James Obst Wins WPT Australia Championship win AUD $585359
Broadbeach, QLD, Australia (September 25, 2024) – In an impressive display of skill, James Obst claimed his first World Poker Tour (WPT) title at the WPT Australia Championship, earning a remarkable AUD $585,359 (approximately USD $398,512) after defeating nearly 400 competitors.
A Triumphant Victory
Obst dominated the field in the AUD $8,000 buy-in tournament held at The Star Gold Coast, which attracted a total of 396 entries. The championship generated a substantial prize pool of AUD $2,930,400 (around USD $1,995,016), distributing winnings to the top 50 finishers, all of whom earned valuable WPT Player of the Year points.
“It’s honestly just insane. It’s happened too quick to process it,” Obst expressed. “I’m thankful for all the support from my friends and everyone who reached out to congratulate me. I’m just feeling fantastic.”
Notable Finishes
The runner-up, Travis Endersby, took home AUD $389,478. Other final table highlights included:
Daniel Murphy (3rd place) – AUD $285,669
Oleg Ivanchenko (4th place) – AUD $211,929
Matthew Wakeman (5th place) – AUD $159,024
Dillan Patel (6th place) – AUD $120,694
“Congratulations to James for battling his way into the WPT Champions Club,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “There are only two more stops for the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup this season before we head back to Las Vegas for the year-end World Championship.”
Festival Highlights
The festival featured several notable victories, including:
Phoebe Yan, who won the Ladies Australian Championship for AUD $15,120.
Chen Li, who claimed victory in the Shane Warne Legacy Tournament, a fundraising event honoring the late cricket legend.
Corey Kempson, who dominated the AUD $20,000 Super High Roller, earning AUD $354,541.
Additionally, Bert Perry was awarded the Player of the Festival title, receiving a $5,000 WPT Passport and a trophy after finishing second in both the AUD $800 Pot Limit Omaha and AUD $2,000 Mini Championship, totaling 1,275 points.
Accessing Photos
Photos from the WPT Australia Championship are available on the WPT Flickr Page. Additional festival highlights can be found on The Star Gold Coast Flickr Page.
