2022 WPT Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 21
$3,500 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  1,165
Prize Pool:  $3,728,000
September 2-7, 2022

The 2022 WPT Tampa Championship headlined the two-week festival and the $3,500 buy-in tournament featured a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. After a tough final table, Corey Wade took the Championship title and earned $615,050.

“It feels absolutely amazing, I got heads-up for a bracelet this summer and fell short with a big chip lead, and this time I came through and got lucky on the river, I’m really excited. It felt so good, it’s a surreal feeling,” said Wade right after the victory.

“I was to Brock Wilson’s left, and he was the best player at the table, and I didn’t have a lot of big stacks on my left so I was able to open more than I would have otherwise than not open. I was able to maneuver more than the stack size I had should have been able to do. I was able to open up my range a little bit and find some spots that were good to take,” said Wade when he was asked about his journey through the final table.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been here, and the casino is really big and really nice, I enjoyed it. The room service was great, the tournament ran perfect. I only have good things to say, I had a great time,” said Wade.

Wade took some tough beats earlier in the tournament, and here is his answer about how he persevered, “I wear my emotions on my sleeve, and it really got to me for a while. I had to call a couple people to calm me down. I tried to just tell myself, whatever happens, happens, so just be happy.”

The tournament drew a record-tying 1,165 entries over two starting flights to create a prize pool worth $3,728,000. Both numbers tied the 2021 WPT Tampa Championship turn out as the biggest in our history.

The last 146 places were paid with the tournament reaching the money before the end of Day 2. They played down to 16 players on Day 3 with Wade leading the way, and the Championship hit the final table early on Day 4.

Local favorite Fred Paradis (who won his seat in the Championship Event in a $550 satellite) had the big stack at the tough six-handed WPT final table, featuring Wade, David Tuthill, Seth Berger, Steven McKoy, and high roller specialist Brock Wilson.

That brings the WPT Tampa series to a close and concludes our coverage. Congratulations to all the trophy winners, and thanks to all the players that made the last two weeks a success.

Here are the results from the final table today:

• Complete WPT Tampa Championship results (PDF)

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 1,165

Fred Paradis raised to 1.6 million on the button, Corey Wade reraised all in, and Paradis called all in. The two players then flipped over their cards.

Wade:
Paradis:

Board:

Paradis was eliminated in second place, good for $441,686, and Wade won the hand and the tournament to take home the top prize worth $471,686, the Guitar Trophy, and he added his name to the WPT Champions Cup thanks to the queen on the river.

Stay tuned for a recap of the final day, a winner photo, and interview with the champion.

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 1,165

Brock Wilson limped preflop, Corey Wade raised to 1.7 million from the big blind, and Wilson called before the flop was dealt . Wade bet 2.2 million, and Wilson check-called before the turn fell .

Wade bet 5.1 million, and Wilson check-raised all in for about 11 million. Wade called to cover so they flipped over their cards.

Wade:
Wilson:

The river delivered the , and Wade won the hand to stack up 37.2 million after collecting the pot. Wilson was eliminated in third place, good for $411,678.

Corey Wade – 37,200,000 (74 bb)
Brock Wilson – Eliminated in Third Place ($411,678)

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 1,165

The final three players have agreed to a payout adjustment at the final table of the Championship Event. Here is a look at those new payouts:

1st:  $471,686
2nd:  $441,686
3rd:  $411,678

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 34:  300,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 1,165

Corey Wade raised to 1 million on the button, and Steven McKoy reraised all in for 8.7 million from the small blind. Wade called to cover him so they flipped over their cards.

Wade:
McKoy:

Board:

McKoy was eliminated in fourth place, good for $226,000, and Wade stacked up 22.7 million after collecting the pot.

Corey Wade – 22,700,000 (45 bb)
Steven McKoy – Eliminated in Fourth Place ($226,00)  

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 1,165

Here is a look at the updated chip counts from the previous break in play for the Championship Event.

Seat 1:  Fred Paradis  –  28,200,000  (56 bb)
Seat 2:  Brock Wilson  –  8,100,000  (16 bb)
Seat 3:  Corey Wade  –   13,000,000  (26 bb)
Seat 4:  Steven McKoy  –  8,700,000  (17 bb)

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 1,165

Corey Wade limped on the button, Seth Berger raised all in for 3.6 million from the small blind, and Wade called to cover him so the two players flipped over their cards.

Berger:
Wade:

Board:

Berger was eliminated in fifth place, good for $170,000, and Wade stacked up 18.6 million after the hand.

Corey Wade – 18,600,000 (46 bb)
Seth Berger – Eliminated in Fifth Place ($170,000)

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 33:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 1,165

Brock Wilson raised to 800,000 preflop UTG, and David Tuthill got all in preflop for about 7.4 million from the small blind with , and Fred Paradis reraised over the top of him holding on the big blind.

Wilson got out of the way before the board ran out , and Tuthill was eliminated in sixth place thanks to the ill-timed cooler to take home $130,000. Paradis stacked up over 15 million after collecting the pot.

Fred Paradis – 18,200,000 (46 bb)
David Tuthill – Eliminated in Sixth Place ($130,000)

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 32:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 1,165

After Level 31, players were sent on a quick five-minute break and return with Brock Wilson still out front.

Blinds are up to 150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante and the average stack is about 9,700,000 (32 bb).

Seat 1:  David Tuthill  – 9,950,000  (33 bb)
Seat 2:  Fred Paradis  –  8,425,000  (28 bb)
Seat 3:  Brock Wilson  – 17,325,000  (58 bb)
Seat 4:  Corey Wade  –   10,425,000  (35 bb)
Seat 5:  Seth Berger  – 3,200,000  (11 bb)
Seat 6:  Steven McKoy  –  8,625,000  (29 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st:  $615,050
2nd:  $410,000
3rd:  $300,000
4th:  $226,000
5th:  $170,000
6th:  $130,000

$3,500 WPT Tampa Championship (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 1,165

Corey Wade opened to 500,000 from the hijack and Fred Paradis called to see the flop. Paradis checked, Wade bet 350,000 and Paradis called.

The turn was , Wade bet enough to put Paradis all in, and he called for 2,600,000.

Paradis:
Wade:

Paradis was ahead with his paired king but needed to fade 12 outs on the river to double (diamonds and a gutshot). The river was safe and Paradis doubled up.

Fred Paradis  –  7,275,000  (29 bb)
Corey Wade  –  9,000,000  (36 bb)