Minnesota native Derek McMaster triumphed over 853 other participants to claim his first title at the 50th WSOP, receiving a $228,228 payout and a gold bracelet.
McMaster, also known as “The Kid,” participated in Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better and went head-to-head with another American player Berilgen at the final table. The runner-up took home $141,007.
The 46-year-old professional poker player eliminated Berilgen, a participant from Texas who was standing between him and the top prize. On the final day of the tournament, the winning combination of McMaster was comprised of an ace of spades, ace of clubs, ace of diamonds, queen of hearts, and the queen of diamonds.
After winning the tournament, McMaster stated that it was a surreal experience to him. He reflected on his opponents and said that he enjoyed playing against them. He concluded that things worked out in his favor because he was having a fun time during the event.
This was his first shot at the WSOP finals table.
The last day of the event saw seven participants, including such WSOP veterans as John Esposito, Ben Yu, and David Halpern. All of them earned a total of $205,568. Yu finished 7th, Halpern 4th, and Esposito 3rd.