Belgian hedge fund manager and poker ace Galen Hall (33) is $888,888 wealthier this morning after his profitable victory in the World Series of Poker $888 buy-in Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed event.
The big win brings his career live tourney earnings to over $5 million, and adds a maiden WSOP bracelet to his achievements.
Hall held the chip lead and dominated the action for much of the competition, which attracted a record field of 8,598 entrants, well above the 2017 entry list of 8,120. The buy-ins generated a prize pool of $6,871,521 from which 458 players cashed at least $2,702.
In the closing stages of the contest, with just three players left, the survivors had to take a disruptive two-day break to make room at the Rio for the massive Main Event field, but they returned to the felt on Thursday with Hall holding the lead over Latvia’s Eduards Kudrjavcevs (32) and another Belgian player, Niels Herregodts.
Over the next 55 hands Hall continued to dominate play as Herregodts busted at third for $355,888 and the game went into a comfort break before the heads up stage.
Hall retained his lead as the heads up with Kudrjavcevs started, and it took Hall just six more hands to dismiss his final opponent, sending the Latvian to the exit and a second placing reward of $476,888.
Other final table cashes included:
Andrey Zaichenko $266,888
Alexander Kuzmin $201,888
Jeremiah Miesen $153,888
Martin Stausholm $117,888
Philip Tom $90,888