Matthew Casterella, from White Plains, New York, has made a habit out of cashing in major tournaments in the past two years. His first came at the 2005 New England Poker Classic. He came in second for more than $342,000. Casterella got a win at a 2007 Winter Poker Open preliminary event for $375,000, but couldn’t escape the second-place curse. He came as runner-up in a no-limit hold’em event at the 2007 Five-Star World Poker Classic, as well as a second-place finish in a $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em event at the 2007 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic. Casterella also finished deep in that main event there; he was eliminated in ninth place for almost $135,000.