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Jeremy Harkin Wins 2018 World Series of Poker $1,500 Dealer's Choice Event

44-Year-Old Cash Game Grinder Wins First WSOP Bracelet and $129,882

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A total of 406 players put up the $1,500 buy-in for the 2018 World Series of Poker dealer’s choice event, a solid increase over last year’s field of 364, won by David Bach. In this year’s edition, Denver’s Jeremy Harkin outlasted the larger field, taking home $129,882 of the $548,100 prize pool, along with his first gold bracelet.

“I’ve been coming down here every year since 2003, and there’s been people who’ve been coming down here who have had a lot more success than me, because I’m mostly a cash game player," Harkin explained. "Tournaments are so different, and I basically gave up on winning a bracelet last year. I was trying to play good poker, stay relaxed, make good decisions, and not get frustrated. I was trying to have fun.”

Harkin’s previous best finish at the WSOP was a ninth-place showing in the 2010 $5,000 pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better tournament for $29,886. The 44-year-old now has 15 cashes at the summer series.

The six-handed event featured 20 different poker variations. Each player at the table took turns choosing a game that would be played for an entire orbit.

In order to secure the title, Harkin had to defeat a final table that included two-time WSOP bracelet winner Frankie O’Dell (2nd). Other notables who made a deep run included John Hennigan (7th), Chris Klodnicki (9th), Mike Leah (10th), Jeff Lisandro (11th), Chris Vitch (13th), Jimmy Fricke (14th), Shirley Rosario (16th) and Tommy Hang (17th).

Here is a look at the final table results.

Place Player Payout POY Points
1 Jeremy Harkin $129,882 720
2 Frankie O’Dell $80,256 600
3 George Trigeorgis $52,130 480
4 Anthony Arvidson $34,700 360
5 James Woods $23,686 300
6 Scott Abrams $16,589 240

For more coverage from the summer series, visit the 2018 WSOP landing page complete with a full schedule, news, player interviews and event recaps.