Omaha (Pot Limit)

$1,500 Buy-in
Entries: 133
Rebuys: 148
Total Prize Money: $421,500

1995 Champion: Dr. Phil Earle

1996 Champion: Jim Huntley

• The Winners.
• The Showdown.

1. Jim Huntley                      $168,600
Lawrenceville, GA
2. Phil Mazzella                     $84,300
Lafayette, LA
3. Jack Keller                       $42,150
Sugarloaf Keys, FL
4. Wade Coody                        $27,398
Tyler, TX
5. T J Cloutier                      $21,075
Dallas, TX
6. Chris Bjorin                      $14,753
London, England
7. Carl Bailey                       $10,537
Salina, OK
8. Shawqi Shunnarah                   $8,430
Birmingham, AL
9. Dennis Otto                        $6,322
Victoria, TX
10. Humberto Brenes                   $5,058
Miami Lakes, FL
11. Gary Pollak                       $5,058
San Diego, CA
12. Bill Lester                       $5,058
Nesbitt, MS
13. Julien Studley                    $4,215
New York, NY
14. Erik Seidel                       $4,215
Henderson, NV
15. Lee Wosk                          $4,215
Golden, CO
16. Hilbert Shirey                    $3,372
Haines City, FL
17. An Tran                           $3,372
Las Vegas, NV
18. Dewey Tomko                       $3,372
Haines City, FL

"This is fantastic -- and a tremendous surprise," Huntley said. "I didn't think I could win it." This is only the second year that Huntley, who describes himself as a part-time professional player, has participated in the World Series of Poker. He has, however, been a poker aficionado for almost 30 years.

Placing second in the pot-limit Omaha event and winning $84,300 was Phil Mazzella of Lafayette, Louisiana. A 50-year-old retired realtor, Mazzella also was the runner-up in the $2,500 buy-in pot-limit Omaha competition during last years World Series and finished seventh in the same event at the 1994 tournament.

Jack Keller, the 1984 World Champion of Poker, won third place and $42,150. A 52-year-old professional player and former stockbroker from Sugarloaf Keys, Florida, Keller holds three World Series of Poker titles, as well as numerous titles from other major competitions. He now has 20 in-the-money finishes at the World Series and ranks No. 6 on the tournament roster of all-time money winners.

The 1996 World Series of Poker continues at the Horseshoe through May 16.

The $1,500 buy-in pot-limit Texas Holdem competition begins today at noon, followed by the $2,500 buy-in limit Seven Card Stud High-Low Split (Eight or Better) event and the $5,000 buy-in no-limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw event, both on May 2.

More than 4,000 entrants -- representing at least 20 countries -- are expected to participate in this years World Series, and the total money distributed is anticipated to be in excess of $11 million.

©1996, Binion's Horseshoe. Some portions ©1996, ConJelCo. All Rights Reserved.