Davie, Fla.’s Michael Newman Wins Championship for $374,240

At the conclusion of the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO), it’s Michael Newman of Davie, Fla. who walks away with $374,240 after winning first place in the $3,500 buy-in Championship. Newman bested 585 total entries in the series finale, taking home the trophy in what marked his fourth career Seminole Hard Rock title.

“It’s probably the best thing that I’ve ever done in poker,” Newman said after his victory. “Money’s great, money’s always great, but (it’s great) to get through the toughest field I’ve ever played against in my life […] I always like a challenge and I always want to be playing against the best. That was the best of the best. It was absolutely amazing.”

Newman hails from Nanuet, N.Y. but now resides in South Florida. He worked on Wall Street during the early stages of his professional life and now finds himself in private banking. Poker continues to be a serious hobby of his.

“I’m glad I’m able to play at this level, but it would take a lot of time to be a [professional],” Newman said. “As much as I love the game, I don’t know if I could handle the ups, the downs, and the swings. No matter how good you are, you also need the luck.”

Championship Final Table Results:

1st: Michael Newman (Davie, Fla.) $374,240

2nd: Matas Cimbolas (Lithuania) $262,440

3rd: Darryll Fish (Cape Coral, Fla.) $168,920

4th: Sheddy Siddiqui (Miami, Fla.) $121,920

5th: Ari Engel (Toronto, Ontario) $93,560

6th: Thomas Marchese (Parsippany, N.J.) $75,380

The 17-tournament RRPO kicked off on Wednesday, Nov. 15 with a $360 buy-in Ultimate Re-Entry. The series opener drew 3,570 entries, more than doubling the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

In addition to Newman, other signature event winners include:

• Francois Zayas (Miami Springs, Fla.), winning the $360 Ultimate Re-Entry Series Opener for $107,973
• Ory Hen (Cooper City, Fla.), winning the $570 Deep Stack NLH for $44,255
• Ken Ray (Cumberland Foreside, Maine), winning the $1,650 Purple Chip Bounty for $20,859
• David Peters (Temperance, Mich.), winning the $5,000 NLH for $104,309

Poker action will return to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. in the new year with the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Lucky Hearts Poker Open (LHPO) on Jan. 11 – Jan. 24, 2018, headlined by the WPTDeepStacks Series Opener with a $1 Million Guarantee and the WPT Championship boasting a $2 Million Guarantee.

Future tournament information and poker hotel rates are available at SHRPO.com.

About Seminole Hard Rock Poker

Seminole Hard Rock Poker encompasses four major poker series held annually at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In August 2013, the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) was introduced to poker players around the world and featured a $10 million guarantee championship, the largest guarantee in history. In addition to the SHRPO, Seminole Hard Rock Poker series’ includes the Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open (January), Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown (April) and Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll” Poker Open (November). All four series fall under the SHRPO umbrella with tournament news, live updates and championship live streaming. Visit www.SHRPO.com. Join the conversation at #SHRPO, and tag us @SHRPO.

 About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is South Florida’s iconic entertainment destination located minutes from Fort Lauderdale’s world-famous beach. The AAA Four Diamond-rated resort features 469 luxury guest rooms and suites, award-winning restaurants, a lagoon-style pool and Beach Club Bar & Grill, a Hard Rock-inspired spa, premium meeting and convention space and a 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live concert arena. The casino offers more than 100 table games, 2,000 of the most popular slots and a poker room. Fine dining options include Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, the resort’s signature steakhouse, and Kuro, a luxe and socially vibrant restaurant offering new-style Japanese cuisine. In the heart of the hotel is L Bar, a sophisticated, contemporary lounge showcasing handcrafted classic cocktails with a twist. Contemporary and casual eateries, include Blue Plate, the hotel’s 24-hour diner-inspired restaurant; Constant Grind, a gourmet coffee and pastry shop; and the ever-famous Hard Rock Cafe – Hollywood, part of Hard Rock’s 179 globally recognized rock ‘n’ roll restaurants.

For more information, call 800-937-0010, visit us online at casino.hardrock.com/hollywood, or follow us on Facebook: @SeminoleHardRockHollywood, Twitter: @HardRockHolly, Instagram: @HardRockHolly