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Billirakis Is Youngest WSOP Bracelet Winner Ever

Billirakis Wins $5,000 Mixed Hold'em Event and First Bracelet of 2007

by Ryan Lucchesi  |   Published: Jun 04, 2007  |  

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Steve BillirakisSteve Billirakis not only made history by winning the first $5,000 mixed hold'em event in World Series of Poker history, he also became the youngest person to ever win a bracelet at 21 years and 10 days old.

Billirakis won $526,387 by outlasting 450 other players. The mixed hold'em event featured alternating rounds of limit and no-limit play.

Clear here to view the entire list of finishers and the money they won, and click here to view the live updates.

Billirakis is a full 25 days younger than Jeff Madsen was when he won his first bracelet last year. Madsen broke Eric Froehlich's age record that was set only a year before.

Billirakis is also a prominent Internet poker player under the screen name MrSmokey1. Click here to view his results in our online poker database.

Here is how things looked when the players took their seats at the final table yesterday afternoon:

Seat 1: John Younger
Seat 2: Jon Turner
Seat 3: Fred Berger
Seat 4: Rodger McDow
Seat 5: Greg Mueller
Seat 6: Kirk Morrison
Seat 7: Steve Billirakis
Seat 8: Steve Paul Ambrose
Seat 9: Tony George

It only took one hand for the first player at the table to bust out. John Younger was busted by Greg Mueller, who had him dominated with A-K over A-Q. The first cards dealt at the final table helped neither player and on the second hand of play there were only eight players remaining. Jon Turner was the next to go, but not without a fight. Turner doubled up twice and grew his starting stack of $88,000 to just above $350,000 when he pushed all in with A-K. He unfortunately ran into the pocket queens of Fred Berger and his day was over.

The next set of bust outs went by quietly; here is the order of their finishes:

Seventh place: Kirk Morrison

Sixth place: Roger McDow

Fifth place: Fred Berger

With four players left, lady luck decided to turn her back on Steve Paul-Ambrose. He lost over $1 million on consecutive hands and even his comeback trail was short-lived due to her cruel sense of humor. On a board of J107A Ambrose moved all in and Steve Billirakis called. Ambrose showed J8 and Billirakis turned over AA. The river card brought the only nine that could send Ambrose packing, the 9. Ambrose was eliminated in fourth place.

The first final table at the 2007 World Series of Poker had attracted a number of familiar faces from the poker world as railbirds. Roland De Wolfe, Ryan Daut, Greg Raymer, John "The Razor" Phan, Mel Judah, David Baker, and Justin Bonomo all stopped by to check out the action. The most vocal of these railbirds was Shawn Buchanan, who just last night won the 2007 World Poker Tour Mandalay Bay Poker Championship. Mueller came to support Buchanan during his dinner break last night and Buchanan was eager to return the favor to his roommate for the summer. He took a front row seat in the 'No Limit Lounge' and Mueller came over to compare notes with him during breaks. Buchanan could also be heard shouting "Ship it" and "FBT" whenever Mueller scooped a pot.

Fred Berger was eliminated shortly after the dinner break in third, and then it was time for Mueller and Billirakis to take part in a heads-up battle that lasted over 60 hands. They went back and forth in that match, and exchanged the chip lead numerous times. Billirakis started to pull away as the night continued with the help of some boats. On a board of K775 Billirakis checked and Mueller bet $200,000. Billirakis raised to $400,000 and Mueller called. The river brought the 8s and Billirakis bet $200,000. Mueller called and mucked his hand when Billirakis turned over 8-7. Billirakis scored a full house on the next hand as well, holding 10-2 on a board of 88328. Billirakis now held a large chip lead.

On the final hand Mueller raised to $200,000 and Steve Billirakis reraised to $300,000. Mueller moved all in for $25,000 more and Billirakis called. Mueller showed 54 and Billirakis flipped over K2. The board was dealt QJ28Q and Billirakis won the first bracelet of the 2007 World Series of Poker. He will take home the gold bracelet and $536,287 first place prize. Mueller took home $328,554 for second place.

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