Las Vegas local Giuseppe Pantaleo is $192,831 richer after winning Event #16: $1,700 No Limit Holdem Main Event at the 2024 World Series of Poker Circuit hosted by the Horseshoe Las Vegas. Pantaleo's win came over a huge 669 player field and earned him his third WSOP Circuit ring.
Pantaleo would come out the victor after a heads up battle with Peter Hengsakul that only lasted a few hands. Pantaleo went into heads up play with about two thirds of the chips and ran that straight to victory. This very series, Pantaleo final tabled both the $2,200 High Roller where he finished fourth and the $3,300 High Roller where he finished 8th. This victory puts a bow on an excellent circuit stop and gives some added momentum going into the WSOP this summer. Although this isn't Pantaleo's largest score, it is the first large score for Pantaleo in over five years. He said he was almost ready to quit tournaments all together but that this series has helped turn that thinking around a bit.
Final Table Results:
| Place | First | Last | Prize |
| 1 | Giussepe | Pantelao | $192,831 |
| 2 | Peter | Hengsakul | $119,182 |
| 3 | Jonah | Labranche | $87,689 |
| 4 | Mario | Colavita | $65,271 |
| 5 | Harvey | Alegado | $49,158 |
| 6 | Baurzhan | Akimov | $37,466 |
| 7 | Kevin | Calenzo | $28,900 |
| 8 | Blaise | Ingoglia | $22,565 |
| 9 | Nick | Marchington | $17,838 |
Pantaleo entered the final day as the chip leader and although he would lose and gain that chip lead throughout the day, he was seen at the top of the leaderboard consistently. The day started with 12 players returning for the final day of the main event and it didn't disappoint. They battled for the better part of nine hours before Pantaleo held up the ring. The final table was fast and loud with a consistent knockout about once every 45 minutes. Pantaleo rode the swings and although he would get short around the four-handed mark, he was able to secure some key double ups at opportune times to go into heads up play with a significant chip advantage and take down the whole thing!
Winners Reaction:
Pantaleo started by saying that this win came on the back of an already successful circuit stop. "Yea, its been a crazy circuit. I got fourth in the $2k, I got eighth in the $3k, and now I win this one"
He also spoke to the struggles of being a live MTT pro and how this win help break the drought, "Yea this feels very good because the last five years have been pretty bad in tournaments for me. I'm just very happy to get the weight off my shoulders and have some success. Honestly, I didn't even want to play tournaments anymore. I've been playing more cash and just to be slow and steady to make some money because the tournament grind, you never know when you're gonna win them, so it does feel good to put in the work and get rewarded."
When asked if there was any way he was going to celebrate he simply said "I'm very happy inside. I'm going home to my wife and my daughter and we are gonna be happy together."
Congratulations to Giuseppe Pantaleo on winning the 2024 WSOP Circuit Main Event!
