It’s been a good, bank account-boosting week for 21-year-old Florida professional poker player Ryan Van Sanford, who cleaned up in the World Poker Tour Bestbet Bounty Scramble in Jacksonville to claim a first prize worth $421,068.
The $5,000 buy-in event featured forty players carrying a head bounty of $2,500 and a million dollar guaranteed prize pool that attracted 461 entrants, more than doubling the size of the pool.
Poker ace spotters reported that big name aces like Christian Harder, Mike Gracz, Jacob Bazeley, Jamie Gold, Shannon Shorr and Anthony Zinno were playing in the tournament.
Four days on, the final table facing chip leader Van Sanford comprised Chris Bolek, Brian Reinert, Jared Reinstein, Jason Helder and Corey Hochman.
The heads up saw Van Sanford and Chris Bolek facing off, with Van Sanford holding a 3 to 1 chip lead, which he masterfully managed into a victory in just 16 hands to score his biggest career win yet.
Bolek’s second placing was worth $182,853.