Press Releases
BEN HAMNETT CLAIMS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AT 10TH ANNUAL BORGATA POKER OPEN
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (September 25, 2012) – Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa culminated its record-setting poker tournament series with one of the largest fields and toughest final tables in its decade-long history, as Ben Hamnett became the newest Borgata Poker Open champion.
Hamnett, a professional from Pittsburgh, PA, defeated amateur Matthew Burnitz (Bear, DE) heads-up to collect $818,847 in prize money and place his name alongside such prestigious past Borgata Poker Open champions as Bobby Oboodi (2011), Dwyte Pilgrim (2010), Olivier Busquet (2009), Vivek Rajkumar (2008), Roy Winston (2007), Mark Newhouse (2006), Al Ardebili (2005), Daniel Negreanu (2004) and Noli Francisco (2003).
Hamnett’s consistent and controlled play helped him put his name in the history books and take home the coveted World Poker Tour® trophy. “A lot of people play with blind aggression and you know if you get in a hand with them, one of you is going to go broke,” stated Hamnett immediately after soaking in the victory. “[I didn’t] play like that.”
Borgata celebrated its decade-long poker series in record-breaking fashion with an unbelievably successful opening event. The $1 Million Guaranteed Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em tournament experienced the largest attendance in the history of East Coast poker with a staggering 3,705 participants generating $1,852,500 in prize money.
This year’s WPT® Borgata Poker Open extended its streak to four consecutive 1,000+ Championship event fields, attracting amateurs and professional players, including Gavin Smith, Will “The Thrill” Failla, Jonathan Little, Tommy Vedes, Matt Salsberg, Andy Frankenberger, Allen Cunningham, Tony Dunst, Lee Childs, Vinny Pahuja, Todd Terry, and Barry Greenstein. Other notable names included past Borgata Poker Open winners Bobby Oboodi, Dwyte Pilgrim and Olivier Busquet.
Final Table Pay-Outs:
1. Ben Hamnett (Pittsburgh, PA) -- $818,847
2. Matthew Burnitz (Bear, DE) - $488,850
3. Tyler Patterson(Everett, WA) - $298,950
4. Ofir Mor (Woodmere, NY) - $250,065
5. Steve Brecher (Reno, NV) - $206,821
6. David Diaz (Bartlett, TN) - $167,377
About Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa features 2,000 guest rooms and suites; 161,000 square feet of gaming; 182 gaming tables; 3,475 slot machines; the largest poker room in Atlantic City with 80+ tables; 11 retail boutiques; 6 acclaimed fine dining restaurants by world-renowned chefs; 6 casual dining options; a 54,000 square foot spa; 70,000 square feet of event space; 4 signature nightlife experiences; and parking for 7,100 cars. The resort also features Atlantic City’s first cosmopolitan hotel experience, The Water Club at Borgata, with 800 guest rooms and suites; a 36,000 square foot spa; 18,000 square feet of meeting space; 6 designer retail boutiques; and 5 heated indoor and outdoor pools.
For more information on Borgata or to obtain a copy of this press release, please visit www.theborgata.com, twitter.com/BorgataAC or twitter.com/BorgataPoker.
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For more information on Borgata, please contact Brian Brennan at
brianbrennan@theborgata.com or 609-317-7160.
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