Scott Eskenazi is the latest champion of the WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event, held at Thunder Valley Resort Casino, after besting a field of 590 entrants. His victory marks a significant achievement in his poker career, earning him $361,600 and an entry into the prestigious WPT World Championship later this year at The Wynn.
Eskenazi’s journey to the title was especially noteworthy, considering it was nearly 15 years since his first tournament cash. Back in 2008, Eskenazi secured his first big win at the Venetian DeepStack event, taking home almost $50,000. Reflecting on his journey, Eskenazi shared, “I didn’t know what I was doing, and I just ran like God. Now, 15 years later it took a little education and work to get there again.”
WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event Final Results
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1st: Scott Eskenazi – $361,600
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2nd: Jeremy Joseph – $234,000
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3rd: Alejandro Jauregui – $172,000
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4th: Albert Tapia – $128,000
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5th: Victor Paredes – $97,000
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6th: Tony Dunst – $73,400
A Comeback to the Top
Eskenazi entered the final table with a short stack, holding only 22 big blinds, just above Jeremy Joseph with 21 big blinds. However, Eskenazi managed to battle his way through the competition, including a critical double-up early on against Tony Dunst, which boosted his stack and momentum.
“I felt that all of us were in it. They were all good players. It really helped that I had a double early on versus Tony,” Eskenazi remarked, highlighting the importance of making key moves early in the game.
A Special Victory
In addition to winning the WPT title and earning a spot at the WPT World Championship, Eskenazi’s victory also earned him a place on the Mike Sexton Cup. The honor was particularly meaningful to him, as he had once shared a meal with Mike Sexton, the poker legend for whom the WPT trophy is named. Eskenazi recalled the emotional dinner, where Sexton shared heartfelt poker stories that left a lasting impact.
“I had dinner with Mike Sexton… You could tell he knew everybody and was a great poker ambassador. It means so much to be on a trophy with his name on it,” Eskenazi said.
Head-to-Head Battle
Eskenazi and Jeremy Joseph fought for hours in a heads-up battle, with both players refusing to risk elimination. Eskenazi had the advantage for much of the time, wearing down Joseph’s stack to sub-20 big blinds multiple times, but Joseph fought back each time. It was only after a 15-minute break that the crucial hand came: Eskenazi held ace-king against Joseph’s ace-deuce, and after the cards were dealt, Eskenazi won the hand and sealed the victory.
“I get to go to the Champions Dinner!” Eskenazi exclaimed, as he celebrated the win with his supporters.
Looking Ahead
Eskenazi expressed his passion for poker, saying, “I just play as a hobby. I love it.” While the WPT Rolling Thunder victory may be his first major title in over a decade, his love for the game remains as strong as ever, and poker fans will surely be watching him closely in the future.
For now, Eskenazi will enjoy his success, with his name forever etched on the Mike Sexton Cup—a lasting legacy in the world of poker.
