Biloxi, MS (September 22, 2016) – James Beetz is the World Series of Poker’s most recent recipient of a Casino Champion title. He won the Casino Championship honor at last week’s IP Biloxi series by making four final table appearances, including one second-place finish, in the 12-event series.
Beetz is now tied for the most final table cashes during a single 2016/17 Circuit stop. His successful series matched Andrew Heckman’s, who accomplished the same feat of four final tables in Foxwoods just a month earlier. Heckman was also crowned the Casino Champion at his respective venue.
Biloxi only saw two different leaders during the entire 12-event series. Steve Giddings took the top spot early on by winning Event #2, the first NLHE Turbo of the series and first gold ring handed out. Giddings then went on to complete his Event #1: No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Re-entry run with a sixth-place finish, extending his lead by a decent margin. Just before Giddings’ exit in Event #1, Beetz made his own points debut by coming in seventh place, earning 20 points and foreshadowing the eventual two-horse race.
Event #5: $365 No-Limit Hold’em was scheduled as a two-day event, but hastily wrapped up in less than 24 hours. This is when Beetz made his second final table and deepest finish of all. Although he came just short of a Circuit gold ring by taking the runner-up spot, he did earn himself $6,594 and 37.5 more points. Beetz’s points total rose to 57.5, putting him in a good spot to contend for the title of Casino Champion.
By the conclusion of Event #8, Giddings was still in first place with his two cashes equaling 72.5 points. Then, there was a changing of the guard. Beetz made yet another final table in Event #9: $580 No-Limit Hold’em. If Beetz were to finish in ninth place at this final table, he would have been tied with Giddings at exactly 72.5 points each. However, Beetz stayed long enough to see two knockouts and then took his leave in seventh place. He was awarded 20 more points, which, at 77.5 total, overthrew Giddings by five points. Once Beetz inhabited the top spot, he never left.
Although Giddings was only five points behind, he could not manage another in-the-money finish in Biloxi. Beetz went on to put an exclamation mark on his points-leader finish with a fourth final table appearance in the second-to-last tournament of the series, Event #11. He walked away with $960 and 17.5 points in eighth place. This final cash left Beetz with $17,374 in total earnings and a Casino Champion title at 95 points.
Beetz will be playing in the 2017 Global Casino Championship. The Global Casino Championship features a minimum $1 million prizepool and will award the winner a gold bracelet. All Casino Champions and Main Event winners of the season earn a free seat into the tournament. There are also 50 free seats for the players who earned the most post points over the entire 2016/17 Circuit season. Anyone winning a gold ring this season, but not earning a free seat, can buy-in to the Global Casino Championship for $10,000. All $10,000 of the buy-in will be added to the prizepool.
More information and full point standings for the year-long race are available on WSOP.com.
Beetz’s IP Biloxi cashes:
Event #1 - $365 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Re-Entry – 800 entries – 7th place for $7,279
Event #5 - $365 No-Limit Hold’em – 127 entries – 2nd place for $6,594
Event #9 - $580 No-Limit Hold’em – 126 entries – 7th place for $2,541
Event #11 - $365 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo – 99 entries – 8th place for $960