BILLINGS – A weekend of Texas Hold ’em, ended Sunday with a five-figure prize for the winner.
The Third Annual Spring Poker Showdown started on Friday at the Red Lion Hotel Montana Grand Ballroom.
More than 150 players competed in the third leg of the Big Sky Big Five Mega Stack Series.
“They want to win,” said Jerry Sorrells Roughrider Poker Tour president & CE. “They want to be the one holding that trophy. They want their picture taken at the end of the tournament. So it’s mainly that and the competition factor.”
The no limit tournament gave players chances to advance on Friday and Saturday.
“The tournament is all no-limit Texas Hold ’em,” Sorrells said. “You can learn Texas Hold ’em within five minutes, but it will take a lifetime to master.”
Players had a $110 dollar buy-in to play for a top 20 spot.
Those players advanced to a $400 buy-in to play for the $15,000 prize.
The tournament draws players with varying levels of experience and skill.
“We’ve seen a lot of serious poker players that mainly come in these buy-ins,” said Sorrells. “But there’s also a handful of people that are completely recreational here to have fun too.”
The next competition in the Big Sky Big Five Mega Stack Series is the Montana Dakota State Poker Championship in Billings, April 26-28
