In a stunning backdrop of record-breaking event at Wynn Las Vegas, Dan Sepiol emerged victorious in the 2023 WPT World Championship, clinching a grand prize of $5,282,954.
The championship, with its ambitious $40 million prize pool, attracted a massive field of 3,835 entries. As the tournament progressed over seven days of play, it boiled down to a dramatic final table featuring six talented players, each battling for a share of the prize pool. The final lineup was a blend of seasoned pros and rising stars, including Ben Heath, Andrew Lichtenberger, Artur Martirosian, Georgios Sotiropoulos, and Chris Moorman, each bringing their unique style to the table.
The first elimination of the day occurred more than three hours into the game. The first casualty was Artur Martirosian. In a crucial hand, Dan Sepiol raised from the small blind, prompting Martirosian to go all-in from the big blind. Holding a pair of sevens against Martirosian’s pair of fives, Sepiol managed to hold on as the board ran out, eliminating Martirosian in sixth place.
Next to depart was Ben Heath. After raising from the cutoff, Heath faced an all-in move from Georgios Sotiropoulos and called with Queen-Jack. Sotiropoulos, holding Ace-Seven, maintained the lead as the board failed to improve Heath’s hand, resulting in his elimination in fifth place.
Chris Moorman’s journey ended in fourth place. Facing a raise from Sotiropoulos, Moorman went all-in with Queen-Jack and was called by Sotiropoulos with King-Queen. The board offered no help to Moorman, resulting in his exit.
Andrew Lichtenberger was the next to fall. In a critical hand against Sepiol, Lichtenberger’s Ace-King was up against Sepiol’s pocket Jacks. The board offered no assistance, and Lichtenberger was eliminated in third place, setting the stage for the heads-up match.
After several played hands, the pair adjusted the final two payouts, leaving $600,000 for the winner. In the decisive hand, Sotiropoulos raised, and Sepiol moved all in. Sotiropoulos, holding King-Queen, quickly called and was up against Sepiol’s King-Three. The board ran out, giving Sepiol a pair of threes, clinching the title and the championship.
Georgios Sotiropoulos finished as the runner-up, earning $4,167,246, while Dan Sepiol took home the grand prize of $5,282,954, along with the Daniel Arsham-designed WPT World Championship trophy and the Wynn Championship trophy. Sepiol’s victory also secured him a seat in next year’s WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
Reflecting on his victory, Sepiol highlighted a crucial moment: “The big turning point was the big flip versus Chewy, jacks versus ace-king,” he said. “Just get luckier than everyone else. That was my strategy, yeah. Try and pick my spots and get lucky.”
2023 WPT World Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Dan Sepiol | United States | $5,282,954 |
| 2 | Georgios Sotiropoulos | Greece | $4,167,246 |
| 3 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | $2,798,700 |
| 4 | Chris Moorman | United Kingdom | $2,095,300 |
| 5 | Ben Heath | United Kingdom | $1,583,100 |
| 6 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | $1,207,000 |
The tournament, marked by a $10,400 buy-in, initially fell short of its guarantee, resulting in a $2,417,000 overlay. However, this did not detract from the event’s grandeur, with the top 480 finishers receiving a payout.
Adam Pliska, WPT CEO, commended the tournament’s success: “The sincere hope for year two of the WPT World Championship was to improve upon the success of last year. With the help of player feedback, we feel that together we have met our goal,” he said. He also extended congratulations to Sepiol for his remarkable achievement.
The 2023 WPT World Championship set new records for the WPT, boasting the most entries in a Championship event and the largest prize pool in WPT history. Fans can relieve the excitement of the final table in a replay below.
