This Week's Big Winner: Sam Panzica Wins World Poker Tour bestbet Bounty Scramble

Coming into the final table of the 2016 World Poker Tour bestbet Bounty Scramble $5,000 no-limit hold’em main event there were two players in contention who had already won WPT titles at bestbet Jacksonville. Noah Schwartz took down the 2012 WPT Jacksonville  main event and Tyler Patterson was looking to defend his title in this event, which he won last year. In the end fate saw fit to anoint a new champion and Sam Panzica emerged victorious, earning his first WPT title and the top prize of $354,335.

In addition to the hardware and the money Panzica also earned 1,200 _Card Player_ Player of the Year points. This was his sixth final-table finish and third title of 2016, having won both a €10,300 high roller at the European Poker Tour Dublin festival and the 2016 Florida State Poker Championship $1,500 main event. With 3,383 total points and $1,001,908 in year-to-date earnings, Panzica has climbed into 17th place in the overall POY standings.

Here are the five biggest hands from the final table that propelled Panzica to the win.

Tournament: WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble
Buy-In: $5,000
No. of Entries: 379
Prize Pool: $1,762,350
1st Place Prize: $354,335

The Action

A short-stacked Jake Schwartz made his final stand when he moved all in from the small blind for 257,000. Sam Panzica made the call from the big blind with K 7 and was pleased to see he had live cards against Schwartz’s A 5. The board ran out J 7 6 7 5 and Panzica made trips to eliminate Schwartz in ninth place. Schwartz earned $33,933 for his final-table run.

The Action

Sam Panzica raised to 80,000 from the hijack and Kory Kilpatrick moved all in for his last 700,000 from the small blind. The big blind folded and Panzica made the call with pocket tens, which had Kilpatrick’s pocket sevens in rough shape. The flop of J 6 4 gave Panzica a sweat, but the 4 and K on the turn and river were safe. Kilpatrick earned $43,827 for his eighth-place finish.

The Action

After watching Richard Malone take out every player at the six-handed final table, Sam Panzica found himself out chipped nearly 2:1. The first 30 hands of heads-up play also went Malone’s way, leaving Panzica with a huge uphill battle to the title. Malone limped in from the button and Panzica checked his option from the big blind. The flop came down 8 7 6 and Panzica checked. Malone bet 125,000 and Panzica moved all in for his last 1,175,000. Malone immediately called with slow-played pocket aces, but Panzica’s 10 5 was actually a slight favorite to double up. The turn was the 9, giving Panzica a straight flush. The river was the 2 and Panizca doubled up.

The Action

Sam Panzica raised from the button to 325,000 and Richard Malone made the call. The flop came down 10 8 5 and Malone checked. Panzica bet 250,000 and Malone called. The turn was the A and Malone checked again. Panzica bet 375,000 and Malone called. The river was the J and Malone checked for a third time. Panzica then moved all in for his last 1,050,000 and Malone called with A 6 for a turned pair of aces. Panzica, however, held 10 10 for a flopped set to double up again.

The Action

After an exhausting 144 hands of heads-up play in which Sam Panzica grinded his way to a 3:1 chip lead, he moved all in from the button and Richard Malone called off his last nine big blinds with A 3. Panzica was behind with K 9, making him a 40 percent underdog to win the pot. The flop came down 8 7 5, giving Panzica a straight draw. The 9 on the turn vaulted him into the lead and the K on the river gave him two pair and the pot. Malone earned $237,616 for his runner-up finish, while Panzica picked up his first WPT title and the $354,335 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Sam Panzica — $354,335
2. Richard Malone — $237,616
3. Ankush Mandavia — $152,766
4. Tyler Patterson — $100,643
5. Noah Schwartz — $77,499
6. Paul Balzano — $64,183
7. Tim Miles — $53,785
8. Kory Kilpatrick — $43,827
9. Jake Schwartz — $33,933