World Series of Poker at Turning Stone awards record $6.2 million in winnings (See top players) – syracuse.com

The only World Series of Poker event in New York state concluded this week with record-breaking numbers of entries, money won and visitors lured to the region.

The 12-day tournament, or circuit event, at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona awarded $6.2 million in total winnings. Thats double the minimum guarantee and more than the $5.4 million awarded last year, according to a news release from the Oneida Indian Nation, which operate the casino.

The 2024 Turning Stone event is sending 18 Gold Ring winning players to the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions main event this summer in Las Vegas. Thats also a record for the Turning Stone event.

The tournament drew more than 16,000 entries from players representing 38 states and four Canadian provinces.

It ended Monday with the crowning of Ethan Bennett of Brooklyn as WSOP Main Event Champion. He won a back and forth finish at the final table against Kathrine Brandt Weir of Ladera Ranch, Calif. and Cindy Spier of Newton, Mass.

Bennett won $298,546 in the Main Event, plus his first-ever Gold Ring, which guarantees a trip to WSOPs $1 million Tournament of Champions. The Turning Stone Main Events total payout was $1.8 million.

Several players from Central and Western New York won money and Gold Ring tickets to the Vegas tournament.

They are: Edward Lupinski of Ilion (who won $17,211), Budwey Salhab of Getzville near Buffalo ($123,316); Leonid Kaplin of East Amherst ($38,712); Travell Thomas of Orchard Park ($33,800); Michael Rellinger of Tonawanda ($30,150) and Shane Friedlander of Kerhonkson, near Rochester ($28,080).

The tournament ran from March 14 to March 25 at Turning Stones Events Center.

This is the third year that Turning Stone has hosted World Series of Poker events. Turning Stone, owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation, is the only casino in the Northeast to host a WSOP circuit event and one of fewer than 20 to do so across the country

The World Series of Poker bills itself as the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world. It has awarded more than $3.8 billion in prize money since it debuted in Las Vegas in 1970.

Don Cazentre writes about Upstate NY casinos forNYup.com,syracuse.comand The Post-Standard. Reach him atdcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him atNYup.com, onTwitterorFacebook.

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World Series of Poker at Turning Stone awards record $6.2 million in winnings (See top players) - syracuse.com