Maria Ho Wins Celebrity Poker Tour 2024 Championship in Las Vegas

Maria Ho once again claimed victory in Las Vegas as the popular professional outlasted all opponents on her way to claiming the $50,000 top prize. Some of the biggest celebrities in the public eye were in Sin City to play, with NFL footballers, talent show superstars, Twitch and YouTube streamers and TV personalities such as Impractical Jokers Joe Gatto and Brian Quinn all took to the felt live on PokerGO.

The World Tunes InTO the CPT Final

Broadcasting on PokerGO and the Celebrity Poker Tour YouTube channel, the action got underway at 2am local time as the 2024 CPT season officially conclude with the $100,000 prizepool CPT Championship. Players such as streaming sensations Ninja and Sketch, UFC legends Jorge Masvidal & Henry Cejudo, NFL & NBA stars Adrian Peterson & Mario Chalmers, comedians Joe Gatto & Brian Quinn, and contortionist Sofie Dossi all pitched up on the red carpet.

Joining the potential first-time winners were former CPT Champions such as Nemo, Princess Love, Maria Ho, Wolfgang, Bryce Hall, Lena Ayad, and Vegas Matt but while some of those lasted a long way into proceedings, Vegas Matt and Wolfgang couldn’t make the final table. Ethan Klein barely made the first break, one hour elapsing before he left an entertaining feature table starring Ninja, Sketch and both Impractical Jokers.

One of those comedians took out the other, as Joe Gatto was busted by his friend and TV co-star Brian ‘Q’ Quinn. Gatto laughed off the exit, claiming it all to be ‘part of the plan’ and swore he’d cheer his friend on to victory.

By the time the final table of nine had been reached, blinds were shallow and professional Maria Ho was in great shape to take advantage. Not that she had anything to do with the first elimination, as CJ So Cool’s king-three of clubs hit a king to treble up and Hayes Pullard’s pocket queens eliminated Hila Klein in 9^th for $2,500.

Peterson Pulls Up Short of Glory

Bryce Hall was soon all-in and at risk, holding ace-five of spades against Sofie Dossi’s queen-ten of diamonds. Despite being behind, Dossi was still a 45% shot to win the hand and her odds improved when a flop of 8-5-2 landed with two diamonds. A queen of clubs on the turn vaulted Dossi into the lead and Hall was gone for $2,500 when a seven landed on the river.

Women in Poker Hall of Famer Maria Ho was by far the most accomplished player at the felt, with almost $5.5 million in live tournament earnings across a glittering career at the felt. Former CPT winner Lena Ayad was unable to hang on any longer however, running jack-seven into Adrian Peterson’s king-eight to bust in seventh place for $2,500.

Peterson had impressed but the NFL superstar was the next one to bust, crashing out in sixth place for $3,500. Losing a massive pit with a four-flush under Dossi’s better four-flush, Peterson was very short when he shoved in the next hand. Dossi, the America’s Got Talent finalist, woke up with pocket tens and they beat Peterson’s king-seven of spades. CJ So Cool had pocket nines but just like he had survive before with the worst hand, he hit a nine in the window to survive yet again when the odds seemed to have him beaten pre-flop.

Soon after, CJ So Cool won again when he was dominated, this time by Pullard’s ace-king. CJ So Cool’s ace-jack of clubs made the nut flush to rise again. Peterson’s exit for $3,500 was followed by Hayes Pullard’s bust-out for $4,000 in fifth place. Pullard’s pocket fours couldn’t hold against Ho’s ace-king, as an ace came on the flop and Ho took out a dangerous player and grabbed a massive lead with just four players remaining.

Ho Stays Cool as Quinn Calls it Quits

“This is the most insane thing I’ve been a part of in my life!”

With four left, Maria Ho had 7.7 million, almost double her three opponents combined after winning that huge flip against Pullard. Putting CJ So Cool to the test, Ho held pocket jacks and set CJ all-in, but he folded with pocket threes. Two seats round, Quinn folded pocket threes too! CJ was all-in soon after with ace-deuce but lost to Dossi’s king-queen as a flop of K-J-8 came, and a turn nine gave CJ 11 outs. Sadly for him, ‘too many outs’ applied, as a queen of diamonds landed on the river and CJ So Cool left for $5,000.

Dossi may have won that hand, but soon, she was on the rail for $10,000 in third place after possibly the cruellest No Limit Hold’em run-out of 2024. All-in with ace-jack of spades, she was all-in against Maria Ho’s king-three. A flop of K-Q-T came to give Maria “less than 1%” chance in her own qords, but a queen came on both turn and river to take out Dossi with a runner-runner full house for Maria Ho, leaving her heads-up with 98% of the chips.

“I have no clue how this happened!” Brian Quinn said, left with just 2% of the chips, all-in with ace-nine against Ho’s king-seven. “This is the most insane thing I’ve been a part of in my life!”

A flop of A-J-7 kept Quinn ahead but also paired Ho’s seven. Quinn held but as he said, he needed to go all-in every hand. In the next hand, Ho’s ace-king beat Quinn’s deuce-four as a board of K-9-9-J-9 played out to give the poker legend the title and $50,000. Quinn, beyond delighted to be runner-up, won $20,000 after that horrific beat for Sofie Dossi.

Watch all the action as it happened in Las Vegas right here:

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