The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #48: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em welcomed a staggering number of 8,180 poker players, all seasoned citizens over 50. Six strenuous days of gameplay yielded an ultimate victor: Lonnie Hallett. The 54-year-old Canadian mastermind seized his first gold bracelet, along with a handsome prize of $765,731.
The road to victory was not devoid of challenges. Hallett had to overcome stiff competition from several heavyweights, including Dan Heimiller, two-time bracelet winner and 2014 champion of this event, who finished third, and seven-time bracelet winner and 2006 WSOP Hall of Fame Inductee, Billy Baxter, who secured second place.
This victory became Hallett’s largest-ever tournament payday. Prior to his grand win, Hallett had garnered a commendable third-place finish in a 2021 online event hosted on PokerStars. That event, with 6,922 total entries, had earned him $646,189. After his latest achievement at the WSOP, Hallett’s total recorded earnings exceed $1.5 million.
The event unfolded over six days, encompassing two starting flights and four days of action-packed gameplay. The tournament paid out the top 1,227 competitors. Notable performers who made a deep run included seven-time bracelet winner Men Nguyen (131st), bracelet winners Yue Du (103rd) and Kevin Song (97th), World Poker Tour champion Victor Ramdin (35th), bracelet winner Jiaqi Xu (16th), alongside the aforementioned Heimiller and Baxter.
On the final table, with only seven players remaining in contention, Hallett found himself in the second chip position, while Heimiller held the lead. The day witnessed several captivating moments, including Hallett’s first knockout of Loren Cloninger (6th – $158,006) with an 8-4 that beat Cloninger’s A-2 in a blind battle.
The end of the event saw Hallett and Baxter going head to head. Holding a solid 8:1 chip lead, Hallett came out on top when his suited A8 of clubs bested Baxter’s Q2 off-suit in a decisive hand. The finale rewarded Baxter with $473,212 as the runner-up – the most significant tournament score of his illustrious career.
Final Table Results
| Result | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Lonnie Hallett | Canada | $765,731 |
| 2 | Billy Baxter | United States | $473,212 |
| 3 | Dan Heimiller | United States | $356,166 |
| 4 | Shannon Fahey | United States | $269,841 |
| 5 | Gordon Eng | United States | $205,799 |
| 6 | Loren Cloninger | United States | $158,006 |
| 7 | Rudolph Fourie | South Africa | $122,130 |
| 8 | Ron Fetsch | United States | $95,040 |
| 9 | David Steans | United States | $74,464 |
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