Houston live series sees Main Event prize pool go over $1 million
Houston, TX solidified its place as a major player in the live tournament poker economy in February.
The Prime Signature Series at Prime Social poker club drew massive player interest, with the $1,100 Main Event of the series posting the first seven-figure prize pool in Texas history. A total of 1,079 entries played the Prime Signature Series Main Event, with the final prize pool ending up at $1,079,000.
Tim Gilliam came out on top from that field, clinching the Main Event win in the early hours of Monday morning. Gilliam came away with a $160,390 payday as Houston’s latest major poker festival ended on a huge high note.
Prime Signature Series $1,100 Main Event final table results*
| Finish | Player Name | Prize |
| 1 | Timothy Gilliam | $160,390 |
| 2 | John Szwelnis | $140,300 |
| 3 | Zhen Cai | $88,800 |
| 4 | David Toscano | $66,250 |
| 5 | Scott Mintz | $49,960 |
| 6 | Rick Welch | $38,090 |
| 7 | Bryce Williams | $29,360 |
| 8 | Southisak Seunsom | $22,890 |
| 9 | Ryan Vanderpoorten | $18,050 |
Prime Social poker club produces record-setting live event
Houston sits at the heart of the emerging Texas live tournament scene. Despite weather-related complications causing cancellations of a few tournaments, the Prime Signature Series wrapped up as the most successful live series yet on the Houston poker club scene.
The Prime Signature Series ran from Feb. 11-28, with the $1,100 Main Event finishing out the final four days of the festival. The Main Event offered four opening-day flights and a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
That $500,000 guarantee was far surpassed through the first three of the four Day 1 flights. Before Day 1D even began on Saturday, the prize pool already hit the $650,000 mark.
Day 1D pushed the prize past the $1 million mark, guaranteeing six-figure payouts for the top two finishers. The 76 survivors from the quartet of Day 1 flights returned to action on Sunday and plated down to a champion.
Day 2 play began Sunday and didn’t finish up until early Monday morning. Gilliam outdueled John Szwelnis (2nd - $140,300) in heads-up play to clinch the title.
Former World Series of Poker Main Event final tablist Zhen Cai (3rd - $88,800) came up a couple of spots short of adding the Prime Signature Series Main Event championship to his resume. The third-place finish produced the second-biggest cash of Cai’s poker career.
Other final table finishers included David Toscano (4th – $66,250), Scott Mintz (5th - $49,960), Rick Welch (6th - $38,090), Bryce Williams (7th - $29,360), Southisak Seunsom (8th - $22,890) and Ryan Vanderpoorten (9th - $18,050).
Other notables making it through to the payout ladder included Ray Henson (16th - $9,470), who posted a tweet showing tournament alternates lining up outside the club to try to get a seat on Day 1D:
“Alternates out the door for flight D of today’s @PrimeSocialTX main. If you have ever doubted @TheJustinHammer was the [G.O.A.T], well here’s more proof. He’s out passing water to everyone in line!” Henson tweeted Saturday.
More big names that cashed in the Prime Signature Series Main Event included Ashley Hine (11th - $14,390), who came up just two spots short of a final table appearance.
Featured image source: Twitter
