Ben Scroggins entered certainly one of his first reside poker tournaments at bestbet Jacksonville again in 2015, a $25 buy-in ‘College Tournament’ geared in the direction of University-aged gamers. The 25-year-old poker professional from Atlantic Beach in Jacksonville has gone on to enter greater than 200 tournaments at bestbet Jacksonville since then, together with some deep runs and a victory in a World Poker Tour preliminary occasion. On Monday, June 28, Scrogins earned his largest ever match title, on his house turf, by defeating a area of 339 entries within the 2021 Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville $2,500 buy-in no-limit maintain’em fundamental occasion. Scrogins earned $158,915 because the champion after defeating World Series of Poker bracelet winner and eight-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Kyle Cartwright heads-up for the title. He secured the victory in entrance of a rail that was dominated by his household and mates.
“Having the whole rail here made it feel even better. I almost cried for a second, but I got myself together,” stated Scrogins after it was throughout.
“My experience here has been amazing,” Scrogins supplied when requested about incomes this title at bestbet Jacksonville. “This is my home and I love everybody here. I know most of the dealers by name, and every time I walk into the door it’s ‘Hey Ben, how are you doing?’ It’s first-name basis. It really is like a home away from home, I got a second family here for sure.”
This was Scrogins’ first six-figure match rating. His largest win previous to this occasion got here when he gained the 2017 Heartland Poker Tour Daytona Beach Kennel Club fundamental occasion for $94,515. He now has $378,499 in lifetime reside match cashes to his identify.
In addition to the title and the six-figure payday, Scrogins additionally earned 720 Card Player Player of the Year factors because the champion of this occasion. This was his first POY-qualified rating of the yr, however it alone was sufficient to see him transfer into 162nd place within the 2021 POY race standings, that are sponsored by Global Poker.
The ultimate day of this occasion started with eight gamers remaining and Dustin Holladay within the chip lead. Scrogins was basically tied for second place with Jessica Cai, who just lately ultimate tabled the Palm Beach Summer Classic ultimate desk. Day 1A chip chief Jeremy Joseph was among the many shorter stacks on the desk when play resumed, and he was in the end the primary to be eradicated after shedding a lot of his stack with pocket jacks towards the straight of Lamare Davis. Joseph hit the rail in eighth place, incomes $20,081 for his deep run on this occasion.
Mac Johnson was the following to fall. The Jacksonville native got here into the day because the shortest stack, however managed an early double to remain alive. His run got here to an finish in seventh place when his Ok10 bumped into the AJ of Cartwright. The flop gave Cartwright high two pair and he held from there to ship Johnson house with $25,695.
Joseph Crowley obtained the final of his chips within the center with J10 on a ten832 board. He bumped into the ten8 of Scrogins, who made the decision. The 6 river was of no assist to Crowley and he was knocked out in sixth place ($33,292).
Jessica Cai misplaced a large pot with an unimproved ace-queen towards the 2 pair of Scrogins, after which ran her open-ended straight draw into the highest pair, high kicker of Cartwright for the rest of her stack. Cai, who’s married to 2019 WSOP fundamental occasion sixth-place finisher Zhen Cai, earned $43,669 because the fifth-place finisher.
When this ultimate desk started, Lamare Davis was the second-shortest stack. Davis battled his strategy to the ultimate 4 to lock up the la wholesome payday on this occasion. In his ultimate hand he moved all-in with OkJ on an A1079 board. Scrogins referred to as with the ten8 for second pair and an open-ended straight draw. Davis was unable to seek out any of his outs, and the three on the rivered eradicated him in fourth place. Davis cashed for $77,910.
Three-handed motion noticed various thrilling fingers happen. In one such hand, Cartwright raised to 125,000 on the button with AJ and start-of-day chip chief Dustin Holladay defended his large blind with Q9. The flop was J108 and Holladay checked together with his flopped straight. Cartwright guess 180,000 with high pair and the nut flush draw. Holladay check-raised to 450,000, solely to see Cartwright transfer all-in. Holladay shortly referred to as to create one of many largest pots of the match. The 7 on the flip gave Cartwright the ace-high flush, however Holladay made a straight flush to depart Cartwright drawing lifeless.
Holladay surged again into the chip lead with that hand however was quickly surpassed by Scrogins. The two large stacks ended up getting concerned in a conflict of monster fingers. Scrogins raised to 160,000 on the button with OkOk and Holladay referred to as from the small blind with 66.
The 644 flop noticed Holladay flop a full home. He checked and Scrogins checked behind together with his overpair. The Ok on the flip gave Scrogins the next full home. Holladay guess 125,000 and Scrogins raised to 400,000. Holladay referred to as and the 8 accomplished the board. Holladay checked and Scrogins guess 850,000. Holladay check-raised all in for 3,050,000 and Scrogins shortly referred to as together with his superior boat. Holladay earned $77,910 for his third-place displaying.
Heads-up play started with Scrogins holding 7,945,000 to Cartwright’s 2,200,000. Cartwright, who had greater than $2.4 million in match earnings previous to this occasion, was in a position to mount a fast comeback. He took down a large pot with pocket jacks towards the highest pair, straight draw and flush draw of Scrogins. He then made high two pair towards Scrogins’ flopped high pair, high kicker to dobule up into the chip lead.
Scrogins regained the benefit not lengthy after that, when his flopped high pair held up towards the nut flush draw of Cartwright. Scrogins sat with 5,625,000 to Cartwright’s 4,295,000 when the ultimate hand of the match was dealt. Scrogins raised to 250,000 on the button with Q6 and Kyle Cartwright from the large blind holding 97.
The QQ8 prompted Cartwright to test. Scrogins guess 200,000 together with his journey queens and Cartwright referred to as. The 6 on the flip gave Cartwright an open-ended straight draw. He checked and Scrogins guess 800,000 together with his turned full home. Cartwright check-raised all in for 3,945,000 and Scrogins snap-called together with his boat, leaving Cartwright drawing lifeless. He earned $105,942 for his runner-up end on this occasion. Cartwright was additionally awarded 600 POY factors for his deep run. This was his third final-table end of the yr, together with a third-place end within the Spring Series $2,500 buy-in fundamental occasion proper right here at bestbet Jacksonville again in March. Cartwright now sits in thirtieth place within the 2021 POY race standings in consequence.
You can try a replay of the total ultimate desk broadcast on bestbetLIVE under:
Here is a have a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the ultimate desk:
Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
1 | Benjamin Scrogins | $158,915 | 720 |
2 | Kyle Cartwright | $105,942 | 600 |
3 | Dustin Holladay | $77,910 | 480 |
4 | Lamare Davis | $57,979 | 360 |
5 | Jessica Cai | $43,669 | 300 |
6 | Joseph Crowley | $33,292 | 240 |
7 | Mac Johnson | $25,695 | 180 |
8 | Jeremy Joseph | $20,081 | 120 |