Michigan Poker Player Harvey Mathews Wins WSOP Bracelet, Nearly $392K

Can you please rephrase the following sentence?

Last Friday in Las Vegas, Harvey Mathews, a poker player from Michigan, made a remarkable comeback from being the shortest stack at the final table to secure his first-ever World Series of Poker bracelet.

Mathews emerged as one of the 720 players in Event #13, the $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em. His exceptional performance led him to secure a remarkable first prize of $391,914, surpassing any previous winnings in his poker career.

Mathews outlasts other WSOP bracelet winners, formidable poker foes to bring win to Michigan

Before 2011, Mathews was a frequent participant in the WSOP. However, the events of “Black Friday” resulted in a ban on US players from online poker for a significant period. In 2019, Mathews made a comeback by participating in events at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. During that summer, he managed to secure a small cash prize, bringing his total career tournament earnings close to $30,000.

The 38-year-old resident of Mt. Morris has now unexpectedly raised their total to over $400,000.

Mathews described the experience as “quite surreal” when speaking to USPoker.

He expressed, “Winning a bracelet has always been my dream and desire, although I never believed it could truly happen. With such a star-studded field at this event, it feels amazing to emerge as the victor.”

Mathews had to outlast several notable players at the final table, including four-time WSOP bracelet winner Michael Gathy, who ultimately secured the third position. Other distinguished participants who made impressive progress in the event were Niall Farrell, Tristan Wade, Daniel Weinman, Sergio Aido, Jerry Wong, Maria Konnikova, and Brock Parker.

A big hero call: ‘I went with my read and was correct’

Mathews experienced a pivotal moment during the tournament’s final stages when a significant hand played against Gathy.

Matthews made it to the final table of nine players despite having a smaller stack. On the third and final day, he was still in a low position, ranking fifth out of seven players. However, he fought his way back and eventually took the lead in chips as the competition became even more intense.

Gathy regained the top spot in the counts with only three players remaining. In a heads-up pot, Mathews and Gathy fought their way to the river. The board displayed 4h-5d-Jc-Qc-10s, and Gathy made a substantial bet, which Mathews eventually decided to call. Mathews held Ac-5h, giving him a pair of fives.

Gathy’s call was accurate, as he was bluffing after failing to complete his flush draw with Kc-8c.

“I trusted my instincts and they proved me right,” Mathews shared with USPoker. “In that instant, my confidence soared and I began to believe that I had what it takes to win the event.”

Mathews regained the chip lead and swiftly eliminated Gathy in third place. He successfully maintained his lead during the final showdown against Gabriel Andrade and ultimately secured the title by winning the last all-in.

WSOP marches onward with more live and online bracelet events

This week, Mathews is making his way back to the online poker scene in Michigan. However, his ultimate goal is to return to Las Vegas in November for the prestigious WSOP Main Event, which requires a $10,000 buy-in. Although Mathews has participated in the Main Event a few times in the past, he has yet to achieve a cash win in the tournament.

After returning home, Mathews will resume his role as a full-time database manager. During his free time, he will likely engage in playing online poker on both PokerStars MI and BetMGM Poker MI. According to Mathews, he aims to play online three nights per week.

The WSOP is actively progressing with its 88-event live schedule, alongside an additional 10 online bracelet events.

Only players on WSOP.com sites in Nevada and New Jersey can participate in the online bracelet events. When WSOP.com launches in Michigan, Mathews will be one of the enthusiastic MI poker players looking forward to playing for bracelets from the Great Lakes State.

Can you please rephrase this sentence for me?