Twenty-one-year-old Billirakis wins first poker event of 2007’s World Series Of Poker
Tuesday 5th June 2007
Steve Billirakis has become the youngest ever player to win a World Series Of Poker (WSOP) event when he walked away from the $5,000 buy-in mixed Hold'em tournament as champion.
The 38th annual WSOP got underway on June 1 at Las Vegas’ Rio casino and Billirakis won $536,237 for his victory while runner-up Greg 'FBT' Mueller was awarded with $328,554.
This year’s event will run for six weeks and over 40,000 players from 40 nations are expected to take part before the event crowns its overall winner in the most prestigious event in poker, the $10,000 No Limit Championship tournament.
Billirakis, at 21 years and 10 days, is the youngest winner ever, a record that has now been broken four years in a row. His winning hand was number 157 of the tournament and consisted of a king of spades and a two of diamonds while Mueller held a four and five of Diamonds. The flop came Queen of Hearts, Jack of Diamonds and two of Spades, which meant Billirakis held the lead with his pair of deuces. The turn was an eight of Hearts and the river a Queen of Spades, leaving Billirakis with two pair and a WSOP bracelet.
This year’s event has seen changes in the pay structure of the main event in which winnings will be spread out giving a higher percentage to those finishing in the money on the lower end. A Harrah's official said the new structure was designed to increase the rewards to players who finish in the money but don't make it to the final table.
Steve Billirakis has become the youngest ever player to win a World Series Of Poker (WSOP) event when he walked away from the $5,000 buy-in mixed Hold'em tournament as champion.