Bodog Poker Open IV champion takes home top prize of $36,447.50, lands feature in international poker publication

The online poker world crowned its newest superstar Sunday night when "MrElPaso" outlasted a field of 257 players, including a number of top online poker pros, to capture the Championship Event of the Bodog Poker Open IV. Along with his first place winnings of $36,447.50, "MrElPaso" will also be featured in a multi-page spread in an international poker magazine and receive extensive coverage on Bodog and the Bodog Beat.

"With the Bodog Poker Open IV, Bodog has given online poker players of all stripes the chance to win big while garnering the exposure they deserve," says Bodog Poker Pro David Williams. "I’d like to personally congratulate ‘MrElPaso’ for his impressive victory in the Bodog Poker Open IV. His win cements his status as one of online poker’s newest stars, and I’m confident we’ll be seeing him at plenty of final tables to come."

The $500 buy-in Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event capped off a weeklong series of tournaments at Bodog that drew a total of 2,646 online poker players competing for more than $368,000 in cash prizes, with $65,000 in additional prize money added by Bodog. The Championship Event itself featured a total cash purse of $145,790, including $25,000 added by Bodog.

Quickly establishing itself as online poker’s most popular new tournament series, the fourth installment of the Bodog Poker Open drew a number of notable pros to the Bodog.com poker tables on Sunday, including Bodog Poker Pros David Williams and Evelyn Ng, and online poker pros "nevertilt22," "UFpokerStar" and "ari." Despite the formidable field, "MrElPaso" was able to emerge victorious to take down his biggest cash to date. Finishing in second was dvbronco, who pocketed $24,419.82, and in third place was ari, who earned $16,182.69.

The Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event final table results are as follows:

1. MrElPaso
2. dvbronco
3. Ari
4. JazzyFace
5. bklynzto81
6. naskoxx
7. ello
8. ShuMoneyTonite
9. LIVIN LOUD

The Bodog Poker Open IV kicked off on Sunday, Nov. 1, and featured two parallel tournament series: the Championship Series and the Contender Series. The Championship Series featured higher-stakes buy-ins along with $62,500 in added prize money courtesy of Bodog. Each event also awarded a T$500 seat into the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Main Event to the winner.

Featuring lower buy-ins, the Contender Series also awarded a T$500 seat into the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Main Event to each event winner, while the remaining final table players earned entry to the Contender series finale (T$50) held on Sunday, Nov. 8. With $2,500 added to the prize pool, the Contender Series finale gave players incredible value for their buy-in, and it was "hitchchops" who took full advantage of that, walking away with the first-place prize of $3,268.10.

With another successful Bodog Poker Open in the books, the action at Bodog continues with a full slate of online poker tournaments catering to every level of player, including Bodog’s Sunday $100,000 Guaranteed online poker tournament. Qualifiers for the $100,000 Guaranteed event start for as low as $1 and run daily.

For more details on the Bodog Poker $100k Guaranteed online poker tournament, visit: Bodog Poker.

The road to poker stardom is underway at Bodog with the first three days of the Bodog Poker Open IV in the books and lots of prize money already awarded, including $25,000 in added money from Bodog. Both the lower-stakes "Contender Series” and higher-stakes "Championship Series" have seen impressive numbers each day, and the action is only just heating up as players contend for seats in the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event on Sunday, Nov. 8, when one player will be crowned champion and receive international media exposure.

"The chance to become a poker superstar and pocket some serious cash is why so many online poker players have turned out for the Bodog Poker Open IV this week, and there’s still time to get in on the action," said Bodog Poker Pro Justin Bonomo. "Every poker player wants to make a name for themselves by winning a major tournament, and the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event this Sunday guarantees this and more with the winner receiving major exposure in an international poker publication and extensive coverage on Bodog."

The Championship Series of the Bodog Poker Open IV continues tonight with Event No. 4 ($50 + $5 with Rebuys – No Limit Holdem). The series runs for the next two nights at 8:30pm with Pot Limit and Limit Holdem events, both featuring a $150 + $12 buy-in. Winners of these events will receive an automatic T$500 buy-in to the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event, held on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 4pm EST. Bodog is adding $25,000 in cash to the prize pool of the $470 + $30 buy-in Championship Event.

Running concurrently with the Championship Series, the lower-stakes Contender Series carries the same opportunity for winners to receive a T$500 buy-in to the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event. So far three “Contenders” have moved up to the ranks of potential champions and by the end of the week, a total of seven players from the Contender Series will have earned a shot at poker stardom by winning seats to the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event.

While it is the top spot that players are gunning for in each Contender Series tournament, the remaining eight final table players from each event earns an automatic seat to the Contender Series Championship Event, held on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 5pm EST. The $46 + $4 buy-in tournament features $2,500 in added prize money from Bodog.

Finally, those not lucky enough to win a seat to the Championship Event in either series can still win their way in on the cheap when Bodog.com hosts a full day of satellite qualifiers on Saturday, Nov. 7.

For more details and the full remaining Bodog Poker Open IV schedule, visit: Bodog Poker.

It’s time to get ready to rumble for a shot at poker stardom as BoDog announced today details for the Bodog Poker Open IV. The fourth installment of the popular tournament series takes place Nov. 1 – 8, 2009, and this time it offers two parallel, week-long series: the "Contender Series," consisting of lower-stakes buy-ins, and the higher-stakes "Championship Series," with $60,000 in added prize money and guaranteed media exposure for the champion.

"With the Bodog Poker Open IV, Bodog.com is giving online poker players of all levels a chance to strike it rich and gain major exposure as the next Bodog Poker Open Champion," says Bodog.com Poker Pro David Williams. "It takes a great deal of patience and skill to run deep in this tournament, and any poker player who can take down the Championship Event deserves not only the huge cash prize, but also the recognition that comes along with it."

The Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Series kicks off Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4pm EST with the first of seven events. The series culminates on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 4pm EST with the Championship Event, featuring $25,000 in added prize money. The last player standing will not only walk away with the top cash prize and the title of Bodog Poker Open IV Champion, but will also be prominently featured in an international poker publication and on Bodog.

Buy-ins for the seven events of the Championship Series range from $50+$5 (rebuy) to $470+$30 for the Championship Event. Bodog is adding additional prize money to all events, giving players exceptional value for their tournament dollars.

The Bodog Poker Open IV Contender Series runs during the same time period and features all the action of the Championship Series but with smaller buy-ins. The winner of each Contender Series tournament receives a seat to the Bodog Poker Open IV Championship Event (T$500), while the remaining eight final table players get a seat to the Contender Series Championship Event (T$50) on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 5pm EST. Bodog.com is adding $2,500 in cash to the prize pool of the Contender Series Championship Event.

"With the chance to rise through the ranks, from contender to Bodog Poker Open IV Champion, the Bodog Poker Open IV promises to be one of the biggest and best poker tournament series in Bodog’s 15-year history," says Bodog Poker Pro David Williams.

To learn more about Bodog Poker Open IV, visit: Bodog Poker