The popular World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2023 held its Event #46: $500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout at the distinguished Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The event saw 5,342 participants, all competing for the coveted WSOP gold bracelet.
From the initial swarm of hopeful participants, only 241 contestants progressed to the second and concluding day of the tournament. After a grueling 12-hour battle, the title and the impressive first-place prize of $262,526 went to Jay Lockett, a poker enthusiast from Austin, Texas. He clinched victory over Benson Tang in a swift heads-up match, earning him the much sought-after bracelet.
Notably, this is only the second time Lockett cashed in a live tournament. His previous win amounted to $1,900 from the $600 Deepstack event at the 2021 WSOP.
Final Table Highlights
As the final stages of the game unfolded, Ibrahim Tarim, a short stack player, was the first to leave the table. His pair of threes couldn’t hold up against Benson’s sixes.
The second to exit was David Hirst from Australia, who participated in the event due to an unforeseen incident of his airline losing his luggage.
Shannon Boone, the last female contestant, finished seventh after her flush draw against Benson’s sevens failed.
Byambajav Bandi’s patience in the game earned him several pay jumps. However, he eventually lost to Gani when his top pair got outkicked.
In quick succession, Gani and Matthew Thom were eliminated, with Lockett and Tang establishing themselves as leading players. Diego Acquila, who had played cautiously, secured a place in the top three but was eventually knocked out by Lockett.
The final face-off between Lockett and Tang was brief. Lockett seized a 2:1 chip lead and won the match when Tang failed to secure a straight and flush against Lockett’s pair. Despite the loss, Tang secured a notable $156,773 from his initial $500 investment.
“It did not take long for Lockett to prevail when Tang bricked on straight and flush draws against Lockett’s pair,” recapped one of the onlookers.
Results
| Result | Name | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Jay Lockett | United States | $262,526 |
| 2 | Benson Tang | United States | $162,207 |
| 3 | Diego Acquila | Argentina | $121,085 |
| 4 | Matthew Thom | United States | $91,066 |
| 5 | Muaaz Gani | South Africa | $69,007 |
| 6 | Byambajav Bandi | United States | $52,690 |
| 7 | Shannon Boone | United States | $40,540 |
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