WSOP 2013: Benny Chen Wins $1,500 "Millionaire Maker" For $1.2m

Canada’s Benny Chen has won the WSOP $1,500 “Millionaire Maker”, after defeating a field of 6,343 players over four days on his way to capturing a gold winners bracelet, and collecting the $1,198,780 first place prize.
The 31 year-old restaurant manager now boasts $1,518,666 in live tournament earnings, and commenting later on his victory at the Rio in Las Vegas, said: “I’ve played quite a few tourneys, but every time I get down deep, I lose races or get in tough spots. This time, everything went well for me. I kept my composure and it came to me.”
As the $1,500 buy-in event reached its final table of nine, Benny Chen was the chip leader in an amateur heavy line-up whose main notable name was that of online sensation Dan Kelly. Nevertheless, Kelly’s stack diminished steadily and eventually he found himself out in 5th ($302,104), after his pocket eights foundered against the K-Q of Chen. Commenting on the exit of his dangerous opponent, Benny Chen said:
“Once he started chipping down and lost a few pots, that was a big sigh of relief. He was probably the biggest threat at the table.”
Continuing his roll, Chen (A-10) proceeded to dispatch Justin Liberto (A-9) to the rail in 4th ($400,408), and Jonathan Gray in 3rd ($534,506), before finally overcoming his last hurdle in the guise of 58 year old Texan doctor Michael Bennington, to claim the WSOP bracelet.
After taking down the million dollar score, Benny Chen said he was now reviewing his current career choice helping run his brother’s Chinese takeout restaurant, and said; “I might need to see where this takes me.”
The final table payouts were as follows:
1. Benny Chen $1,198,780
2. Michael Bennington $741,903
3. Jonathan Gray $534,506
4. Justin Liberto $400,408
5. Dan Kelly $302,104
6. Chris Hunichen $229,575
7. Upeshka Desilva $175,714
8. Robert McVeigh $135,467
9. Theron Eichenberger $105,154