Success for Sami Bechahed who wins the PokerStars NAPT

Success for Sami Bechahed who wins the PokerStars NAPT Main Event ($268,945)

The PokerStars North American Poker Tour Las Vegas Main Event, with its $1,650 prize pool, concluded Saturday at Resorts World Las Vegas. The final seven players from a field of 1,095 returned to compete at a live-streamed final table. After eight hours of play, dealer Sami Bechahed, accompanied by his nine-months-pregnant wife, emerged victorious to claim the $268,945 first prize and the first NAPT Main Event title in 12 years!

"It took a lot of patience. I don't know what to say, I'm really shocked," Bechahed told PokerNews after his victory. "It's surreal for me to have this final table with (Sergio) Aido, (Nick) Schulman, (David) Coleman... really good players. I came out on top. It's surreal."

Bechahed began racking up live tournament winnings in July 2018, when the French-born poker dealer moved to the other side of the table. He had already achieved three six-figure results during his five-year career and had $941,234 in tournament winnings prior to this victory. Two of those cashes came from sub-$400 buy-in tournaments in Los Angeles: a second-place finish out of 5,302 entries and a victory out of 3,065 entries. Additionally, Bechahed earned $274,916 for his WSOP Circuit Dallas/Oklahoma Main Event victory last November.

"I came in as the chip leader, so I didn't have to be intimidated by anyone," he added. "I have a lot of respect for all of them, but I'm here to play poker. I mainly play poker for fun, but I take it very seriously. So I came here to have fun, play my best game, and I got lucky."