Ben Keeline is a poker pro who has seen better days. After falling on hard times, Keeline chose to begin driving for Uber to try and earn a living. Over the past few days, Keeline decided to take part in the Colossus II, outlasting the field of 21,613 entries to be able to win the gold bracelet, his first, and being able to change his life with the $1 million win.
The thirty year old has played poker for some time as a career choice, having earned wins on the WSOP Circuit and competed across the United States. Keeline was using money he had earned to keep playing and lost his backer at the first of the year. After trying to play using his own cash and selling gaming action, he eventually had to start driving for Uber to survive.
Keeline stated after the Colossus II win that his two biggest scores have come when he was at his lowest point in life. He has had a really hard time lately and has tried to stay positive. The pro commented that he cannot believe he earned the win and it is an amazing feeling.
To be able to play in the WSOP, Keeline had to ask his father for a loan. The pro admitted that he would not even be in Las Vegas if he did not have a lot of people behind him, putting their faith in him. Keeline actually bought in to the Colossus II 2x and it was on his second go round that he was running low. With just a single ante and blinds at 1,500/3,000, Keeline was able to dig his way back to a solid chip stack of over 100,000.
In the end, Keeline would have the chip lead against Jiri Horak during heads up play. On the final hand, Horak would raise to 5,000,000 from the button and Keeline would push all-in. Horak would call being just slightly under Keeline’s stack.
Keeline would show pocket jacks with Horak holding A-9 off suit. The flop shows 9-7-3 with Keeline in the lead. The turn is a 6 and the river an Ace, with both sides celebrating. Horak thought he had the win but the two spades on the flop and the turn and river also being spades gave Keeline the win with one of his jacks matching the suit, creating a flush.
Keeline earned $1 million for his efforts which will no double change his life. Horak finished in second earning $618,000.
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