Following a stop in South Florida this coming weekend, the World Poker Tour (WPT) is heading to another familiar spot — Durant, Okalahoma. More specifically, the $3,800 buy-in WPT Choctaw Main Tour event.
May 5-8 are the dates for the Sooner State major poker tournament with the final table taking place May 26 in Las Vegas at Luxor’s HyperX Esports Arena. Luxor will also play host to the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown (May 25) and WPT Gardens Poker Championship (May 27) before the first half of the 2023 World Poker Tour schedule wraps.
Can Upcoming WPT Choctaw Top 2022 Edition?
Last year’s WPT Choctaw, which attracted 787 entrants, was one of the most memorable in tour history. The final table was stacked, with Chance Kornuth coming out victorious ($486,600), beating a loaded final six, including Kristen Foxen, James Mackey, Ray Qartomy, and runner-up Steven Buckner.
Kornuth’s win, beating out tough competition for a massive score, was impressive. But there was even more meaning to his first WPT victory than meets the eye.
Randy Gordon, a beloved traveling poker dealer from Las Vegas who is battling cancer, won a seat into the 2022 WPT Choctaw after dealing some side events during the series. Kornuth busted him from the tournament on Day 1, but decided to give the poker dealer a 1% freeroll on his action, a generous offer knowing that Gordon would soon after be undergoing cancer treatment.
Gordon’s story made some press and it caught the eye of one of Kornuth’s friend, who then tacked on another 4% freeroll, meaning Gordon would receive a total of 5% of Kornuth’s cash.
As it turned out, that was a ton of money because Kornuth won it for nearly $500,000. In total, the poker dealer received just over $24,000. Given that he would have to pack up his things last October and move to Texas for cancer treatment, that money couldn’t have possibly come at a better time.
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Choctaw Information
For those who’ve never visited the casino, Choctaw Casino & Resort, in Durant, Oklahoma, boasts one of the top card rooms in the Southwest and features a gorgeous full-scale resort with clean and comfortable hotel rooms, a plethora of dining options, slot machines, table games, and even a bowling alley.
If you’re flying in for the poker tournament, you’ll likely want to fly to Dallas, Texas as it is the closest commercial airport (90-minute drive). You can pick up an Uber or shuttle service from Dallas to the casino.
Full WPT Choctaw Series Schedule
The Main Tour finale isn’t the only event on the schedule. In fact, there are 33 poker tournaments scheduled up until May 8, and the WPT Choctaw series began on April 19. That series includes a $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em Super Stack ($300,000 guaranteed) starting May 3. For the complete schedule, see below:
*Images courtesy of WPT.
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World Poker Tour (WPT) Heading to Popular Choctaw Durant Spot from May 5-8
