Professional US Poker Player, Greg Merson won the World Series of Poker and will be going home with $8.53 million, BBC reports .
Merson, 24, won the World Series of Poker after outlasting all of his opponents during a marathon session which ended before dawn, in Las Vegas, NV.
The World Series of Poker began in July with a no-limit Texas hold-em series, which included nearly 7,000 players.
Merson spoke with the Associated Press and said that there was no way to prepare for the game:
“This whole stage is nothing you could ever prepare for.”
Merson went mano-a-mano with Las Vegas-native Jesse Sylvia, 26, before going all-in, with king-high, the Associated Press reports.
Merson’s victory hand included a three sixes, a nine, a seven, a three, and his king-high, which won over Sylvia’s queen-high.
In addition to the cash prize, Merson was presented with poker’s utmost symbol of achievement-Jason of Beverly Hills platinum and gold bracelet, covered in diamonds.
The way a World Series of Poker Player of the Year is determined, is a points-based system which gives players with the most accumulated points over the course of 68 gold bracelet events which are played in a calender year.
Merson told the Associated Press that he was relieved and excited to have completed the series and won:
“I feel pretty good — got all the tears out, so now I feel relaxed.”
Merson has been playing poker full-time for about the past five years. The last five champions of the Poker World Series were also between the age of 21-24.
The World Series of Poker Tournament began last year at the Rio Las Vegas, but Merson made it to the end as the champion.
