of $4.66 million.

Mikita Badziakouski is the 2023 Big One for One Drop Champion, earning a career-best $7.11 million. Also, the One Drop charity earned over $1 million in donations from player buy-ins.

WPT World Championship Main Event Has $2.41 Million Overlay

Overlays are rare in major poker events. Lately, when those overlays occur, the host casino will either add extra starting flights to meet the guarantee or abandon the guarantee altogether.

The WPT World Championship Main Event shocked the community when its $40 million guarantee fell short by $2.41 million. However, the WPT paid the overlay in the name of providing a quality player experience.

World Poker Tour CEO Adam Pliska told the poker media in attendance following the event that the guarantee was a bit of a stretch, but overall, the series exceeded their expectations. In the end, if the players walk away feeling they got value for the event, it was successful.

Dan Sepiol Wins WPT World Championship and $5.28 Million

The WPT World Championship Main Event drew a field of 3,835 entries, all looking to take advantage of the massive overlay. The event’s final table proved to be a superstar event headlined by Chris Moorman, Andrew Lichtenberger, Ben Heath, and Artur Martirosian.

In the end, a relative newcomer to the game walked away with the title. Dan Sepiol defeated Georgios Sotiropoulos for the title and a career-best $5.28 million in prize money. While Sepiol had wins on the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker Circuit, he had never won a major title until now.

Just a couple of years ago, Sepiol was a glorified recreational player and won a social media contest for an opportunity to play in a home game with Phil Ivey and Steve Aoki. Now, he is a WPT World Champion and one of poker’s brightest new stars.

Hopefully the news of these Poker pros winning big has inspired you to play at the best online casinos in 2024.