2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 772
Prize Pool:  $1,196,600
December 9-12, 2021

The 2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open Main Event headlined the series and it was a great anchor on the schedule. The $1,700 buy-in tournament was the second-biggest in our history and poker pro T.K. Miles took the title with an outright win for $213,035.

In addition to those honors, Miles also retook the top spot for all-time tournament money in our events. Brian Altman moved into the lead courtesy of his WPT Tampa title this summer but Miles is back out front now with $711,054 in career earnings here alone.

The Main Event featured a $500,000 guarantee that was surpassed during the second of three flights and the prize pool reached $1,196,600. The last 97 players earned some money and the bubble burst early on Day 2.

The day moved along at a quick pace until they reached three tables. At that point, the huge money was getting closer and the stakes were higher so they slowed it down.

Miles was not among the leaders when they reached the final table but he took over late when it was short-handed. He hit two quick doubles to take the lead and he never relinquished it.

The heads-up battle versus Kevin Ragusa lasted less than 15 minutes and Miles earned the outright win. Ragusa earned $142,030 for the runner-up prize while Miles banked the biggest among and the WPO guitar trophy.

Congratulations to T.K. and thanks to all of our players for the fantastic tournament.

Final table results:

1st: T.K. Miles – $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: Kevin Ragusa – $142,030
3rd: RJ Sullivan – $104,850
4th: Robert Michener – $78,230
5th: Henry Fischer – $58,995
6th: Cody Hernandez – $44,980
7th: Alex Rusinovas – $34,675
8th: Howard Feingold – $27,025
9th: Maurice Hawkins – $21,305

• Full 2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open Results (PDF)

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante

The heads-up match did not take very long and ended with a bit of a cooler. With the board reading , Ragusa bet 2,000,000 and Miles announced all in. Ragusa thought for a minute and called at risk for 4,800,000 total.

Miles:
Ragusa:

“Oh, I’m drawing dead,” Ragusa said when he saw the hands.

He was indeed drawing dead with his pair of kings versus two pair kings and jacks of Miles. The merely ceremonial river was dealt and the WPO Main Event was over.

Ragusa earned $142,030 for his runner-up finish while Miles became the newest Winter Poker Open Main Event champion and he walked away with the $213,035 top prize for the outright win

1st: T.K. Miles – $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: Kevin Ragusa – $142,030

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 772

Heads-up for the Main Event title got underway with T.K. Miles holding nearly a two-to-one advantage. Levels will now last 30 minutes each until we have a champ.

T.K. Miles – 15,350,000 (61 bb)
Kevin Ragusa – 7,800,000 (31 bb)

1st: $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: $142,030

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 772

T.K. Miles opened to 500,000 from the button and R.J. Sullivan moved all in for 1,875,000. After confirming the count, Miles called.

Miles:
Sullivan:

Sullivan was ahead but had some live cards to avoid. Miles hit one of his cards on the to take the lead with a pair of jacks. That turned into two pair on the turn and Sullivan couldn’t find his gutshot queen on the river to exit in third place.

T.K. Miles – 15,350,000 (61 bb)
R.J. Sullivan – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($104,850)

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 772

RJ Sullivan opened to 550,000 from the button and Kevin Ragusa called in the big blind to the flop. Ragusa checked, Sullivan continued to 600,000, and Ragusa checked raised all in for 3,025,000. Sullivan thought for a minute and called.

Ragusa:
Sullivan:

Sullivan was ahead with his pair of sevens and Ragusa was looking at a gutshot draw. The turn gave Ragusa more outs and he hit trip sixes when the river came .

Kevin Ragusa – 7,525,000 (30 bb)
RJ Sullivan – 2,500,000 (10 bb)

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 772

It folded to RJ Sullivan in the small blind and he moved all in. Robert Michener thought for a moment and called with a similar stack.

Sullivan:
Michener:

Sullivan was ahead with his ducks and Michener could not catch on the board. They counted down the stacks and Sullivan’s 2,700,000 barely pipped Michener to send him out in fourth place.

RJ Sullivan – 5,500,000 (22 bb)
Robert Michener – Eliminated in 4th Place ($78,230)