Ben Collins has taken down the $500 Salute to Warriors Charity Event after bossing a final table at which six nations were represented.
The Brit topped a field of 4,517 entries, each of which would donate $40 to charity. Although this was definitely US-focused, that did not matter when it came to choosing to register to play.
Collins looked more stunned at his victory than any other player we have seen this summer — he truly couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Final Action
It was two Americans who were the first to head to the rail. Richard Juliano and Gerald Schnierer were both gone almost as soon as they sat down on the final table.
Siavash Bahri was on for a double double-up with pocket aces both times until Ben Collins pulled a rabbit out of his hat to river a straight and send his opponent home.
Ben Snodgrass was next, making it four Americans out of the event but leaving six different nationalities represented by the final six players.
New Zealander Dane Harnett couldn’t do much more with a single big blind and he busted out with a $43,564 prize.
Ben Collins then took a pair of scalps, sending Rami Hammoud out of the event and taking almost all of Paul Serrate’s chips.
Three-handed play was an exciting show with the rail having no idea where the advantage would swing.
Ultimately it was Ben Collins who would lead into heads-up play after sending Tolga Gesli packing with a broken pair of pocket kings versus a turned set.
The heads-up match was great to watch with neither player managing to hold onto the chip lead for very long.
Greece’s Stavros Petychakis started the day in the lead and had a commanding advantage right before the end of the tournament.
But Ben Collins turned it all around in a matter of only a few hands to claim victory and his first WSOP bracelet.
“It’s just surreal still… like, all along the way you think about holding the bracelet, you get the support from everyone which then keeps you going as you get further… to actually do it, is just ridiculous.”
Event #67: $500 Salute to Warriors Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize (USD) |
| 1 | Ben Collins | United Kingdom | $207,486 |
| 2 | Stavros Petychakis | Greece | $138,423 |
| 3 | Tolga Gesli | United States | $105,360 |
| 4 | Paul Serrate | Bolivia | $76,338 |
| 5 | Rami Hammoud | Canada | $57,420 |
| 6 | Dane Harnett | New Zealand | $43,564 |
| 7 | Ben Snodgrass | United States | $33,341 |
| 8 | Siavash Bahri | United States | $25,742 |
| 9 | Gerald Schnierer | United States | $20,052 |
| 10 | Richard Juliano | United States | $15,759 |
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