Norway’s Espen Jorstad is $10 million richer after winning the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Jorstad claimed the $10 million first prize and his second career WSOP bracelet after outlasting an 8,663-player field in the Main Event. Jorstad is the first Norwegian to win the WSOP Main Event finishing one better than his countryman Felix Stephensen who finished second in 2014. Jorstad’s first WSOP win came earlier this year in the $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em event with his partner Patrick Leonard.
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Only three players remained as the Main Event entered its final day. Jorstad began the day with the chip lead with 298 million chips. That put him ahead of Adrian Attenborough who had 149.8 million chips, and Michael Duek who was the low stack with 72.1 million.
The first to hit the rail on the final day was Duek. On only the fifth hand of the session Attenborough raised to six million from the button and Duek three-bet to 23 million. After a call by Attenborough the flop showed Qd-10c-5h. After both players checked, the turn dealt the Ks. Duek bet 17 million and Duek called. The river was the 3s. After much thought Duek bet 52 million. Attenborough went all-in and Duek unhappily called. Duek showed Kh-8d for top pair, but it was not good enough after Attenborough showed Ac-Jc for a straight. Duek was eliminated in third place and cashed $4 million.
When heads-up play began between Jorstad and Attenborough, Jorstad retained the chip lead with 284.5 million chips to Attenborough’s 235.8 million.
After a strong run that included a hand in which Jorstad went thought over his decision for 20 minutes, Attenborough took over the chip lead after doubling up with a pair of Kings.
The lead was short-lived as less than 20 hands later the chip lead returned to Jorstad.
On the final hand of the tournament both players limped in to see the flop fall 4h-2h-2c. Attenborough check-raised to 14 million only to have Jorstad re-raise to 32 million. After a quick call from Attenborough the turn card was the 8s.
Following a check from Attenborough Jorstad bet 62 million. Attenborough made the call and the river was the Qc. Attenborough checked again and Jorstad shoved enough to put him all in if he called. After thinking it over for nearly 10 minutes Attenborough made the call with Jc-4s to give him a pair of fours. Jorstad showed Qd-2s doe a full house which gave him the win.
For second place Attenborough received $6 million.