Jérôme Balthazar wins the WaSOP XIV Main Event

Jérôme Balthazar's triumph (€79,495)

Finalist in the BPC 2023 (9th), Jérôme Balthazar had a short final... enough to sign his biggest poker win all the same! That mark has now been erased, as with his title at this WaSOP the Belgian will be doubling his Hendon Mob.

"It was a straight shot," confided Jérôme a few minutes after his success, almost surprised by his run. "I'm very tired, so I'm less emotional... with the deal, we were 'only' playing for 10K, so I'm a bit detached, even though I'm obviously very happy," continued the champion.

Exhausted but happy, Jérôme was proud to have "won the third biggest of the year in Namur after the BPC and the CPS". "It was a great series with a big field, frankly it's impressive so I wasn't expecting it," says the champion, humbled after cashing 142 times his stake while dominating a field of 1,601 entrants.

"In the final I said to myself that it was possible, before that it was too far... but after passing Jack 9 suit against Queen 3, which came after two preflop all-in shots, I said to myself that I was once again in the big stacks. Then I said to myself that with the players in front of me I could do something if the artes were with me," continued the boss before concluding. "It's great to win at home!

Alain Fleurent Runner-up (€67,285)

France's Alain Fleurent lost out after a hard-fought head's up where everything came down to an all-in confrontation with Queen Ten Brick... Alain had Jack 9 for a straight draw on both ends but fell to 5 blinds after not hitting anything to get ahead of the opponent's Ace-Queen...

Alain Fleurent came back to 10 blinds but went all in with King 3 to fall on King Ten. One board later, victory went to the last Belgian in the field, Jérôme Balthazar, already a BPC finalist!

Payout Main Event WaSOP XIV €550 (1601 players - €720,234 prizepool)

• Champion - Jérôme Balthazar €79,495 Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• Runner Up - Alain Fleurent €67,250 Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• 3rd - Saman Nasseri €59,840 Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• 4th - Petar Radlovic 45 920€ Ticket €2.200 CPS Main Event
• 5th - Jonathan Dartevelle 28 350€ Ticket €2.200 CPS Main Event
• 6th - Isaac Borghouts 21,870€ Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• 7th - Mouss Amaouche €16,750 Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• 8th - Adrien Amorella €12,820 Ticket €2,200 CPS Main Event
• 9th - Benoit Kuhn €10,040

Results compet: