The winner of the $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em championship was James Mackey. He is a 21-year-old (aspiring) poker professional from Columbia, MO. Mackey is originally from Kansas City. He attended the University of Missouri for two years.

Mackey studied medicine at UM. He took a leave of absence between his sophomore and senior year to play poker. He has supported himself for about a year since then, and will no doubt have a much bigger bankroll now after winning this event. First place paid $730,740.

Mackey stated he intends to return to school at some point. However, he has found poker to be so lucrative that he wants to concentrate on improving as a player for a time before deciding what to pursue in terms of an education. He plans to stay in Columbia, MO.

Mackey was supported by a core group of poker players who met online. He is well-known in the online community.

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He is the third-youngest WSOP winner in history. At 21 years and 4 months, Mackey is a bit older than Jeff Madsen and Steve Billirakis (21 years, 11 days).

The final table included two finalists from each of the last two $10,000 buy-in main events. Tex Barch finished 3rd in 2005. He went out 8th in this event. Michael Binger also took third, in 2006. It was deju vu again, as Binger took 3rd place in this event. Both players continue to strive for their first WSOP win.

Jan Sorensen is a two-time former WSOP gold bracelet winner – for Pot-Limit Omaha (2002) and Seven-Card Stud (2006). He finished in 7th place.

Mike Gracz was one of two former WSOP gold bracelet winners at the final table. He won over half a million dollars in a No-Limit Hold’em event in 2005. He took 9th place in this event.

This was the fastest final table of the year and the quickest WSOP finale since May 2003. The finale table was played in a lightening-fast 2 hours, 35 minutes.

Former WSOP gold bracelet winners Kathy Liebert and Max Pescatori finished 13th and 27th, respectively.

T.J. Cloutier cashed for the first time at this year’s World Series, coming in 23rd. He has now cashed 52 times (lifetime) which ranks third on the all-time list.

For the fifth-consecutive year, Mark Gregorich has cashed in at least two WSOP events. Gregorich is one of the top Omaha High-Low cash game players in the world. But his last five cashes have all been in hold’em.

Poker broadcaster and ambassador Mike Sexton finished in 36th place.

Academy Award-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly finished in 50th place.

Allen Cunningham, who won his fifth WSOP gold bracelet last week, finished in 54th place.

ESPN play-by-play man Mike Patrick (perhaps best known as the anchor for Sunday Night Football) played several WSOP events this week.