Missouri man wins half a million and a WSOP bracelet, to boot

Jeff Tebben won the third $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em championship at the World Series of Poker on Wednesday night for his first WSOP gold bracelet and a whopping $503,389.

"This is just surreal," said Tebben. "It's really a dream come true. I can't believe it."

Tebben's win was inspired by close friend Grant Hinkle, who won a $1,500 No Limit Hold'em tournament at the 2008 WSOP. Hinkle, who plays in Tebben's home poker game in suburban Kansas City, encouraged his friend to come to Las Vegas and enter a few events at this year's series, and the trip has paid off handsomely.

"It's the sickest thing ever that I've been able to accomplish the same thing he did," said Tebben. "It's just incredible having two people from the same home game to win here."

Tebben is a 39-year-old married father of two children. He sells medical supplies in and around the Kansas City area. Prior to this tournament, Tebben had cashed in one tournament in his poker "career," a $300 WSOP Circuit event at Horseshoe Council Bluffs (Iowa), where his 13th-place finish paid $882.

This was the third WSOP event Tebben entered. He entered two events last year but did not cash. "The third time was a charm," Tebben said after his victory.

The runner up was J.D. McNamara, from Mississauga, Ont., taking $310,248 as a consolation prize. The final hand of the tournament came when Tebben was dealt king-deuce vs. McNamara's pocket jacks. The flop came king-10-eight, and when another king fell on the turn, McNamara bet out, Tebben raised all-in, and McNamara called. He was drawing to one of two remaining jacks, but a seven fell on the river, giving Tebben his first WSOP victory.

Kiet Tuan, from Rosemead, Calif., was third to win $223,665. Dennis Murphy, from Cork, Ireland, finished fourth to earn $162,568, while David Cai, from Los Angeles, Calif., was fifth, which paid $119,410.

Blake Kelso, from Las Vegas, Nev., was sixth, David Tolbert, from Yorktown, Ind., was seventh, Greg Pohler, from Manhattan Beach, Calif., was eighth, and Michael Gross, a poker pro from Las Vegas, Nev., was ninth.

The top 342 finishers in the 3,289-player field collected prize money. Former WSOP gold bracelet finishers who cashed in this event included Bac Dao, Chris Bjorin, Burt Boutin, Peter Smurfit, Keith Lehr, and Eric Froehlich.

Modified from notes provided by Nolan Dalla for www.wsop.com.