WPT first stop concludes at Choctaw Casino Resort

(PRESS RELEASE) -- For the second consecutive year, Choctaw Casino Resort - Durant hosted the World Poker Tour (WPT). The first event of the 15th season ran from July 14- Aug. 2, and featured 1,066 championship event entries. James Mackay, the professional poker player from Portsville, Ark., won the final event and earned $681,758 and a seat into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions in April 2017. This is Mackey’s first WPT win and his eighth six-figure score.

"We were elated to kick-off the 2016-2017 World Poker Tour at Choctaw Casino Resort-Durant," said Wendy Carter, marketing director for Choctaw Casino Resort-Durant. "Congratulations to Mr. Mackay and all the winners who participated in the tournament. We'd also like to thank our associates and the WPT team for putting together a spectacular event."

The casino had a total of 16,248 entries for the series and a total prize pool of $6,847,882. Players from 46 different states and four different countries including professional players, Phil Hellmuth, Brandon Cantu, Chris Moneymaker and many others came to the property for the nationally televised event. The next poker tournament to stop in Durant is the Poker Night in America Fall Classic in October.

Below are the final table results for the WPT-Choctaw Event:
1st: James Mackey – $681,758
2nd: Benjamin Zamani – $412,234
3rd: Craig Varnell – $306,346
4th: Bastian Fischer – $230,300
5th: Jack Duong – $175,122
6th: Matthew Smith – $134,720