Travis Egbert entered 2024 with just under $263,000 in recorded tournament earnings. However, the Northern California native has taken the poker world by storm this year, amassing nearly $1.3 million in winnings, capturing four titles, and making eight final table appearances.
Egbert’s stellar year culminated on December 19 with his largest career victory yet: triumphing over a field of 111 entries in the 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship Alpha8 $25,800 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller. Held at Wynn Las Vegas, Egbert secured a career-high payout of $684,684 for his impressive performance.
Egbert’s Player of the Year Standings Boost
The victory also added 840 Card Player Player of the Year points, bringing Egbert’s total to 3,290 points. This moved him to 86th place in the Global Poker Player of the Year rankings.
A Year of Firsts
This marked Egbert’s first recorded cash in a high roller event with a buy-in of $25,000 or more. It was also his first win outside of Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, where he claimed three World Series of Poker Circuit rings in 2024. His victories at Thunder Valley included the $1,700 buy-in Main Event in October, which earned him $214,565.
The High Roller: Star-Studded Field
The Alpha8 event generated a $2,775,000 prize pool, paid out among the top 13 finishers. Notable players who made deep runs included:
- Alexandros Kolonias (13th), 2019 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion
- Brian Rast (10th), six-time WSOP bracelet winner
- Shannon Shorr (9th), two-time WSOP bracelet winner
- Igor Kurganov (8th), WSOP bracelet winner
- Sean Winter (7th), high-stakes regular
Key Final Table Highlights
Egbert built momentum during the final stages, including a pivotal hand where his sixes full of sevens catapulted him into the chip lead. He further consolidated his position with trip nines, leaving Noel Rodriguez short-stacked. Rodriguez exited in third place, earning $354,488, when his A-8 failed to hold against Naj Ajez’s J-9 suited.
In heads-up play, Egbert and Ajez agreed to an ICM deal, locking in $600,000 each, with $84,684 and the trophy left to play for.
The deciding hand saw Egbert pick up pocket aces and steadily build the pot on a Q♣ J♦ 6♥ 5♥ A♣ board. Ajez ultimately called Egbert’s all-in river shove, only to see Egbert’s rivered set of aces. Ajez was eliminated in second place, taking home $600,000.
Egbert’s Stellar 2024: A Year to Remember
With four titles, a career-best score, and a breakout year, Travis Egbert has firmly established himself as a player to watch in the poker world.
$25,800 WPT Alpha 8 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis Egbert | $684,684* |
| 2 | Naj Ajez | $600,000* |
| 3 | Noel Rodriguez | $345,488 |
| 4 | Sam Soverel | $253,219 |
| 5 | Brock Wilson | $190,781 |
