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James 'Wayne' Leonard Wins 2024 CPPT bestbet Jacksonville Mystery Bounty Main Event

Former Longtime Jacksonville Resident Outlasts 440-Entry Field In $1,700 Buy-In To Earn $87,820 and $29,500 In Bounties

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After a back-and-forth heads-up match, James ‘Wayne’ Leonard emerged victorious in the 2024 Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event. The longtime Jacksonville resident, now based out of Tampa, defeated a field of 440 entries to earn a career-best tournament score of $87,820.

“It could have been him, it could have been me,” said Leonard of his final showdown against Gourg Khanchat. “I’ve been in that situation three or four times in my career, and to get it one time… I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”

Leonard, who is known to many as ‘The Irishman’, has definitely had several close calls at this very venue. He’s previously finished third in a $400 RunGood Poker Series event earlier this year, second in a $360 buy-in during the 2019 Summer Series, and had another runner-up showing in a $1,500 buy-in during the 2022 Summer Heater. Now, he finally broke through for a marquee victory on the big stage.

“bestbet is just amazing,” said Leonard when asked about his years of experience playing at bestbet Jacksonville. “I remember when they opened it and it was just such a relief to get this kind of a poker room in Jacksonville… I mean, it’s top-notch. You get the best food, get the best service. Everybody here treats you with respect. They know your name and they really, really appreciate the players.”

James 'Wayne' LeonardThis latest score increased Leonard’s lifetime tournament earnings to $375,081. While he is a dentist by trade, he has been playing poker for more than 25 years.

“In the last three years, I’ve really put time into [poker] and have been working really, really hard for this win. I’m fortunate to have video of myself that I can watch, kind of take away some of my tendencies, see what I do, and correct those actions and really, and kind of work on it myself.”

Leonard was awarded 720 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was his fourth final-table finish of the year. With 1,043 total points, he is now sitting inside the top 500 in the 2024 POY race standings presented by Global Poker.

In addition to the top prize, Leonard also secured $29,500 in bounty payouts from his five knockouts made during the bounty portion of this tournament. He picked the third-largest bounty that was up for grabs, a $20,000 payout, along with a $5,000 bounty, two $2,000 bounties, and one $500 payout.

This event had a total prize pool of $662,200, with $220,000 set aside for the bounties. Those were all awarded from day 2 on, with the 55 players that cashed in this event earning a bounty for each knockout they secured. Runner-up Khanchat drew the top bounty of $50,000. The payouts ranged from that top bounty down to $500.

Nikhil SunkuThe final day of this event began with just five players remaining, with Khanchat in the lead and Leonard in second chip position. Nikhil Sunku)!Nikhil Sunku was the first to fall, with his short stack going in with KHeart Suit5Spade Suit against a dominating KDiamond SuitQClub Suit for Anthony Pathman. Sunku was unable to come from behind and was eliminated in ninth place ($8,780.)

Yi Chi Li soon followed Zunku to the rail. The bestbet Jacksonville regular got all-in with A-j trailing the A-K of Thad McNulty and found no help on a queen-high runout. Li earned $11,135 as the eighth-place finisher.

Juan Tellez’s run came to an end when his J-10 suited was outrun by the J-9 suited of Khanchat, who had been more or less on fire since drawing the $50,000 bounty back on day 2. Both players had flush draws going into the river, but Khanchats’ club came in on the end to eliminate Tellez in seventh place ($14,280).

Longtime poker industry member Johnny Pham lost a huge chunk of his stack in a clash with Khchat during six-handed play. He managed a few double ups, but was soon all-in and at risk again with KClub Suit6Club Suit trailing the 10Heart Suit10Club Suit of Pathman. Pham failed to connect with the board and was knocked out in sixth place ($18,525).

Thad McNultyThis was McNulty’s third CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event final table showing, having finished fourth in the 2019 running and ninth in 2023. This time around he placed fifth for $24,295. The score increased the Jacksonville mainstay’s lifetime tournament earnings to $653,542.

McNulty was sent packing when he got all-in with JDiamond Suit9Diamond Suit on a 10Spade Suit4Club Suit4Spade SuitJSpade Suit board. He was trailing the KSpade SuitJClub Suit, and the 3Spade Suit on the end was of no help. With that, the field was narrowed to four contenders.

Alex Kimpel placed fourth in this same event in 2023. Incredibly, that was his finishing position this year as well. Kimpel got all-in with ADiamond Suit4Club Suit leading the 7Diamond Suit6Club Suit of Khanchat, but the JHeart Suit7Club Suit2Heart Suit4Spade Suit3Heart Suit runout gave Khanchat a pair of sevens and the elimination. Kimpel secured $32,220 for the most recent leg of his back-to-back final tables in this tournament.

The next knockout hand began with Pathman moving all-in for 510,000 from the button with 8Diamond Suit5Spade Suit. Khanchat three-bet to 1,050,000 from the small blind, only to have Leonard come over the top with a four-bet shove for 5,445,000 out of the big blind. Khanchat went into the tank before laying down his AHeart Suit5Diamond Suit. Leonard revealed the QDiamond SuitQClub Suit.

The AClub SuitKDiamond Suit8Club Suit flop gave Pathman a pair some hope, but the 2Club Suit turn and 7Diamond Suit brought no more help. Pathman earned $43,190 as the third-place finisher, his largest score yet on the circuit.

Heads-up play began with Leonard holding 7,105,000 to Khanchat’s 5,980,000. Khanchat was able to close the gap and then overtake the lead in the early going. He had extended his advantage to roughly 3:1 when the next big clash arose. All of the chips went in preflop with Leonar’s QHeart SuitJClub Suit trailing the ADiamond SuitJSpade Suit of Khanchat. The board came down 10Spade Suit9Diamond Suit8Club Suit7Diamond Suit4Club Suit and Leonard flopped a straight to double back to roughly even.

Leonard then stretched out a lead of his own when a very similar situation played out. Khanchat was all-in with KDiamond Suit10Spade Suit in rough shape against the KHeart SuitQSpade Suit. This time Khanchat spiked broadway on the turn to double back in front.

Eventually, Leonard was able to retake the lead for the final time. In the last hand, Khanchat raised to 480,000 from the button with AHeart Suit3Diamond Suit and Leonard three-bet shoved with ADiamond Suit5Heart Suit out of the big blind. Khanchat called all in for 5,430,000.

The ASpade SuitQDiamond Suit4Diamond Suit5Diamond Suit6Heart Suit runout gave Leonard aces and fives for the win. Khanchat earned $58,530 as the runner-up. This was the second time he has finished in this position in a $1,700 mystery bounty event at bestbet Jacksonville. He previously did so during the 2023 World Poker Tour stop. He now has $107,861 in career tournament earnings after this latest deep run.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Place Player Earnings Bounty Payouts POY Points
1 James ‘Wayne’ Leonard $87,820 $29,500 720
2 Gourg Khanchat $58,530 $66,000 600
3 Anthony Pathman $43,190 $8,500 480
4 Alex Kimpel $32,220 $5,000 360
5 Thad McNulty $24,295 $11,000 300
6 Johnny Pham $18,525 $12,500 240
7 Juan Tellez $14,280 $1,000 180
8 Yi Li $11,135 $1,500 120
9 Nikhil Sunku $8,780 $2,000 60

Here is a look at the full list of bounty payouts awarded:

$50,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$25,000 – Kennie Garison
$20,000 – James Leonard
$10,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$10,000 – Bryan Bennett
$10,000 – Johnny Pham
$10,000 – Dickie Malone
$5,000 – Thad McNulty (x2)
$5,000 – James Leonard
$5,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$5,000 – Bryan Bennett
$5,000 – Kennie Garrison
$5,000 – Anthony Pathman
$5,000 – Alex Kimpel
$2,000 – Bryan Bennett (x2)
$2,000 – James Leonard (x2)
$2,000 – Kennie Garrison
$2,000 – John Connors
$2,000 – Nikhil Sunka
$2,000 – Tommy Doyle
$2,000 – Christian Johnson
$2,000 – Kelly Joe Andrews
$2,000 – Jessica Cai
$1,000 – Johnny Pham (x2)
$1,000 – John Connors (x2)
$1,000 – Kyle Terrel
$1,000 – Juan Tellez
$1,000 – Kennie Garrison
$1,000 – Yi Chi Li
$1,000 – Ken Brosnahan
$1,000 – Jose Reyes
$1,000 – Anthony Pathman (x2)
$1,000 – Jared Reinstein
$500 + Draw 1 – Jose Reyes
$500 + Draw 1 – Joshua Adcock
$500 – John Connors (x2)
$500 – Thad McNulty (x2)
$500 – Gourg Khanchat (x2)
$500 – Anthony Pathman (x3)
$500 – James Leonard
$500 – Yi Chi Li
$500 – Johnny Pham
$500 – Jose Reyes
$500 – Danny Clarkson
$500 – Renee Bacherman
$500 – Dante Cianfarra
$500 – Nicholas Chong
$500 – Joshua Adcock