A record-setting poker tournament ends with a huge payout for poker pro Travis Young
The Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Michigan State Poker Championship concluded on Sunday night as Travis Young beat out 2,883 entrants to become champion of the $1,100 buy-in event and take home the top prize of $297,997.
The Firekeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek hosted the event this weekend, which is the biggest poker tournament ever seen in the Midwest. All players at the final table took home at least $41,925. This same event attracted 2,409 entries last year, with Matthew Davis winning the title and $344,446.
Young is from Wisconsin and doesn’t have much live tournament experience. Before this event, he only had eight career cashes for a total of $36,480, according to The Hendon Mob, but played like an old pro against the more experienced players in the field.
Brad Sailor would eliminate the first two players at the final table, Richard Viebianz (ninth for $41,925) and Nick Ahmadi (eighth for $52,826), before he would eventually bust himself in fourth place for $175,281.
Young and runner-up Brian Hou ($236,956) were the chip leaders at the final table. After Mark Stump was eliminated by Hou in sixth place for $89,440, the players remaining settled for an ICM chop, with Young holding the largest stack as he was crowned champion.
Other players finishing in the money at the event were Maurice Hawkins (11th for $33,540), Jose Montes (15th for $26,553), Michael Berk (21st for $20,124), David Gutfreund (25th for $13,696), Keith Heine (30th for $9,783), Missy Bartelme (36th for $9,783) and Rob Wazwaz (38th for $7,547).
The next stop on the MSPT will be the $200,000 guaranteed Deadwood Shootout from October 20-22 at the Silverado Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota.
