Porbandarwala wins $239,820 at the WPT Online Poker Open powered by partypoker US Network
Another first in a year of uncharted territory for the poker industry wrapped up Wednesday, with the World Poker Tour taking its Main Tour to the online streets for the first time.
Soheb Porbandarwala won the $3,500 WPT Online Poker Open, clinching the win in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the partypoker US Network. Porbandarwala earned $239,820 with the win, and that victory brings with it all of the spoils associated with a WPT Main Tour win.
Along with the nearly $240k payday, Porbandarwala gets his name etched on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. He also takes home the WPT champions’ package that includes Baccarat Crystal glassware, a Hublot Big Bang E Titanium watch, and an entry into the $15,000 WPT Tournament of Champions.
The partypoker US Network hosted the WPT Online Poker Open, bringing a WPT Main Tour event online for the first time ever. The network offers online poker to New Jersey players, with the provision that players must be located within state borders while they play.
The New Jersey-only limitations didn’t stop the tournament from exceeding expectations. The WPT Online Poker Open drew 395 entries, pushing the final prize pool to $1.2 million.
That prize pool sets the all-time record for the partypoker US Network. The $3,500 buy-in tournament guaranteed $1 million but surpassed that mark in what has to be considered a major success for both partypoker and the WPT.
$3,500 WPT Online Poker Open Final Table Results*
| Place | Player Name | Prize |
| 1 | Soheb ‘MyCousinVinny5’ Porbandarwala | $239,820 |
| 2 | Balakrishna ‘pbkreddy’ Patur | $164,868 |
| 3 | Matt ‘Boozehound’ Iles | $127,398 |
| 4 | ‘anomalous’ | $95,948 |
| 5 | Obli ‘PokerKarma’ Prabu | $75,565 |
| 6 | Alex ‘luckyman10’ Farin | $56,830 |
| 7 | Tim ‘timkuder’ Kuder | $41,217 |
| 8 | Daniel ‘leinas’ Buzgon | $28,727 |
Return of the WPT Main Tour on partypoker US Network
The unprecedented circumstances of 2020 saw the World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour, and partypoker LIVE pivot to online versions of their regularly-scheduled live events.
The WPT ran one of the biggest online series of the year this summer, with the WPT World Online Championships drawing some of poker’s biggest names and producing big prize pools for the prestigious series, hosted on the partypoker international client.
The WPT Main Tour has been on hold in the U.S. for most of the year, however. The WPT Online Poker Open ran Dec. 27-29 on the New Jersey-based partypoker US network, marking the official return of the WPT Main Tour.
Other top finishers included Balakrishna ‘pbkreddy’ Patur (2nd - $164,868), Matt ‘Boozehound’ Iles (3rd - $127,398), ‘anomalous’ (4th - $95,948) and Obli ‘PokerKarma’ Prabu (5th - $75,565).
Rounding out the eight-handed final table were Alex ‘luckyman10’ Farin (6th - $56,830), Tim ‘timkuder’ Kuder (7th - $41,217), and Daniel ‘leinas’ Buzgon (8th - $28,727).
The WPT moves on with two more Main Tour events on tap for January. The WPT Montreal Online beings Jan. 17 on the partypoker international site.
The return of the live version of the WPT Main Tour commences at the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open, set to begin Jan. 22 at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL.
Featured image source: Twitch
