Mike Sexton Wins WPT Title for $317,817

Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton has been an integral part of the poker community for many decades, either as a player, commentator, or all round ambassador of the game. Seven years after cashing in at his first live tournament in 1981, he then went on to win the WSOP $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Split event for $104,400, but until now a coveted WPT title has eluded the legendary poker player.
That all changed on Thursday, however, after the 69 year-old pro took down the World Poker Tour Montreal Main Event for C$425,980 (US$317,817). The C$3,850 buy-in tournament was held at the Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, with 648 players helping to create a prize pool worth C$ 2,199,960 (US$1,641,357). Six days later, and Sexton triumphed over the field, including Canadian pro Benny Chen heads-up, to lift the prestigious title.
Mike Sexton had reached a WPT final table on two earlier occasions, but three times proved a charm for the Las Vegas resident. On the deciding hand of the competition, Sexton (Q-Q) and Chen (K-J) were all-in preflop, and after the dealer laid out a Q-9-4-A-2 board, Sexton, who has been involved in the tour since its inception in 2002, fist pumped the air having finally won a WPT title.
Final Table Results (C$):
1st: Mike Sexton $425,980
2nd: Benny Chen $286,110
3rd: Nadir Lalji $183,320
4th: Ilan Boujenah $132,750
5th: Ema Zajmovic $102,010
6th: Jake Schwartz $81,740
After a victory which now pushes his live career earnings to $6,211,712, the respected pro subsequently received a number of congratulatory messages from the poker community, including the following tweets:
Brian Hastings
“OMG congrats @MikeSexton_WPT!!! Coolest thing I’ve seen in poker in quite a while!”
Jeff Gross
“Wow! Congrats to @MikeSexton_WPT on taking down the title! Honor to do the @WPT live stream on this memorable night!”
Mike Matusow
“Mike Sexton you’re my hero congrats buddy!! A Trump and Sexton win in 1 week # winning.”
Matt Savage
“The poker world celebrates as Mike Sexton wins his first WPT title after years as commentator, ambassador, and visionary. #LoveYouMike.”