2024 Winter Poker Open

2024 WPO in Review

The 2024 Tampa Winter Poker Open took place from January 24 through February 5 for 13 days of fun action and memories in the Poker Room.

Events: 9
Entries: 3,188
Guarantees: $605,000
Prize Pools: $1,681,645

The series featured $605,000 in guarantees, not including all the seats from massive satellites, and our players put more than $1,000,000 on top of the amount we locked in. Outside our huge festivals in the Event Center, the series was the fourth biggest in terms of entries and prize pools despite fewer events.

For those who really like numbers, this was our biggest series in the Poker Room when you consider prize money per event, and that’s all a credit to the fantastic support from our players.

The series began with a $400 multi-flight event and Antuan Bunkley conquered a tough field to take the title along with $74,370. The headliner of the 2024 WPO series was the $1,700 buy-in Championship that turned a $300,000 guarantee into a prize pool worth $793,500.

Tampa favorite Ross Corless took the top spot after dominating the final day (and close friend Jake Ferro) to bank $130,230 and the title of WPO Champ.

It was another fun, fantastic series and we can’t thank our players enough for the incredible turnout. We love seeing our old friends and making new ones every day, we look forward to catching up with everyone at the next one in March for the 2024 Tampa Poker Classic.

2024 Tampa Poker Classic schedule

You can find links to WPO results below.

Ross Corless

WPO Championship: Ross Corless – $130,230
Event 1 ($400 NLH): Antuan Bunkley – $74,370
Event 2 ($200 NLH): Daniel Kasper – $5,481
Event 3 ($400 O8): Michael Tadlock – $4,622
Event 4 ($700 NLH): Maroun Akiki – $37,870
Event 5 ($400 Triple Stud): Hoyt Verner – $5,720
Event 6 ($400 PLO): Mario Arribas – $9,665
Event 8 ($400 NLH): Saif Keshwani – $11,611
Event 9 ($240 Seniors): Glyn Griffis – $10,000

Glyn Griffis Wins WPO Seniors for $10K in Seven-Way Deal

2024 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 9
$250 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  245
Prize Pool:  $50,225
February 5, 2024

Glyn Griffis, WPO Seniors champ

The last event on the 2024 WPO schedule was the popular $250 Seniors 50+ event with a $10,000 guarantee blasted times five for a prize pool over $50,000. It created a talented final table that ended up calling it a night with seven players remaining and Glyn Griffis holding a huge lead.

Griffis earned the title along with a cool $10,000 payout plus the last WPO trophy awarded for the series.

Congrats Glyn!

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStatePrize Amount
1GlynGriffisWindermereFL$10,000 *
2MarkMilburnGibsoniaPA$4,133 *
3RussellBroadwaySarasotaFL$4,133 *
4GuyWardZephyrhillsFL$4,133 *
5MarieHarrellTampaFL$4,132 *
6MarvinKarlinsRiverviewFL$4,132 *
7WilliamAlexanderLand O LakesFL$4,132 *
8EricVogtTampaFL$1,350
9GeraldSilvaTampaFL$1,060
10LisaChiodiniOviedoFL$1,060
11JosephSuggsSt PetersburgFL$880
12WilliamSmithPowder SpringsFL$880
13StephenAllenBradentonFL$740
14Anthony DanielCamaraDavenportFL$740
15ScottMcdonaldIndian ShoresFL$630
16JoanDelkerRiverviewFL$630
17ThomasLeonzioParrishFL$560
18MarkWinchellLargoFL$560
19RobertCornetteRiverviewFL$560
20SaifKhanOrlandoFL$560
21DanielHeimillerLas VegasNV$500
22FredrickHaddenSt PetersburgFL$500
23LeslieThomasRuskinFL$500
24AnthonyDagostinoSeminoleFL$500
25ScottNicholsWinter GardenFL$460
26AndrewMarksSarasotaFL$460
27JamesBumbulSaint PetersburgFL$460
28JosephCraigSt PetersburgFL$460
29DanielLehmannTampafl$460
30MarieFranceCurrituckNC$460
31BrianFinnisHudsonFL$460

* results of a seven-way deal

Ross Corless Wins WPO Championship for $130,230 in Heads-Up Deal

2024 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  529
Prize Pool:  $793,500
February 1 – 5, 2024

Ross Corless

The 2024 Winter Poker Open Championship headlined the two-week festival and the $1,700 buy-in tournament drew a talented group of players. After a fun final table, Ross Corless earned the WPO Champion title and $130,230 in a heads-up deal.

The tournament featured three starting flights and a $300,000 guarantee. It drew 529 entries to create a prize pool worth $793,500 for a fantastic turnout. We had 65 players return for Day 2, in the money, and they wasted no time since the money bubble was in the rearview mirror.

They quickly reached the final table with nine players remaining and four were left when they finished Day 2. Diego Uez and former WPT Player of the Year Jake Ferror were the leaders returning for the last day, but Corless never lost a hand.

Gal Yafrich doubled up on the first hand of Day 3 with aces but then ran his big slick into Corless’s aces to go out in fourth. Then Ferro lost his stack to his good friend before Uez and Corless decided to chop up the remaining prize pool.

Uez earned $124,000 in the deal and Corless is your 2024 Tampa Winter Poker Open Champion, banking $130,230 and the trophy for his efforts.

Final table results:

1st: Ross Corless – $130,230 + WPO Trophy *
2nd: Diego Uez – $124,000 *
3rd: Jake Ferro – $74,890
4th: Gal Yafrich – $55,750
5th: Mo Alhalwani – $41,920
6th: Chad Kitchen – $31,840
7th: Mark Milburn – $24,420
8th: Ryan Hogan – $18,910
9th: Jared Ingles – $14,790
* – results of heads-up deal

Event 9: Prize Pool and Payouts with $11,145 to Seniors Champ

2024 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 9
$250 Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  245
Prize Pool:  $50,225
February 5, 2024

Registration closed for the $250 Seniors 50+ tournament with 245 entries, quintupling the $10,000 guarantee into a prize pool worth $50,225. The last 31 spots will be paid with $460 for a min-cash and $11,145 up top for the last champ of the series.

1st: $11,145 + WPO Trophy
2nd: $7,390
3rd: $5,370
4th: $3,960
5th: $2,960
6th: $2,240
7th: $1,730
8th: $1,350
9th-10th: $1,060
11th-12th: $880
13th-14th: $740
15th-16th: $630
17th-20th: $560
21st-24th: $500
25th-31st: $460

Championship: We Have a Deal!

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante

Ross Corless

After Jake Ferro was eliminated in third place, Ross Corless and Diego Uez took some time to look at the numbers. After some negotiation for the trophy, the two agreed on a deal to divide up the remaining prize money.

Uez earned $124,000 for a runner-up result, while Corless earned $130,230 and the trophy as our 2024 WPO Champion.

Congrats both!

Ross Corless – 13,800,000 (69 bb)
Diego Uez – 7,275,000 (36 bb)

1st: Ross Corless – $130,230 + WPO Trophy
2nd: Diego Uez – $124,000

Diego Uez

Championship: Jake Ferro – 3rd Place ($74,890)

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 529

Jake Ferro

Ross Corless opened to 475,000 from the small blind and Jake Ferro moved all in for 2,225,000 from the big. Corless called and Ferro was at risk.

Corless: AcTc
Ferro: KcJc

“You have clubs too?” Ferro laughed with his friend.

Ferro needed to catch something with two live cards to double back up but the board ran 6h3d2h4c6s to send him out in third place.

Ross Corless – 13,800,000 (69 bb)
Jake Ferro – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($74,890)

Championship: Gal Yafrich – 4th Place ($55,750)

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 529

Gal Yifrach

Gal Yifrach open-shipped for 3,400,000 and Diego Uez folded his button. Ross Corless quickly called in the small blind and Jake Ferro folded his big.

Yifrach: AsKs
Corless: AdAh

Yifrach ran his big slick into a monster, had a bit of a sweat on the KcJcJsTdTh board but did not catch enough and was eliminated in fourth place.

Ross Corless – 11,200,000 (56 bb)
Gal Yifrach – Eliminated in 4th Place ($55,750)

Championship: Ross Corless Doubles Through Diego Uez

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 529

Ross Corless

One short orbit after Gal Yifrach doubled, Ross Corless shipped in for 2,200,000 from under the gun and Diego Uez called in the big blind with another chance to knock out a player.

Corless: 2s2d
Uez: As9h

It was a race and Corless needed his deuces to hold for his double. The dealer spread the KcJh3c4dKh board, Corless faded the over cards, and doubled up.

Ross Corless – 4,600,000 (23 bb)
Diego Uez – 6,900,000 (35 bb)

Championship: Gal Yifrach Doubles Through Diego Uez on First Hand

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$300,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 529

Gal Yifrach

On the first hand of the day, Gal Yifrach limped from the small blind, Diego Uez announced all in from the big, and Yifrach called as fast as actually possible.

Yifrach: AhAd
Uez: Kd8d

Short-stacked and needing something to happen, Yifrach caught aces right out of the gate and they held on the Qc7s5d9c8h board for a double.

Gal Yifrach – 3,550,000 (18 bb)
Diego Uez – 9,400,000 (47 bb)