Alex Anton Captures First WSOP Bracelet in $10K Mystery Bounty Event

Alex Anton has achieved a significant milestone in his poker career, capturing his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet by winning Event #51: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold’em. The victory earned Anton a substantial $678,300, marking the largest live tournament score of his career.

The final day of the event saw Anton, an American player, convert his starting chip lead into a dominant performance, ultimately defeating France’s Julien Sitbon in a heads-up match. The tournament attracted 558 entries, generating a prize pool of $3,515,400. Anton’s triumph took place at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

A Long Journey to His First Bracelet

Anton, 25, shared his elation after the win, stating, “It feels really good. In some ways, it’s validating to family and friends.” He described his path to this prestigious win, which involved a transition from online cash games to live cash, and then an increased focus on tournaments over the past two years. Anton has been traveling extensively for tournaments for the last 18 months.

He reflected on the dedication required, noting, “I’ve been playing basically all day every day since I was 20.” Anton highlighted the personal significance of this win, especially with his girlfriend able to attend and witness his success live, contrasting it with his previous online grind.

Anton Converts Chip Lead Into Victory

Entering the final day as the chip leader, Anton aimed to maintain focus and approach each hand individually. “I was really just trying to focus on staying present,” Anton explained. He felt this mindset helped him manage the pressure of a high-stakes final table against experienced players.

His path to victory involved overcoming several notable opponents. Early on, he eliminated Kent Stephens when his ace-queen improved to a pair of aces against Stephens’ pocket queens. Anton also cracked Gregor Sverko’s pocket kings with ace-nine, denying Sverko a potentially larger mystery bounty prize.

A pivotal moment came when Josh Reichard briefly held the chip lead. However, Anton regained control in a significant pot where he outplayed Reichard, ultimately taking a commanding chip lead. He further solidified his dominance by improving to quads against Jovan Kenjic’s hand.

Anton Defeats Sitbon

With Champie Douglas eliminated in fourth place by Julien Sitbon, Anton entered the three-handed play with a substantial advantage. He continued to apply pressure, widening his lead over Sitbon and Reichard. Ultimately, Anton eliminated Josh Reichard in third place with a full house, entering the heads-up portion with a more than 4:1 chip advantage.

The heads-up match against Julien Sitbon was relatively short. Sitbon mounted a challenge, managing to stay in contention, but Anton’s dominance proved insurmountable. The final hand saw Anton, holding seven-six, call a raise from Sitbon, who held pocket tens. Anton’s open-ended straight draw on the flop materialized into a nut straight on the turn, leaving Sitbon drawing dead.

Anton also expressed his gratitude towards his girlfriend, Andrea, whom he has been with for seven years. He described their journey together as a “sick come up,” moving from humble beginnings to supporting each other’s careers.

Key facts
| Player | Event | Prize |
|——————|———————————————————————|—————|
| Alex Anton | Event #51: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold’em (2026 WSOP) | $678,300 |
| Julien Sitbon | Runner-up | Not specified |
| Prize Pool | $3,515,400 | |

This development is significant for PlayVideoPoker readers as it highlights a major achievement in the professional poker world, specifically within a high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em tournament. It offers insights into the strategies and mindset of successful tournament players, which can be of interest to those who play or follow poker.

Source: PokerNews – https://www.pokernews.com/news/2026/06/alex-anton-wins-first-wsop-bracelet-10k-mystery-bounty-51605.htm?utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=homefeed&utm_source=rss

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