You could almost hear the electricity in the air as the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa prepared for the biggest blackjack tournament in Seminole Gaming history. Team members spent weeks preparing to amaze and delight our invited guests; from the executives who planned the tournament, to the pastry chefs who spent hours toiling over a decedent dessert amenity for all players staying in our hotel. There was not one detail missed as our team worked to deliver the most memorable tournament to date.
Enjoy modern accommodations, world-class entertainment, award-winning dining, and lively casino gaming at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida. Best Table Game Tournaments – 1st Place: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa: Casino Player Magazine – Best of Gaming: 2020. Best Blackjack: Casino: 2018 Best of Gaming – Casino Player Magazine: 2018: Best High Limit Room. Best Mediterranean-Inspired Restaurant at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa: Grey Salt: Best of Metro Awards.
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Tournaments
On May 25 the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa hosted a $300,000 blackjack tournament outside of Council Oak Steaks & Seafood with 196 players. In addition to the $300,000 payout, the first place winner had a chance at winning $50,000 cash in a final hand played against the dealer. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa has 245,000 square-feet of electrifying gaming space to amp up your fun, whether you’re an amateur or an experienced player. Table games featuring blackjack, baccarat and more, and live action poker. A Sports Bar, Snack Bar, and dedicated parking for easy access. Enjoy WPT Regional Tournaments, promotions,. Seminole Hard Rock Poker Tournaments Tampa different casino games to choose when you want to play for free. With free spins you have the opportunity to play thousands of Seminole Hard Rock Poker Tournaments Tampa slot machines.
The cocktail hour featured flavorful hors d’oeuvres and an exotic champagne-pouring aerialist. All of which seemed to temporarily ease player’s nerves, that is, until the emcee announced it was time to “choose your pick.”
Players eagerly selected their seat from a table filled with downward engraved picks. Each player was accompanied by our very own Seminole Hard Rock Calendar Girls who wished them luck as the crowd watched the players take their seats.
There were six tables and 36 players that filled up the tournament in the Hard Rock Cafe; that’s a 1 in 36 chance of winning. Silence could be mistaken for tension, but this competitive group of players were merely concentrating and showcasing their true skills for the game. An occasional outburst of cheer or sigh broke the silence during the intense rounds of the tournament.
After two exhilarating hours of playing, there were seven players remaining. They were to take the stage in the Hard Rock Cafe and compete in 21 hands of blackjack for an unforgettable winner’s package: a Tiffany & Co. bracelet, a customized Hard Rock guitar and the best prize of them all, a half a million dollars.
The four remaining players sat on the edge of their seats as the dealer dealt the final round; she showed a face card.
Each player was distributed their card and had an option to either hit or stay. Joseph hit. The table was astounded, he showed 21. The dealer then turned her second card over and showed 20. $500,000 richer, Joseph S. beat the odds with an exhilarating win and it was a moment and evening to remember.
Table Of Contents
As live poker slowly creeps back amidst the ongoing pandemic, the successful completion of any poker series in the U.S. is news. At Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, the team wrapped up Pinktober over the weekend, its annual festival benefiting charity while awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.
Across four numbered events, more than $650,000 in prize money was collected. Meanwhile, $1 from each of the 3,315 entries went to charity, with most benefiting the American Cancer Society, as befits an event in Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
That money represents a part of the property's overall goal of $50,000 raised in October.
“We are truly honored to once again provide support to those in need and we are especially proud to work with the American Cancer Society during PINKTOBER,” said Seminole Hard Rock Tampa President Steve Bonner in a press release. “We encourage guests to come out to support this cause, while spreading a message of strength, hope and awareness for those affected by this disease.”
Sweeley Claims Biggest Prize of Series
One of the two main tournaments held produced the biggest prize of the series, as the other ended in a deal while Event #2: $400 Buy-in NLH (Re-Entry) produced an outright winner.
With 854 entries thought four flights, a prize pool of $281,820 was up for grabs on the weekend of Oct. 11, and David Sweeley (pictured above) made off with the lion's share. He won $51,698 after topping Ricardo Tavares heads up.
That sum dwarfed the roughly $4,500 in winnings Sweeley had previously, according to The Hendon Mob.
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Tournament
John Dolan, Nick Palma and Zhen Cai were some of the notable names to cash in the event.
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Sweeley | Roswell, Georgia | $51,698 |
| 2 | Ricardo Alves De Lima Tavares | Sao Paulo, Brazil | $36,251 |
| 3 | John Ryan III | Winter Garden, Florida | $23,371 |
| 4 | Gustavo Zorilla | Tampa, Florida | $17,160 |
| 5 | Rashaud Cook | Lakeland, Florida | $13,105 |
| 6 | Mitchell Smith | Palm Beach, Florida | $10,447 |
| 7 | Jonathan Marlow | Longwood, Florida | $8,652 |
| 8 | Tyler Ramsdell | Whitefield, New Hampshire | $6,888 |
| 9 | Daniel Quesada | Miami, Florida | $5,171 |
Three-Way Deal Ends Event #3
The massive multi-flight, Event #3 $200: Buy-in NLH (Re-Entry), gave players 11 chances to find a bag, and 1,786 entries were recorded to produce a prize pool of $283,974. According to the Seminole Hard Rock blog, that was the largest tournament the venue hosted since the COVID-19 shutdowns.
Some of those who cashed included WSOPC standouts Ricardo Eyzaguirre and Jeff Trudeau Jr., as well as Josias Santos.
After the elimination of Carlos Guerrero in fourth, the final three players of the all-Florida final table opted to deal. All would take home nearly identical sums, with Robert Aleman getting $33,920 while Burl McCraney and Nir Sharon each got $33,921, the latter named the official champ.
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nir Sharon | Naples, Florida | $33,921* |
| 2 | Burl McCraney | St. Petersburg, Florida | $33,921* |
| 3 | Robert Aleman | Palm Harbor, Florida | $33,920* |
| 4 | Carlos Guerrero | Orlando, Florida | $16,013 |
| 5 | Fabian Foster | Davenport, Florida | $12,043 |
| 6 | Wilmer Chavira | Altamonte Springs, Florida | $9,715 |
| 7 | Joseph Kearns | Hollywood, Florida | $7,968 |
| 8 | Jason Giles | Haines City, Florida | $6,282 |
| 9 | Christopher Green | Citrus Springs, Florida | $4,700 |
*reflects three-handed deal
Other Results
Another deal ended Event #1: $180 Buy-in NLH (Re-Entry), the opening $50K guaranteed. Joel Wadsworth Jr. snagged the biggest prize among the five who topped the 476-entry field, banking $9,138. Joshua Harrison, Mohamed Abdelmutaal, Michael Traficante and Reginald Bautista all won between $5,076 and $7,559.
Meanwhile, the wrap-up tournament, Event #4: $200 Buy-in NLH (Re-Entry), produced an outright winner in Brian Barros Vazquez. He claimed $7,682 and the commemorative guitar trophy for getting through the field of 199 in Sunday's single-day event.
Winter Poker Open on Tap Next
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa will look to keep the tournament success rolling come December with the property's Winter Poker Open. Scheduled for Dec. 2-14, the WPO ups the ante quite a bit with a $200,000 guarantee on the $1,700 Main Event. Check out the corresponding schedule on the SHRT website.
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