In a story that dreams are made of, Evan Benton turned his first World Series of Poker appearance into a triumphant victory, securing a coveted gold bracelet in Event #28: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em where we saw Benton outlast a field of 2,317 players to claim the top prize of $412,484.
Just a year into his poker journey, Benton faced stiff competition and began the final table with one of the smallest chip stacks. Undeterred, he navigated his way to a heads-up showdown with Balakrishna Patur and emerged victorious.
An Unexpected Victory
“I feel financial freedom. Honestly, it feels good,” said Benton, overwhelmed by his success. “I did not expect to win. These guys were much better tournament players than I was. I just ran good when the time came and felt like I played pretty well throughout the day,” he added.
Benton’s journey into poker began just over a year ago. “I used to play when I was 12, but I didn’t know much. About a year and a few months ago, I started playing with friends and thought, ‘man, this is kind of fun.’ Now, I’m obsessed with it. I play every day and study,” Benton shared.
Traveling from Louisiana to Las Vegas for his first WSOP, Benton’s initial days didn’t go as planned. “I made a few bankroll mistakes and didn’t want to go home down, so I decided to enter this event. And it paid off. I guess my wife won’t be mad anymore!”
Event #28: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Evan Benton | United States | $412,484 |
| 2 | Balakrishna Patur | United States | $274,972 |
| 3 |  Andres Gonzalez | Spain | $201,518 |
| 4 |  Haiyang Yang | China | $149,145 |
| 5 | Mukul Pahuja | United States | $111,485 |
| 6 | Guofeng Wang | China | $84,175 |
| 7 | Nick Maimone | United States | $64,202 |
| 8 |  George Tomescu | Romania | $49,472 |
| 9 |  Nicolas Vayssieres | France | $38,517 |
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The Road to the Final Table
Day 3 began with 22 players out of the original 2,319 entrants. Alex Massman was quickly eliminated when his K♦K♠ lost to Mukul Pahuja’s A♣A♦. Kia Raisdana followed, his A♠3♣ falling to Blake Bohn’s A♣8♥, while Jason Corbett found a timely double-up.
Nicholas Verderamo, the shortest stack at the start of Day 3, couldn’t turn his fortunes around, losing to Haiyang Yang. Scott Stewart exited shortly after, his A♦K♠ unable to beat Fahredin Mustafov’s A♣A♠, finishing 19th and earning $15,730.
Jeffrey Kurtz‘s Q♦Q♠ were cracked by Nick Maimone’s flopped straight, while Ravee Sundara’s jacks fell to Patur’s runner-runner flush. Ebony Kenney, after almost tripling up, ended her run in 16th place, her K♥Q♦ succumbing to A♦Q♥.
Stan Yuk Lee finished 15th after losing a flip. Action slowed until Blake Bohn’s 10♦10♣ was bested by Pahuja’s K♣K♥. Christopher Collier was ousted next, his K♦K♠ no match for Benton’s flopped full house with 8♥8♦.
Ruiko Mamiya, the last woman standing, exited in 12th place with $24,094. Jason Corbett followed, missing Yang’s rivered straight and taking 11th place.
The Final Table
Nicolas Vayssieres and Andres Gonzalez both managed early double-ups at the final table. Fahredin Mustafov, however, wasn’t as fortunate, losing a crucial flip against Gonzalez and bubbling the final table.
Following a dinner break, Vayssieres went all-in with A♠Q♥, only to see Yang hit a river flush with the same hand, eliminating him. George Tomescu then exited, his A♣J♦ falling to Benton’s A♠K♠.
Benton and Maimone both secured double-ups, but Maimone’s luck ran out when Patur’s flush ended his run in seventh place, earning him $64,202.
Guofeng Wang’s 7♥7♦ were defeated by Gonzalez’s two pair, and Pahuja’s K♣Q♦ couldn’t improve against Patur’s A♠9♣, reducing the field to four. Yang’s J♣7♣ was no match for Patur’s K♣K♥, leaving three players.
Heads up
Three-handed, Patur and Gonzalez each held 25,000,000 chips while Benton had 7,000,000. Benton made a remarkable comeback, doubling through Gonzalez and taking the lead. A pivotal hand saw Benton’s A♣9♣ make two pair on the river, extending his lead as the WSOP bracelet was placed on the table for heads-up.
Patur regained the chip lead briefly, but Benton’s consistent play saw his top pair hold in the final all-in, securing the victory and the WSOP bracelet.
Evan Benton’s journey from a poker novice to a WSOP champion in just over a year is a testament to his dedication and skill. With this win, Benton plans to stay in Las Vegas a bit longer and even consider playing in the WSOP Main Event, a goal he now has the opportunity to pursue.
* Images and results courtesy of WSOP and PokerNews
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