Borgata Winter Poker Open Attracts Huge Numbers

With just five events in the books, the Borgata Winter Poker Open has already generated more than $2.2 million in prize pool money from 4,174 entrants.

Event No. 1, a $300 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, had a prize pool of almost $495,000 from a staggering 1,649 entrants. Justin Peckholdt from Babylon, New York, won more than $93,000 for first place.

The large fields would continue, as event No. 2, a $500 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, attracted 834 players. Aleksandr Bolotin of Brooklyn, New York, won more than $102,000 of the $421,500 prize pool. Bolotin is fresh off a hot year in 2007. He placed second in a Five-Diamond World Poker Classic preliminary event last month. Bolotin also came in second place during this summer’s World Series of Poker in the $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em sixhanded event.

Another player who did well at the 2007 WSOP as well as the Borgata Winter Poker Open is Hevad Khan. He famously finished sixth in the WSOP main event for more than $956,000, and on Friday, he placed fourth in event No. 3, a $750 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament. The 561 runners created a prize pool of almost $427,000.The first-place finisher was Gary Senkar of Ohio who  received  just under $122,000  for his efforts. 

Bolotin continued his good play into event No. 4, a $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament in which he cashed in 15th place. The eventual winner of the nearly $178,000 first-place prize was poker pro Joseph Cappello of New Rochelle, New York. He beat a field of 640 to claim his fourth major tournament win.

Event No. 5, a $1,500 buy-in tournament, ended yesterday and awarded the largest first-place payout in the series thus far. William Blanda was the last player standing of the 482 that started and won just under $207,000 for his third Borgata Winter Poker Open title. The prize pool amounted to $723,000 for this event.

Yesterday, event No. 6, a $300 buy-in ladies no-limit hold’em tournament, and event No. 7, a $300 buy-in limit hold’em tournament, began and will both conclude today. Event No. 8, a $300 buy-in modified shootout tournament, kicked off today.

For a complete schedule and results from the Borgata Winter Poker Open, click here.

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