Las Vegas, NV (Dec. 14, 2024) – The Season 22 WPT® Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas came to a close today with Zak VanKeuren as the last player standing out of nearly 10 thousand competitors. VanKeuren secured his World Poker Tour® win and a top prize of $1,162,350, which includes a $10,400 seat to the Season 23 WPT World Championship.
“It doesn’t feel real… I’m just thinking I’m in a lucid dream right now. I’m just going to wake up soon. Hopefully it’s still real life in an hour. It feels crazy,” said VanKeuren after his victory. “The Wynn is probably my favorite casino in the country; It’s just a beautiful place. WPT has the best tournaments out of anywhere, so it’s just a blessing to come out here and compete.”
With a massive turnout – 9,670 entrants – the $1,100 buy-in again proved to be a successful event for the mid-major market.
“It is exceptional to have such a wonderful finale for a tour that brings out so many players throughout the year,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “The players truly embody the Prime Tour and Championship, and we congratulate Zak, now cemented in its legacy.”
The livestreamed final table featured nine top contenders, including Jim Casement (2nd place – $759,890, Kevin Calenzo (3rd place – $560,000), Malik Zaman (4th place – $420,000), Joe Ozimok (5th place – $320,000), Ryan Stiner (6th place – $240,000), Colin Hong (7th place – $186,000), Ralph Marquez (8th place – $145,000), and WPT Champion Justin Young (9th place – $114,000).
In total, 1,206 players were awarded a payout. Other notable players to cash include recent WPT Champion and Season 22 WPT Player of the Year contender Dylan Smith (14th place), Season 10 WPT POY Joe Serock (39th place), WPT Champions Hugues Girard (82nd place), Taylor Black (97th place), and Viny Lima (99th place), Alpha8 Champion Brock Wilson (165th place), and more.
Throughout the 2024 season, the award-winning WPT Prime Tour saw significant field sizes and traversed eleven different countries: France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Australia, Canada, Italy, Taiwan, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom, and United States. The season also included a sail around the Caribbean Sea.
The 2025 WPT Prime season will bring more excitement globally with an early stop in Phnom Penh for WPT Prime Cambodia Feb. 14-18.
All photos from the 2024 WPT Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas can be accessed via our Flickr Page. For more information regarding this and all World Poker Tour events, visit WPT.com.
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About the World Poker Tour®
World Poker Tour® (WPT®) is the premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online, and mobile. WPT has hosted live poker tournaments in 48 countries, drawn more than 400,000 total entries, and awarded more than $1.5 billion in prize money. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show, which has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories and is currently producing its 22nd season. Season XXII of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 47 states and territories across the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities. In 2012, the WPT Foundation was launched, which has gone on to raise $45 million over 10 years and 50 events. For more information, go to WPT.com.
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