Steven Weinstein, of Andes, NY took first place and along with it a check for $658,405 at the Borgata Winter Open championship event in Atlantic City, NJ. With 1,017 entries putting up $3,000 + $200 to enter, the main event, which was a multi-day affair beginning January 25 and concluding January 29, generated a prize pool of $3,051,000.

It wasn't a local event either. Of the top dozen finishers, only half could be considered locals. Two were from New Jersey, three from New York, and one hailed from Pennsylvania. Washington DC, Kentucky, Florida, Canada, California, and Texas were the homes of the remaining players who made the top twelve.

But when all was said and done, the lion's share of the prize money "$1,329,624 to be precise" stayed in the local economy when the first three finishers were two New Yorkers and a Jersey boy.

It's nice to see tournaments attracting players from all across the country and from Canada too, especially in this dour economy, when so many people seem unwilling to travel. Congrats to the Borgata for a first-class event.

BORGATA HOTEL & CASINO WINTER POKER OPEN

EVENT #14 1/25/09

NO LIMIT HOLD 'EM CHAMPIONSHIP

BUY-IN $3,000 + $200

PLAYERS 1,017

PRIZE POOL $3,051,000

1. Steven Weinstein . $658,405

2. Todd Terry . . . . . . $434,767

3. Robert Merulla . . . $236,452

4. Robert McLaughlin $205,942

5. Michael Contessa . $175,432

6. Frank Caldwell . . . $144,922

7. Ory Hen . . . . . . . . . $114,412

8. Carl Pion . . . . . . . . . $83,902