Sean Drake Picks Up WSOP Casino Employees Bracelet 2011

American Sean Drake picked up the first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet after clinching the $500 buy-in Casino Employees no-limit Hold’em event at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino last night.

Drake, from Folsom in California, left with $82,292 in prize money, along with his first WSOP bracelet – the most prestigious prize in poker.

The 27-year-old part-time dealer, who works at the Folsom Lake Bowl Sports Bar and Casino, has enjoyed a fantastic run in several events recently, but particularly online, where he’s earned over $150,000.

This win provides Drake with a great foundation for the summer as he plans to remain in Las Vegas for several other events, so has now added a healthy sum of cash with which he aims to use as a springboard to becoming a successful full-time poker player.

Floorman and dealer Jason Baker, from Assiniboia in Saskatchewan, Canada, was the runner-up and collected $50,807, while Italian Claudio Falcaro finished in third spot for $32,753.

The event was initially planned to last two days, but was extended to three after a larger-than-expected field of 850 registered and, although classed as the first tournament on the WSOP schedule, it was in reality the second as Sam Barnhart, from Little Rock in Arkansas, had already lifted the WSOP Circuit National Championship three days previously – with the winner being awarded a WSOP bracelet for the first time.

Top 10 final placings and payouts from the Casino Employees Championship:

1. 
Sean Drake (USA) – $82,292
2. Jason Baker (Canada) – $50,807
3. Claudio Falcaro (Italy) – $32,753
4. Christopher Perez (USA) – $23,994
5. 
Daniel Quach (USA) – $17,835
6. Richard Kozlowski (USA) – $13,437
7. Adam Falk (USA) – $10,247
8. Joseph Zeman (USA) – $7,906
9. Edward Marcus (USA) – $6,165
10. Stefan Martin (USA) – $4,865