72-Year-Old Retired Dentist Elik Vodovoz Turns $220 Satellite Seat Into $294K
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The 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit Horseshoe Hammond wrapped up on Monday with the completion of the Chicagoland��s $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, a tournament that attracted 1,050 entrants and generated a $1,590,750 prize pool.
In a field chock full of young guns, it was 72-year-old retired dentist Elik Vodovoz turning a $220 satellite seat into a $294,290 payday, his first WSOPC gold ring, and a seat into the 2019 Global Casino Championship.
��Frankly, I really like playing poker,�� said Vodovoz, originally from Ukraine. ��I just have fun playing. My son is also playing and he told me ��You��re playing well. Take your time and in the future, you will win something.�� Well, the future came early.��
It was far and away the largest score in Vodovoz��s career; in fact, he��s used to playing much smaller buy-ins.
WSOPC Horseshoe Hammond Main Event Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elik Vodovoz | Skokie, Illinois | $294,290 |
| 2 | Derek Hanauer | Chicago, Illinois | $181,950 |
| 3 | Brekstyn Schutten | Grand Rapids, Michigan | $135,214 |
| 4 | Peter Kelly | South Bend, Indiana | $101,649 |
| 5 | Amelito Umbao | West Chicago, Illinois | $77,295 |
| 6 | Adam Greenberg | Long Grove, Illinois | $59,462 |
| 7 | John Lizzio | Chicago, Illinois | $46,275 |
| 8 | Soctty Mio | Farmington Hills, Michigan | $36,428 |
| 9 | Even Scherer | Deerfield, Illinois | $29,015 |
The top 108 Main Event finishers made the money including Josh Reichard (15th - $19,057), MSPT champ Sean Munjal (20th - $13,076), Maurice Hawkins (21st - $13,076), Mark Brazis (56th - $4,470), Kevin Eyster (64th - $4,088), Alex Winter (82nd - $3,452), and Blake Battaglia (108th - $2,927).
WSOPC Horseshoe Hammond Main Event Final Table Action
According to updates from the event, Vodovoz got off to a quick start at the final table dispatching Evan Scherer in ninth place. It happened when Scherer jammed a six-high flop holding pocket tens and Vodovoz called with a set of fours and held.
With six players left, Vodovoz won a monster when he got it in with pocket kings against Brek Schutten��s queens and Adam Greenberg��s Big Slick. The kings held and Vodovoz doubled through Schutten while sending Greenberg to the rail.
With four players remaining, Peter Kelly got his short stack in with ace-deuce but failed to get there against Vodovoz��s pocket fives, and then Vodovoz had pocket nines hold against Schutten��s ace-queen to send the latter out the door in third place for $135,214.
Vodovoz took a big chip lead into heads-up play against Derek Hanauer and in the final hand of the tournament, the former held nines against the latter��s tens. Unfortunately for Hanauer, a nine spiked on the river and Hanauer had to settle for second place and $181,950 for his efforts.
WSOPC Horseshoe Hammond Side Event News
Ty Reiman is no stranger to poker. Ever since he finished runner-up to Harrison Gimbel in the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $1.75 million, he��s been a force in poker. Since becoming an HPT champ in 2007, Reiman has amassed more than $3.2 million in poker tournaments.
However, one thing he didn��t have was a piece of WSOP hardware. That changed at the Horseshoe Hammond stop when he topped a field of 165-entries to win Event #8: $600 NLH 6-Max for $23,792 and his first gold ring. Reiman, who doesn��t travel as much for poker, currently resides in Chicago, so he didn��t have to go far for the win.
Likewise, poker veteran Scott Bohlman navigated a 46-entry field to win Event #12: $1,125 Heads-Up NLH for $15,641 and his first gold ring. He did so by defeating Nebraska farmer Phil Mader in the best-of-three finale even after losing the first match.
��I��m playing the same poker I��ve been playing for twenty years,�� said Bohlman, who last summer won a WSOP gold bracelet. ��I don��t play a lot of tournaments. There��s only one happy winner, but this time that��s me.��
Here��s a look at all those who won rings at the Horseshoe Hammond stop.
WSOPC Horseshoe Hammond Ring Winners
| Event | Winner | Entries | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold'em $500K GTD | Mike Sabbia | 2,595 | $118,887 |
| Event #2: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack | Edward Rowsey | 556 | $23,339 |
| Event #3: Seniors | Simon Philip | N/A | $21,347 |
| Event #4: $600 No-Limit Hold'em w/ big blind ante | Boulos Estafanous | 207 | $27,719 |
| Event #5: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha | Michael Perrone | 149 | $21,485 |
| Event #6: $400 Monster Stack | Jason Crews | 503 | $35,698 |
| Event #7: $400 Omaha Eight or Better | Jim Davis | 132 | $12,197 |
| Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Max | Ty Reiman | 165 | $23,792 |
| Event #9: $400 Dealer's Choice | Cory Chaput | 63 | $7,276 |
| Event #10: $1,125 No-Limit Hold'em w/ big-blind ante | Bryant Miller | 111 | $33,300 |
| Event #11: $250 Multi-Bag Bonus NLH | Ed Dixon | 1,332 | $40,244 |
| Event #12: $1,125 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em | Scott Bohlman | 46 | $15,641 |
| Event #13: $1,700 Main Event | Elik Vodovoz | 1,050 | $294,290 |
| Event #14: $400 NLH Bounty | Hamid Izadi | 347 | $18,380 |
The next WSOPC stop is already underway at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California. PokerNews will bring you a recap of the stop��s $1,700 Main Event upon its completion.
Photos courtesy of WSOP Circuit.
