LAS VEGAS, Nov 12 — Martin Jacobson of Sweden won the World Series of Poker’s 45th main event, ousting his last two opponents to claim the US$10 million (RM33.3 million) first prize.

Jacobson won his first major live poker tournament in the US$10,000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold’em World Championship at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The tournament, known as the main event, began in July with 6,683 entrants and played down to the final nine on July 16. Action then paused for 118 days before restarting November 10.

After a 12-hour session, three Europeans, all poker professionals, returned yesterday to crown a champion. Jorryt van Hoof of the Netherlands entered the final session with a chip lead of 89.6 million, followed by 27-year-old Jacobson with 64.8 million and Felix Stephensen of Norway with 46.1 million. Jacobson had a lead of 142 million to Stephensen’s 58.5 million at the start of the final table.

Stephensen, 24, won US$5.1 million for his second-place finish, while Van Hoof, 31, earned US$3.8 million.

Jacobson, who was born in Stockholm and lives in London, entered the tournament as the most accomplished World Series player among the final three competitors, having been to four previous final tables and earning more than US$1.2 million.

Jacobson entered the nine-man final table with 14.9 million chips, the eighth-shortest stack. — Bloomberg