$

Awarded to date

The Venetian

June 3 - 8, 2018
Main Event: 4411 Entrants
Winner: David Levine
recap_icon

EVENT RECAP

The $1,100 buy-in, $3.5 million guarantee MSPT Venetian Main Event attracted 4,411 runners (477 on 1A, 750 1B, 1,312 1C and 1,872 1D) over four flights, which made it the largest poker tournament in both MSPT and Venetian history!

On Friday, the final 39 players returned to play down to a winner. After 10 hours, it was 44-year-old emergency medicine technician David Levine of Rancho Cucamonga, California who walked away with a $495,500 first-place prize (original payout for first was $548,341 and $352,659).

“I’m pretty ecstatic,” he said shortly after the win. “When there were five people left and we were on break, I was down in chips. Even if I busted at that time I was still $150K up, so I felt pretty lucky, I felt good. I knew if I wanted to win it I’d have to use whatever cards that I got, and I was lucky enough to get quite a few good hands. I had a good run. I had some monumental hands that helped me get right back into the tournament.”

Among the hundreds to cash were MSPT Season 7 FireKeepers champ Aaron Massey (83rd - $6,795), 2017 MSPT Wisconsin State Poker Champ Richard Bai (108th - $5,505), MSPT Season 5 Running Aces champ Mark Sandness (115th - $5,505), Minnesota’s all-time money leader Blake Bohn (139th - $5,505), MSPT Season 4 Player of the Year Pat Steele (202nd - $4,215), Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year Chris Meyers (236th - $3,612).

On Day 3, 29 players fell short of making the final able including Sammy Aweida (11th - $43,007), WPT champ Iaron Lightbourne (12th - $43,007), James Rodriguez (17th - $30,105), Eric Maier (27th - $17,203), Nick Pupillo (29th - $14,622), Mike Del Vecchio (32nd - $14,622), and Phong Nguyen (39th - $12,042).

The first elimination of the final table came when Young Eum shoved his extreme short stack with kings only to fall to Tyreem Williams’ Big Slick when an ace hit the flop. Not long after, Shane Martin moved all in for his last 12 bigs with the 7♥7♣ and was flipping against Owen Crowe’s A♠J♦. The board ran out J♣Q♠5♦A♣Q♣ and Martin had to settle for ninth place.

Derek Wolters was the next to go after four-betting all in with kings and getting called by AP Garza’s ace-queen. An ace on the flop and another on the river sent Wolters out the door in eighth place for $64,511.

It was at that point one of the most interesting hands of the final table occurred. It happened when Ken Rawlinson shoved his last three big blinds all in from the button holding the Q♠3♣ and Felipe Davila three-bet jammed the small blind with the A♣K♣. Williams woke up with the Q♣Q♦ in the big and called off. The board ran out A♦4♦10♣8♣2♣ and Davila scored the double elimination.

Crowe was next to fall when his pocket fives failed to hold against Lavine’s queen-ten of clubs, and Scott Massimiano followed him to the rail when he flopped top pair holding the A♥K♠ on a K♦9♦J♦ flop. Unfortunately for him, Levine had flopped two pair with the K♥J♠ and held when the 8♠ bricked the turn followed by the 7♥ on the river.

After Garza bowed out in third place – the result of his king-eight failing to overcome Davila’s pocket queens – a heads-up deal was struck. Lavine and Davila agreed to each lock up $405,500 and leave $90,000 and the trophy to play for.

Not long into their match, Levine raised to 2.5 million with the K♥9♠ and Davila called holding the K♣10♦. The J♥5♦9♥ flop saw Davila check and Levine bet 2 million. Davila check-raised all in for 26 million and Levine called. Neither the turn nor river changed a thing and Davila had to settle for second place.

result

The RESULTS

Rank
Player Name
City
State
Amount
Points
1
CA 
$495,500
2,200
2
Lima 
 
$405,500
2,000
3
TX 
$266,645
1,900
4
AZ 
$197,833
1,800
5
 
$150,525
1,700
6
PA 
$109,668
1,600
7
RI 
$81,714
1,500
8
NV 
$64,511
1,400
9
IL 
$51,609
1,300
10
CA 
$43,007
1,200
11
CO 
$43,007
1,200
12
 
$43,007
1,200
13
 
 
$36,556
1,100
14
Frisco 
TX 
$36,556
1,100
15
 
 
$36,556
1,100
16
Miami 
FL 
$30,105
1,000
17
Denver 
CO 
$30,105
1,000
18
 
 
$30,105
1,000
19
NV 
$25,804
900
20
Queens 
NY 
$25,804
900
21
Katy 
TX 
$25,804
900
22
 
 
$21,504
850
23
NJ 
$21,504
850
24
GA 
$21,504
850
25
 
 
$17,203
800
26
London 
 
$17,203
800
27
CO 
$17,203
800
28
WI 
$14,622
750
29
NV 
$14,622
750
30
IL 
$14,622
750
31
MO 
$14,622
750
32
NV 
$14,622
750
33
Osijek 
 
$14,622
750
34
Sabina 
OH 
$14,622
750
35
CA 
$14,622
750
36
MN 
$14,622
750
37
OH 
$12,042
700
38
 
$12,042
700
39
VA 
$12,042
700
40
 
 
$12,042
700
41
CA 
$12,042
700
42
CA 
$12,042
700
43
FL 
$12,042
700
44
 
$12,042
700
45
Tampa 
FL 
$12,042
700
46
IA 
$10,752
650
47
 
 
$10,752
650
48
 
 
$10,752
650
49
Tucson 
AZ 
$10,752
650
50
Plano 
TX 
$10,752
650
51
MO 
$10,752
650
52
NV 
$10,752
650
53
TN 
$10,752
650
54
NV 
$10,752
650
55
NY 
$9,462
600
56
CA 
$9,462
600
57
WA 
$9,462
600
58
NY 
$9,462
600
59
HI 
$9,462
600
60
CO 
$9,462
600
61
NY 
$9,462
600
62
PA 
$9,462
600
63
TX 
$9,462
600
64
CA 
$8,386
550
66
 
 
$8,386
550
67
Ozark 
MO 
$8,386
550
68
NV 
$8,386
550
69
CA 
$8,386
550
70
Hannon 
 
$8,386
550
71
 
 
$8,386
550
72
CA 
$8,386
550
73
MI 
$7,655
500
74
Nutley 
NJ 
$7,655
500
75
NY 
$7,655
500
76
NV 
$7,655
500
77
 
$7,655
500
78
MN 
$7,655
500
79
Bronx 
NY 
$7,655
500
80
 
 
$7,655
500
81
HI 
$7,655
500
82
Tempe 
AZ 
$6,795
450
83
NV 
$6,795
450
84
NV 
$6,795
450
85
 
 
$6,795
450
86
Boston 
MA 
$6,795
450
87
Durham 
 
$6,795
450
88
CO 
$6,795
450
89
FL 
$6,795
450
90
NY 
$6,795
450
91
IA 
$6,193
400
92
TX 
$6,193
400
93
NV 
$6,193
400
94
 
 
$6,193
400
95
FL 
$6,193
400
96
CA 
$6,193
400
97
TN 
$6,193
400
98
TX 
$6,193
400
99
Ottawa 
 
$6,193
400
100
UT 
$5,505
350
101
Encino 
CA 
$5,505
350
102
IL 
$5,505
350
103
IL 
$5,505
350
104
NY 
$5,505
350
105
IN 
$5,505
350
106
 
$5,505
350
107
NV 
$5,505
350
108
IL 
$5,505
350
109
AZ 
$5,505
350
110
NY 
$5,505
350
111
CA 
$5,505
350
112
 
 
$5,505
350
113
 
 
$5,505
350
114
WA 
$5,505
350
115
MN 
$5,505
350
116
WA 
$5,505
350
117
CA 
$5,505
350
118
 
 
$5,505
350
119
NV 
$5,505
350
120
CA 
$5,505
350
121
TN 
$5,505
350
122
 
$5,505
350
123
Omaha 
NE 
$5,505
350
124
NV 
$5,505
350
125
NY 
$5,505
350
126
 
 
$5,505
350
127
TX 
$5,505
350
128
CA 
$5,505
350
130
 
$5,505
350
131
 
 
$5,505
350
132
 
 
$5,505
350
133
TX 
$5,505
350
134
 
 
$5,505
350
135
CA 
$5,505
350
136
Miami 
FL 
$5,505
350
137
NY 
$5,505
350
138
OR 
$5,505
350
139
MN 
$5,505
350
140
 
 
$5,505
350
141
SC 
$5,505
350
142
CA 
$5,505
350
143
CA 
$5,505
350
144
MN 
$5,505
350
145
CA 
$4,860
300
146
TN 
$4,860
300
147
CA 
$4,860
300
148
NJ 
$4,860
300
149
Miami 
FL 
$4,860
300
150
PA 
$4,860
300
151
 
 
$4,860
300
152
NY 
$4,860
300
153
MD 
$4,860
300
154
 
 
$4,860
300
155
NJ 
$4,860
300
156
TX 
$4,860
300
157
MN 
$4,860
300
158
 
 
$4,860
300
159
 
 
$4,860
300
160
FL 
$4,860
300
161
FL 
$4,860
300
162
SD 
$4,860
300
163
CA 
$4,860
300
164
Miami 
FL 
$4,860
300
165
CA 
$4,860
300
166
 
$4,860
300
167
 
 
$4,860
300
168
Binson 
AL 
$4,860
300
169
Tampa 
FL 
$4,860
300
170
PA 
$4,860
300
171
CO 
$4,860
300
172
IL 
$4,860
300
173
WI 
$4,860
300
174
OH 
$4,860
300
175
FL 
$4,860
300
176
MO 
$4,860
300
177
MN 
$4,860
300
178
France 
 
$4,860
300
179
Vienna 
 
$4,860
300
180
FL 
$4,860
300
181
 
 
$4,860
300
182
CA 
$4,860
300
183
 
 
$4,860
300
184
Canada 
 
$4,860
300
185
 
 
$4,860
300
186
 
 
$4,860
300
187
 
 
$4,860
300
188
CA 
$4,860
300
189
 
 
$4,860
300
190
OR 
$4,215
250
191
CA 
$4,215
250
192
UT 
$4,215
250
193
MA 
$4,215
250
194
GA 
$4,215
250
195
NV 
$4,215
250
196
FL 
$4,215
250
197
TX 
$4,215
250
198
 
 
$4,215
250
199
HI 
$4,215
250
200
 
 
$4,215
250
201
 
$4,215
250
202
MI 
$4,215
250
203
 
$4,215
250
204
ME 
$4,215
250
205
 
 
$4,215
250
206
CA 
$4,215
250
207
MI 
$4,215
250
208
Folsom 
CA 
$4,215
250
209
FL 
$4,215
250
210
OH 
$4,215
250
211
Vienna 
 
$4,215
250
212
CA 
$4,215
250
213
NJ 
$4,215
250
214
FL 
$4,215
250
215
AZ 
$4,215
250
216
 
 
$4,215
250
217
 
 
$4,215
250
218
 
 
$4,215
250
219
NV 
$4,215
250
220
UT 
$4,215
250
221
VA 
$4,215
250
222
IL 
$4,215
250
223
MI 
$4,215
250
224
CA 
$4,215
250
225
 
 
$4,215
250
226
NY 
$4,215
250
227
CA 
$4,215
250
228
 
 
$4,215
250
229
 
 
$4,215
250
230
Quincy 
MA 
$4,215
250
231
WI 
$4,215
250
232
AL 
$4,215
250
233
 
 
$4,215
250
234
FL 
$4,215
250
235
 
 
$3,613
200
236
NY 
$3,613
200
237
Ottawa 
 
$3,613
200
238
 
 
$3,613
200
239
Denver 
CO 
$3,613
200
240
CA 
$3,613
200
241
CA 
$3,613
200
242
WI 
$3,613
200
243
CA 
$3,613
200
244
CA 
$3,613
200
245
WI 
$3,613
200
246
WI 
$3,613
200
247
 
 
$3,613
200
248
 
 
$3,613
200
249
 
$3,613
200
250
CA 
$3,613
200
251
AZ 
$3,613
200
252
IL 
$3,613
200
253
Miami 
FL 
$3,613
200
254
PA 
$3,613
200
255
NV 
$3,613
200
256
NV 
$3,613
200
257
Fargo 
ND 
$3,613
200
258
NV 
$3,613
200
259
CA 
$3,613
200
260
 
 
$3,613
200
261
NV 
$3,613
200
262
CO 
$3,613
200
263
FL 
$3,613
200
264
CA 
$3,613
200
265
MA 
$3,613
200
266
 
 
$3,613
200
267
Madrid 
 
$3,613
200
268
WA 
$3,613
200
269
NV 
$3,613
200
270
 
 
$3,613
200
271
Vernon 
CT 
$3,613
200
272
 
 
$3,613
200
274
Lima 
OH 
$3,613
200
275
OH 
$3,613
200
276
NV 
$3,613
200
277
 
 
$3,613
200
278
 
 
$3,613
200
279
Dallas 
TX 
$3,613
200
280
IL 
$3,183
150
281
CA 
$3,183
150
282
FL 
$3,183
150
283
NV 
$3,183
150
284
LA 
$3,183
150
285
NY 
$3,183
150
286
OH 
$3,183
150
287
NV 
$3,183
150
288
CA 
$3,183
150
289
Edmond 
OK 
$3,183
150
290
 
$3,183
150
291
NV 
$3,183
150
292
 
 
$3,183
150
293
CA 
$3,183
150
294
 
 
$3,183
150
295
NY 
$3,183
150
296
CA 
$3,183
150
297
WI 
$3,183
150
298
CA 
$3,183
150
299
IN 
$3,183
150
300
 
$3,183
150
301
Newton 
NC 
$3,183
150
302
NJ 
$3,183
150
303
 
$3,183
150
304
CA 
$3,183
150
305
AZ 
$3,183
150
306
FL 
$3,183
150
307
Miami 
FL 
$3,183
150
308
MA 
$3,183
150
309
CA 
$3,183
150
310
CA 
$3,183
150
311
CA 
$3,183
150
312
GA 
$3,183
150
313
 
 
$3,183
150
314
 
$3,183
150
315
NY 
$3,183
150
316
 
 
$3,183
150
317
FL 
$3,183
150
318
MN 
$3,183
150
319
 
 
$3,183
150
320
 
 
$3,183
150
321
CA 
$3,183
150
322
IL 
$3,183
150
323
Parker 
TX 
$3,183
150
324
Denver 
CO 
$3,183
150
325
FL 
$2,752
100
326
Weston 
FL 
$2,752
100
327
 
$2,752
100
328
KS 
$2,752
100
329
 
$2,752
100
330
NJ 
$2,752
100
331
London 
 
$2,752
100
332
IL 
$2,752
100
333
WA 
$2,752
100
334
 
$2,752
100
335
MD 
$2,752
100
336
NY 
$2,752
100
337
Keller 
TX 
$2,752
100
338
HI 
$2,752
100
339
Dallas 
TX 
$2,752
100
340
 
 
$2,752
100
341
FL 
$2,752
100
342
MN 
$2,752
100
343
 
 
$2,752
100
344
FL 
$2,752
100
345
FL 
$2,752
100
346
 
 
$2,752
100
347
FL 
$2,752
100
348
AZ 
$2,752
100
349
CA 
$2,752
100
350
TX 
$2,752
100
351
NM 
$2,752
100
352
Toledo 
OH 
$2,752
100
353
CA 
$2,752
100
354
NV 
$2,752
100
355
Reno 
NV 
$2,752
100
356
Miami 
FL 
$2,752
100
357
 
$2,752
100
358
China 
 
$2,752
100
359
 
 
$2,752
100
360
CA 
$2,752
100
361
Duluth 
GA 
$2,752
100
362
FL 
$2,752
100
363
 
CA 
$2,752
100
364
CA 
$2,752
100
365
DE 
$2,752
100
366
Miami 
FL 
$2,752
100
367
MI 
$2,752
100
368
WI 
$2,752
100
369
 
 
$2,752
100
370
IA 
$2,408
75
371
TN 
$2,408
75
372
 
 
$2,408
75
373
 
 
$2,408
75
374
 
$2,408
75
375
CA 
$2,408
75
376
Eagan 
MN 
$2,408
75
377
Omaha 
NE 
$2,408
75
378
NV 
$2,408
75
379
NM 
$2,408
75
380
FL 
$2,408
75
381
Tucson 
AZ 
$2,408
75
382
IL 
$2,408
75
383
CA 
$2,408
75
384
NV 
$2,408
75
385
LA 
$2,408
75
386
NY 
$2,408
75
387
Norman 
OK 
$2,408
75
388
Dallas 
TX 
$2,408
75
389
Irvine 
CA 
$2,408
75
390
 
$2,408
75
391
 
 
$2,408
75
392
CA 
$2,408
75
393
NC 
$2,408
75
394
IL 
$2,408
75
395
London 
 
$2,408
75
396
Many 
LA 
$2,408
75
397
IL 
$2,408
75
398
Edmond 
OK 
$2,408
75
399
Boston 
MA 
$2,408
75
400
GA 
$2,408
75
401
TN 
$2,408
75
402
 
$2,408
75
403
NY 
$2,408
75
404
NV 
$2,408
75
405
IL 
$2,408
75
406
FL 
$2,408
75
407
CA 
$2,408
75
408
NV 
$2,408
75
409
NV 
$2,408
75
410
VA 
$2,408
75
411
Tries 
 
$2,408
75
412
CA 
$2,408
75
413
NV 
$2,408
75
414
CA 
$2,408
75
415
Prague 
 
$2,150
50
416
CA 
$2,150
50
417
Ojai 
CA 
$2,150
50
418
GA 
$2,150
50
419
KY 
$2,150
50
420
MN 
$2,150
50
421
 
 
$2,150
50
422
Dallas 
TX 
$2,150
50
423
Lisle 
IL 
$2,150
50
424
MN 
$2,150
50
425
CA 
$2,150
50
426
CA 
$2,150
50
427
MA 
$2,150
50
428
NY 
$2,150
50
429
 
 
$2,150
50
430
 
 
$2,150
50
431
Vienna 
 
$2,150
50
432
NY 
$2,150
50
433
FL 
$2,150
50
434
OH 
$2,150
50
435
Easley 
SC 
$2,150
50
436
CA 
$2,150
50
437
 
 
$2,150
50
438
 
 
$2,150
50
439
 
 
$2,150
50
440
HI 
$2,150
50
441
VA 
$2,150
50
442
Salem 
OR 
$2,150
50
443
MI 
$2,150
50
444
Tupelo 
MS 
$2,150
50
445
AK 
$2,150
50
446
Seoul 
 
$2,150
50
447
FL 
$2,150
50
448
 
$2,150
50
449
FL 
$1,434
34
450
WY 
$1,433
33
451
OH 
$1,433
33