Mike Hurley Wins RGPS St. Louis Main Event Title on Local Turf for $52,597
Mike Hurley captured the RGPS St. Louis Main Event, winning $52,597 from a 407-entry field at his regular Hollywood Casino venue. The local semi-pro player overcame several final table swings and received rail support from friends who reached the same stage. The result follows his MSPT runner-up finish last month and adds to $230,000-plus in career live earnings.
SCCG Take — Regional series events reward consistent local participation by converting regular cash-game and low-stakes volume into title opportunities without requiring extensive travel.
Mike Hurley won the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition St. Louis $800 Main Event, earning the $52,597 first-place prize and championship ring after prevailing in a 407-entry field. The commercial real estate professional and semi-pro player defeated Jacob Tourville in heads-up play at Hollywood Casino, the venue he visits multiple times weekly.
Hurley lives 15 minutes from the property and entered the event with more than $230,000 in prior live earnings. This result follows a runner-up finish in the MSPT Main Event in nearby St. Charles last month. He described the experience as a home-game atmosphere supported by members of the St. Louis poker community.
Final Table Action and Key Eliminations
Quintin Sargent opened the final table as chip leader with 3,800,000 chips but exited in sixth place after losing pots that included a call-down by Hurley with a flopped straight. Jeff Copeland finished fifth after his pocket sixes ran into aces. Hurley eliminated Darroll Sayles in fourth place when he snap-called an all-in with two pair on a king-high flop.
In heads-up play, Tourville doubled once with a flopped set of tens. The decisive hand saw Tourville all-in with ace-high against Hurley’s ace-three. Hurley flopped a flush draw, paired the three on the turn for two pair, and closed the tournament when a jack fell on the river. Copeland and Craig Welko, both final table participants, remained on rail to support Hurley throughout.
Local Community Support at Hollywood Casino
Hurley emphasized the value of the hometown backing after years of regular play with the same group. As reported by PokerNews, “I’ve had a bunch of deep finishes and a bunch of final tables, and I keep coming in seventh, sixth, and fifth. I came in second at the MSPT last month, so I really wanted to finish this out and to get the title and the ring. It’s just unbelievable, especially on my home turf,” he said after finishing atop the 407-entry field.
He added that the score will assist with college costs for his children more than it will expand his poker bankroll. The outcome reflects the consistent draw of regional series stop for established local players.
Reporting: PokerNews
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