70-Year-Old Ron McMillen Wins First WSOP Online Bracelet

Ron McMillen, a 70-year-old poker player from Iowa, made history by winning his first WSOP Online bracelet. The victory came in a $1,000 buy-in tournament with a prize pool of $974,700, earning him $188,200. The event attracted 1,026 entries, with 143 players receiving prizes. Maria Konnikova, an American poker player of Russian origin, received the minimum payout of $1,650.

McMillen had only played live poker before this online event, including previous WSOP events. He had planned to travel to Las Vegas for the WSOP but the pandemic intervened, leading him to try his first online tournament. In this event, he defeated notable poker players such as Daniel Negreanu, Chris Mooker, and Anthony Zinno.

The runner-up of the event was Ryan Torgeesen, who received $116,370. In the final hand, Ron McMillen pushed with pocket tens against Ryan Torgeesen's ace-king. On the flop, McMillen immediately made a set, and the turn and river did not improve Torgeesen's hand, securing McMillen's victory.