Former Aussie Millions Champ Peter Costa Wins $1,100 Seniors Event
The 2023 Wynn Millions kicked off on February 20 and is slated to run through March 19. While the $3,500 buy-in, $3 million GTD Wynn Millions Main Event is capturing the big headlines, there have been a series of side events playing over the past couple of weeks.
From February 27-28, the $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD saw 240 entrants generate a $232,800 prize pool, which was reserved for the top 27 finishers. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Michael Ruter (10th - $4,598), Danny Bigelow (14th - $3,562), Cy Williams (19th - $2,863), and Arnie Friedman (25th - $2,363).
At the final table, a three-way deal was struck that ultimately saw Peter Costa win the tournament for $44,179. If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you recognize Costa as the winner of the 2003 Aussie Millions Main Event for $221,862.
“Just before the mass shutdowns due to COVID in 2020, I decided that I had unfinished business with poker,” Costa shared on social media. “It was just a matter of when rather than if, regardless of the fact that I was not getting any younger … This year, I was determined that the unfinished business needed to be finished.”
He continued: “Looking back at this event, it really was fun seeing the numbers dwindle down with me and my short stack being mere bystanders for the most part … I was just enjoying the moment for it was - a fun time with really nice people.”
Some of his accomplishments that year included victories in the $300 Limit Hold’em event at the California State Poker Championship for $115,662; Bellagio’s $2,500 Limit Hold’em for $112,000; $5,000 Championship Event at the 2002 Hall of Fame Poker Classic for $101,520; a pair of victories at the 2002 Four Queens Poker Classic for nearly $40,000; and winning the Late Night Poker Series 6 Grand Final for $78,275.
Wynn Millions $1,100 Seniors NLH $100K GTD Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Costa | Las Vegas, NV | $44,179* |
| 2 | Mark Gregorich | Las Vegas, NV | $39,376* |
| 3 | Mark Johnson | Las Vegas, NV | $35,454* |
| 4 | Brendan Shiller | Las Vegas, NV | $16,529 |
| 5 | Nick Phoenix | Encino, CA | $12,175 |
| 6 | Sejo Kasic | Las Vegas, NV | $9,382 |
| 7 | Larry Wright | McQueeney, TX | $7,543 |
| 8 | Gary Simpson | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | $6,262 |
| 9 | Dennis Pollock | Grand Junction, CO | $5,331 |
*Denotes three-way deal.