$

Awarded to date

The Venetian

June 2 - 7, 2021
Main Event: 2790 Entrants
Winner: Harlen Miller
recap_icon

EVENT RECAP

The Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,100 Main Event drew 2,790 entries over four starting days, resulting in a $2,692,350 prize pool. After nearly a week of poker, it was 63-year-old Harlen Miller of Bismarck, North Dakota who emerged victorious to take down the title and $367,801 grand prize.

Miller claims to have only started playing poker a few years ago. Since then, he had managed to rack up nearly $200,000 in live-career earnings before the MSPT victory, which included a $75k score from a Venetian Deepstack Senior Event in 2018.

"I skipped my niece's wedding to come play this event," Miller said. "I just had a feeling. At least now I can get her a better wedding present."

Miller, who also said his birthday was last week, now has a meaty six-figure score to his name along with an MSPT Venetian trophy to help celebrate any occasion.

Day 2 started with plenty of notables among the 396 hopefuls looking to make a deep run in the event. Joe Cada and Faraz Jaka were among those who fell short of the money, with Nick Pupillo being the one to burst the money bubble soon after play began. The field continued to decrease at a rapid rate and among those to cash were Shannon Shorr, Mike Dentale, Nadya Magnus, Mike Shin, Michael Rocco, and Catherine Dever — who was the last woman standing in the event.

Day 3 began with just 15 players still in contention and whittled down to a final table shortly after the second level of the day. Aaron Massey was the first to fall after getting all in preflop with queens and losing to the ace-queen of Jimmy Lujan. Lujan, who led the final eight in chips, ended up being the next one out after clashing with Ryan Dodd on a couple of different occasions and losing each time.

Bobby Noel, Thong Tran, and Jonathan Tamayo were all short-stacked heading into the final table and were eliminated in rapid succession soon after.

Matthew Elsby was knocked out after flopping a set and losing to a runner-runner straight of Albert Knafo.

Knafo, who started the day with the chip lead, couldn't hang on and was eliminated in third place by a runner-runner straight after getting all-in preflop with queens against the pocket tens of Dodd.

Heads-up play began with Dodd having a massive chip advantage over Miller. However, after doubling through Dodd on two separate all-in preflop occasions, Miller found himself overtaking the chip lead.

Miller got the job done after getting all in preflop with queens and holding up against Dodd's ace-jack to pull off the improbable comeback.

result

The RESULTS

Rank
Player Name
City
State
Amount
Points
1
ND 
$367,801
2,000
2
NJ 
$236,927
1,800
3
CA 
$177,695
1,700
4
CA 
$140,002
1,600
5
Humble 
TX 
$107,694
1,500
6
NV 
$86,155
1,400
7
PA 
$67,309
1,300
8
TX 
$50,885
1,200
9
NV 
$40,385
1,100
10
NY 
$32,308
1,000
11
NV 
$32,308
1,000
12
NV 
$32,308
1,000
13
TX 
$25,577
900
14
Minsk 
 
$25,577
900
15
 
 
$25,577
900
16
PA 
$23,423
800
17
IA 
$23,423
800
18
NV 
$23,423
800
19
CA 
$19,385
750
20
NV 
$19,385
750
21
TN 
$19,385
750
22
GA 
$16,154
700
23
CA 
$16,154
700
24
Miami 
FL 
$16,154
700
25
Tuscan 
CA 
$13,193
650
26
Dallas 
TX 
$13,193
650
27
CA 
$13,193
650
28
Reseda 
CA 
$9,423
600
29
AZ 
$9,423
600
30
NV 
$9,423
600
31
NJ 
$9,423
600
32
NV 
$9,423
600
33
CA 
$9,423
600
34
Holden 
MA 
$9,423
600
35
CA 
$9,423
600
36
 
$9,423
600
37
NV 
$7,269
550
38
CA 
$7,269
550
39
NY 
$7,269
550
40
IL 
$7,269
550
41
VA 
$7,269
550
42
RI 
$7,269
550
43
TN 
$7,269
550
44
Mobile 
AL 
$7,269
550
45
CA 
$7,269
550
46
OR 
$6,192
500
47
MA 
$6,192
500
48
MO 
$6,192
500
49
NV 
$6,192
500
50
Kent 
WA 
$6,192
500
51
AZ 
$6,192
500
52
FL 
$6,192
500
53
CA 
$6,192
500
54
CA 
$6,192
500
55
TX 
$5,654
450
56
August 
MI 
$5,654
450
57
 
 
$5,654
450
58
NV 
$5,654
450
59
 
 
$5,654
450
60
Omaha 
NE 
$5,654
450
61
IL 
$5,654
450
62
FL 
$5,654
450
63
CA 
$5,654
450
64
CA 
$5,385
400
65
CA 
$5,385
400
66
Denver 
CO 
$5,385
400
67
ME 
$5,385
400
68
Encino 
CA 
$5,385
400
69
 
 
$5,385
400
70
Tampa 
FL 
$5,385
400
71
MD 
$5,385
400
72
Hudson 
MA 
$5,385
400
73
IL 
$4,846
350
74
NV 
$4,846
350
75
Downey 
CA 
$4,846
350
76
Miami 
FL 
$4,846
350
77
IL 
$4,846
350
78
FL 
$4,846
350
79
NJ 
$4,846
350
80
UT 
$4,846
350
81
CA 
$4,846
350
82
Flint 
MI 
$4,577
300
83
Bell 
CA 
$4,577
300
84
Clive 
IA 
$4,577
300
85
FL 
$4,577
300
86
WI 
$4,577
300
87
Avarte 
CA 
$4,577
300
88
CA 
$4,577
300
89
CA 
$4,577
300
90
TX 
$4,577
300
91
CA 
$4,308
250
92
NC 
$4,308
250
93
CA 
$4,308
250
94
NY 
$4,308
250
95
NY 
$4,308
250
96
NV 
$4,308
250
97
Irvine 
CA 
$4,308
250
98
CA 
$4,308
250
99
CO 
$4,308
250
100
CA 
$3,769
200
101
WA 
$3,769
200
102
 
 
$3,769
200
103
Sequim 
WA 
$3,769
200
104
AZ 
$3,769
200
105
IA 
$3,769
200
106
MD 
$3,769
200
107
MI 
$3,769
200
108
RI 
$3,769
200
109
CA 
$3,769
200
110
Dallas 
TX 
$3,769
200
112
NV 
$3,769
200
113
IN 
$3,769
200
114
 
 
$3,769
200
115
NV 
$3,769
200
116
NC 
$3,769
200
117
NY 
$3,769
200
118
Omaha 
NE 
$3,769
200
119
NV 
$3,769
200
120
VA 
$3,769
200
121
Edison 
NJ 
$3,769
200
122
CA 
$3,769
200
123
Omaha 
NE 
$3,769
200
124
CA 
$3,769
200
125
CA 
$3,769
200
126
CA 
$3,769
200
127
WI 
$3,769
200
128
Irving 
CA 
$3,769
200
129
WA 
$3,769
200
130
NV 
$3,769
200
131
CA 
$3,769
200
132
NV 
$3,769
200
133
CA 
$3,769
200
134
CA 
$3,769
200
135
AZ 
$3,769
200
136
CA 
$3,500
150
137
Omaha 
NE 
$3,500
150
138
NY 
$3,500
150
139
 
 
$3,500
150
140
IA 
$3,500
150
141
NV 
$3,500
150
142
CA 
$3,500
150
143
NV 
$3,500
150
144
FL 
$3,500
150
145
MN 
$3,500
150
146
Savage 
MN 
$3,500
150
147
FL 
$3,500
150
148
CA 
$3,500
150
149
Austin 
TX 
$3,500
150
150
Austin 
TX 
$3,500
150
151
NV 
$3,500
150
152
Tulsa 
OK 
$3,500
150
153
IL 
$3,500
150
154
CA 
$3,500
150
155
CA 
$3,500
150
156
CA 
$3,500
150
157
IL 
$3,500
150
158
NY 
$3,500
150
159
MI 
$3,500
150
160
Reno 
NV 
$3,500
150
161
 
 
$3,500
150
162
FL 
$3,500
150
163
Cary 
IL 
$3,500
150
164
Yakima 
NE 
$3,500
150
165
ID 
$3,500
150
166
TX 
$3,500
150
167
CA 
$3,500
150
168
NV 
$3,500
150
169
IL 
$3,500
150
170
 
 
$3,500
150
171
Renton 
WA 
$3,500
150
172
MN 
$2,962
100
173
Auburn 
AL 
$2,962
100
174
AZ 
$2,962
100
175
NV 
$2,962
100
176
NY 
$2,962
100
177
FL 
$2,962
100
178
IA 
$2,962
100
179
Bronx 
NY 
$2,962
100
180
TX 
$2,962
100
181
 
 
$2,962
100
182
MI 
$2,962
100
183
Arvada 
CO 
$2,962
100
184
NV 
$2,962
100
185
NY 
$2,962
100
186
TX 
$2,962
100
187
WI 
$2,962
100
188
CA 
$2,962
100
189
IL 
$2,962
100
190
FL 
$2,962
100
191
FL 
$2,962
100
192
MN 
$2,962
100
193
NV 
$2,962
100
194
IL 
$2,962
100
195
CA 
$2,962
100
196
OH 
$2,962
100
197
CA 
$2,962
100
198
CT 
$2,962
100
199
Santee 
CA 
$2,962
100
201
CA 
$2,962
100
202
Warren 
MI 
$2,962
100
203
CA 
$2,962
100
204
CA 
$2,962
100
205
NV 
$2,962
100
206
Canton 
MT 
$2,962
100
207
MN 
$2,962
100
208
NC 
$2,692
75
209
NV 
$2,692
75
210
OK 
$2,692
75
211
NV 
$2,692
75
212
NV 
$2,692
75
213
CA 
$2,692
75
214
CA 
$2,692
75
215
CA 
$2,692
75
216
CA 
$2,692
75
217
CA 
$2,692
75
218
NV 
$2,692
75
219
NV 
$2,692
75
220
FL 
$2,692
75
221
NV 
$2,692
75
222
CA 
$2,692
75
223
CA 
$2,692
75
224
CA 
$2,692
75
225
PA 
$2,692
75
226
CA 
$2,692
75
227
NV 
$2,692
75
228
CT 
$2,692
75
229
Fresno 
CA 
$2,692
75
230
CA 
$2,692
75
231
CT 
$2,692
75
232
CA 
$2,692
75
233
Tucson 
AZ 
$2,692
75
234
Corona 
CA 
$2,692
75
235
TX 
$2,692
75
236
 
 
$2,692
75
237
CO 
$2,692
75
238
AZ 
$2,692
75
239
WA 
$2,692
75
240
miami 
FL 
$2,692
75
241
 
 
$2,692
75
242
 
$2,692
75
243
NV 
$2,692
75
244
Renton 
WA 
$2,692
75
245
AZ 
$2,692
75
246
FL 
$2,692
75
247
MI 
$2,692
75
248
MN 
$2,692
75
249
MI 
$2,692
75
250
CA 
$2,692
75
251
VA 
$2,692
75
252
 
 
$2,692
75
253
 
 
$2,423
50
254
TN 
$2,423
50
255
Elgin 
TX 
$2,423
50
256
WA 
$2,423
50
257
Irvine 
CA 
$2,423
50
258
NV 
$2,423
50
259
MN 
$2,423
50
260
NV 
$2,423
50
261
 
 
$2,423
50
262
CA 
$2,423
50
263
CA 
$2,423
50
264
NV 
$2,423
50
265
MN 
$2,423
50
266
MN 
$2,423
50
267
NJ 
$2,423
50
268
 
 
$2,423
50
269
CA 
$2,423
50
270
 
$2,423
50
271
AZ 
$2,423
50
272
MN 
$2,423
50
273
Parker 
CO 
$2,423
50
274
NC 
$2,423
50
275
CA 
$2,423
50
276
CA 
$2,423
50
277
NV 
$2,423
50
278
 
 
$2,423
50
279
CA 
$2,423
50
280
SC 
$2,423
50
281
 
 
$2,423
50
282
WA 
$2,423
50
283
MN 
$2,423
50
284
FL 
$2,423
50
285
CA 
$2,423
50
286
MN 
$2,423
50
287
Butler 
NJ 
$2,423
50
288
TN 
$2,423
50
289
CO 
$2,423
50
290
MN 
$2,423
50
291
CO 
$2,423
50
292
CA 
$2,423
50
293
CA 
$2,423
50
294
ME 
$2,423
50
295
NV 
$2,423
50
296
CA 
$2,423
50
297
NC 
$2,423
50