At the start of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Isaac Haxton stood as the most successful tournament player sans a WSOP gold bracelet. With an impressive record of over $37.7 million in cash before the 54th annual WSOP, the 37-year-old poker pro was all set to break that streak.
The $25,000 no-limit Hold’em eight max event at the series proved to be a game-changer for Haxton. The player clinched victory amidst a record-breaking pool of 301 participants, setting a new precedent for the largest $25,000 buy-in event in WSOP history. This triumph granted Haxton his first gold bracelet and a grand prize of $1,698,215.
In response to his victory, Haxton confessed, “It feels good to get that monkey off my back.” This win came on the heels of his six title wins this year, along with nearly $7.5 million in prize money from 14 final-table finishes.
Stellar Year for Haxton
2023 marked a significant year for Haxton, with two massive victories in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $100,000 super high roller events, earning him $1,555,360 and $1,082,230, respectively. With these wins, his lifetime earnings now exceed $39,418,364, placing him at the 11th spot on poker’s all-time money list.
His close friend, Justin Bonomo, the leader of the earnings leaderboard with close to $63.3 million in total cashes, was present at the event, supporting Haxton. When questioned about his aspirations to catch up with Bonomo, Haxton brushed off the idea. He stated, “I don’t think about the all-time money list at all. It just feels good to be around and to still win top tournaments. I like playing cards and making money.”
Tournament Highlights
The event spanned three days and generated a prize pool of $6,204,000 from a record number of participants. The final day started with 13 contenders, with Roman Hrabec of Czech Republic leading the pack and Haxton at a comfortable mid-level position.
During the tournament, Haxton made a significant leap to the top of the leaderboard. However, the journey to victory was far from smooth, with notable players such as World Poker Tour champion Taylor von Kriegenbergh, three-time bracelet winner Kristen Foxen, and two-time bracelet winner Aleksejs Ponakovs exiting the game early.
As the game progressed, players Lewis Spencer and Darren Elias displayed commendable skills, with Elias taking over the lead after busting Hrabec. However, it was Haxton’s successful face-off against Spencer that brought him closer to the victory, ultimately leading to Spencer’s elimination at the fourth spot.
Elias and Haxton battled for the lead position, but Elias lost a major chunk of his stack and was subsequently eliminated by Ryan O’Donnell, who ended up in third place. Following Elias’ exit, Haxton and O’Donnell entered a face-off, where Haxton’s winning streak continued, granting him a sizeable lead and ultimately, the championship.
O’Donnell walked away with $1,049,577 as the runner-up, marking the most significant live cash of his career. As for Haxton, this victory not only sealed his name in the annals of poker history but also marked the end of his wait for the coveted gold bracelet.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Earnings |
| 1 | Isaac Haxton | $1,698,215 |
| 2 | Ryan O’Donnell | $1,049,577 |
| 3 | Darren Elias | $725,790 |
| 4 | Lewis Spencer | $511,782 |
| 5 | Roman Hrabec | $368,134 |
| 6 | Frank Funaro | $270,238 |
| 7 | Brian Rast | $202,532 |
| 8 | Joao Vieira | $155,037 |
The post Isaac Haxton Finally Wins First WSOP Bracelet in $25K NL Hold’em Event #16 appeared first on iGaming.org.