WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table Set

The record-breaking WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown has reached the official six-handed final table. One of those lucky six finalists will walk away with $1,261,095. However, they have a little wait on their hands because the final table is not scheduled until May 18.

Any worries the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown organizers had about a potentially low turnout were quickly dashed. Players turned out in droves to support the event, despite players and dealers separated by plexiglass screens.

Some 2,482 players bought into the tournament for $3,500 over the course of two starting flights. The bumper turnout is a record for the World Poker Tour, the numbers surpassing the 2,384 entrants from the 2013 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open $10 million guaranteed event.

The WPT slapped a $2 million guarantee on the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. $7,942,400 went into the prize pool, going some way to show how unexpected this crowd was.

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Pays Out 311 Places

A significant chunk of the $7,942,000 prize pool has been dished out already, with 311 players paid. The money bubble burst without much fanfare, paving the way to a score of at least $6,195.

Darren Rabinowitz, Dylan Wilkerson, Nate Silver, Dylan Linde, Faraz Jaka, and Anthony Zinno all cashed.

Jerry Wong banked the tournament’s first five-figure prize, $10,325 when he busted in 103rd place. Christian Harder, Jason DeWitt, Tim Reilly, Tony Dunst, and Blair Hinkle also padded their bankrolls.

Day 4 ended when Canadian star Erik Cajelais bowed out in seventh place. Sonny Franco min-raised to 800,000 with Ah-Qd from the cutoff. Brekstyn Schutten called on the button before Cajelais squeezed all-in for 6,175,000. Franco called, but Schutten ducked out of the way.

Cajelais revealed Kd-Jd and needed some help from the community cards. That help never arrived as the board ran 6s-5h-2h-8c-7c, resigning Cajelais to a $203,405 prize.

$1,261,095 Awaits the Champion

Each of the six players at the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown locked up $261,700. Anyone navigating their way to third-place secures a prize just shy of $600,000. However, the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown champion nets $1,261,095, one of the WPT’s biggest-ever payouts.

The aforementioned Sonny Franco is the man in pole position when the final table commences on May 18. The Frenchman has almost $2.5 million in winnings but is guaranteed his largest payday even if he busts in sixth.

Brekstyn Schutten is another finalist guaranteed a career-best prize. Schutten won $135,214 back in March 2019 when he finished third in a $1,700 WSOP-C event. He has all but doubled that previous best thanks to reaching the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown final table.

This latest score pushed Steven Snyder‘s winnings through the $1 million mark. Snyder now has three scores of at least six figures. Can he make one of those prizes seven-figures?

Ken Aldrige returns to the final table third in chips and could be a dark horse. The WSOP bracelet winner, who hails from North Carolina, has his best results in mixed games. His bracelet victory, however, came in a $1,500 NLHE Six-Handed event at the 2009 WSOP.

Albert Calderon and Viet Van Vo are the final table’s short stacks with 13 and 10 big blinds, respectively. Calderon won a $1,100 event in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2019 for $237,000. Texan Vo has a WSOP-C ring to his name and more than $2.2 million in earnings.

WPT Final Table Chip Counts

The WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown final table takes place on May 18 in Las Vegas. The PokerGO Studio at the Aria Resort & Casino is the chosen venue.

Seat	Player	Chips	Big Blinds
1	Brekstyn Schutten	31,350,000	78
2	Ken Aldridge	10,600,000	27
3	Steven Snyder	15,975,000	40
4	Viet Van Vo	4,150,000	10
5	Albert Calderon	5,350,000	13
6	Sonny Franco	31,900,000	80

Here is what the six finalists can win.

• 1st: $1,261,095
• 2nd: $899,295
• 3rd: $593,140
• 4th: $438,500
• 5th: $326,750
• 6th: $261,700

Matthew Pitt

If it’s something you can play online for real money, chances are Matthew knows a bit about it. He’s been writing about slots, craps and poker for the better part of the last decade. He’s written for PokerNews, PartyPoker and many other respected online gambling websites during the last nine years.

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