The $2,200 Mystery Bounty Event kicked off The Return-A Borgata Championship Event as it resumed in Atlantic City. The tournament attracted 1,361 players who created a $2,670,340 prize pool.
Action on Day 2 ended after 18 hours of intense play. The nine finalists struck a deal which included bounties.
Samuel Laskowitz from Bayport, New York bagged the $146,609 top prize money after reaching the final table with the largest stack. He benefited from the ICM deal as he got the second-biggest score in his poker career.
The $2,200 Mystery Bounty Event's Final Table Results
- Samuel Laskowitz from Bayport, New York-$146,609
- Anthony Maio from Jamison, Pennsylvania-$142,054
- Ryan Eriquezzo from New Haven, Connecticut-$132,093
- Baruch Forst from Toms River, Pennsylvania-$123,817
- Maxim Urvantsey from Brooklyn, New York-$122,844
- Benedetto Bianco from Franklin, New York-$116,700
- Constantine Bogiatzis-$116,249
- Francis Anderson from Poughkeepsie, New York-$104,084
- Ryan Dodd from Runnemede, New Jersey-$92,098
Anthony Maio followed Laskowitz with $142,054 prize money that he added to his more than $1 million poker career earnings. Ryan Eriquezzo was third after having an eventful day. But, he drew the minimum $500 several times.
The Huge Bounties' Battle
The renowned mystery bounty format reached its peak when no player claimed its $250,000 large prize bounty before they set the final table. It greatly influenced each entrant's move and decision when making the deal.
Bounty Results
- Baruch Forst- $500
- Ryan Dodd-$250,000
- Francis Anderson-$25,000
- Constantine Bogiatzis-$500
- Anthony Maio-$500
- Samuel Laskowitz-$25,000
- Maxim Urvantsev-$500
- Ryan Eriquezzo-$500
- Benedetto Bianco-$500
The top players set the final table at 5:00 a.m. and discussed a deal. They later decided to ICM reduce the pool but weren't certain on how to split the other nine bounties. Borgata's law restricts players from solely taking part in tournaments to win bounties.
There were two $25,000 bounties and one $250,000 bounty left. Benedetto Bianco suggested an idea that other players supported. Each of them would draw and get one bounty according to the random order that the high card would decide.
Anxiety at the table increased at 6 a.m. when the nine top finalists lined up randomly to draw the remaining bounties thus replacing poker action. But, the drama ended shortly after Ryan Dodd, a short stack, won the $250,000 bounty in the second draw. Francis Anderson won the first $25,000 bounty and Laskowitz bagged the last $25,000 bounty.
Action on the Final Day
There were 397 players early in the day and almost a quarter of them left the event before the battle for the mystery bounty began. Bounties were later introduced and they changed the atmosphere at the poker site as anyone could take the $250,000 bounty home.
Anthony Cicali was the first player to win a six-figure bounty and Michael Haberman bagged another bounty after a few minutes. The $250K bounty drama started as players won consecutive $500 bounties. Dodd ended it when he won the large bounty and The Borgata will host the $3,000,000 guaranteed The Return on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
