The Asian Poker Tour crowned its newest Main Event champion on Monday with the UK’s Neil Raine taking full command of the final day to capture his first-ever APT Championship title at APT Manila 2017 held at the Winford Hotel & Casino. Raine overcame the 82-entry field to earn a first place prize of Php757,800, the championship trophy and the exclusive APT Championship Ring.
The dominant force throughout the event, having taken the tournament chip lead on Day 1 and never relinquished control, Raine entered the final table holding a phenomenal 47% of the chips in play and quickly asserted his dominance to crush the field.
Incredibly, he later revealed that this was his first ever live tournament in Asia, his win enough to seal a seat in his second – the upcoming APT Game of Champions – to be played at the APT Finale Macau later this month.
Raine’s win coincided with another big win some 10,000 kilometers away where Spain’s Marti Roca de Torres won the WSOP Europe Main Event bracelet and a first prize of €1,115,207.
The WSOP Europe is widely considered to be the second most prestigious tournament series in the world after the annual WSOP in Las Vegas.