WPT Showdown at Seminole Hard Rock Casino gets rockin’ today

Terrance Reid
Published by:
Posted on: April 27, 2023 11:58 am EDT

Palm trees, 90° with sunshine, and one of the best tour stops in the poker world. That’s what awaits those at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida.

The WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Main Event kicks off today. A favorite stop among some of the game’s best, we expect a stacked field in the Sunshine State.

The last time the WPT came to town in April 2022, 2,010 entrants played the Main Event. That event saw a prize pool of $6,432,000 with Mark Davis taking home first place for $1,000,300.

2022 champion Mark Davis – photo by WPT

2022 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown results

PlacePlayer Prize
1Mark Davis$1,000,300
2Darren Elias$660,000
3Marcos Exterkotter$490,000
4Viet Vo$370,000
5Andrew Barfield$280,000
6Michael Laufer$215,000
7Andrew Davidson$165,000
8James Calderaro$125,000
9David Moore$100,000

Two qualifiers take the stage

Amidst the stacked field of poker greatness, two names and faces may not be so familiar. Metti Saliu of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Jonathan Batye from Wentzville, Missouri are both taking their seats by means of satellite packages won on ClubWPT. We wrote an article detailing their way into the event. We’ll follow their progress as they navigate the tough field in the biggest tournament they’ve each played.

Event details

Today kicks off with the first of two starting flights. Players will start with 40,000 chips and play 60-minute levels throughout Days 1 and 2. Late registration is open until the start of Level 9 (approximately 9:15 pm). An impressive $3 million guarantee is attached to the marquee event. The final table will be in Las Vegas on May 25 and televised for the world.

The stage is set. The intro music is playing. The cards are in the air.

Soon enough, someone will add their name to the illustrious Mike Sexton Cup. Best of luck to the players just starting out on that path.