Following over 14 years of wait, Phil Laak, the charismatic Irish-American poker legend, has finally claimed a major victory. Laak’s long-awaited victory came in the $560 buy-in Mega Millions XXVII tournament held at the iconic Parkwest Bicycle Casino, Los Angeles, where he walked away with $380,245 for his win.
Known for his iconic “Unabomber” persona and his prowess in high-stakes cash games, Laak’s tournament success had been sparse since his multiple victories in 2010. However, this all changed for the poker legend on Wednesday as he made a grand return to the winner’s circle, ending his 14-year long tournament drought and surpassing the $4 million mark in live tournament earnings.
The Mega Millions XXVII marked the conclusion of the Legends of Poker Series that kicked off on July 12. Featuring a massive $2 million guarantee, the tournament culminated in an intense heads-up battle between Laak and Behzad Teranie, who finished as the runner-up for payout of $250,450.
The final stage of the event was a rollercoaster of excitement. Leo Vaisburg became the first casualty at the final table after he shoved with ten-six against the pocket nines of Amir Dehghan. The latter flopped a set on the flop and then hit full house with another deuce falling on the turn, ending Vaisburg’s run in fifth place.
The next elimination was scored by Laak who tank-called a shove from female pro Anne Bui with his pocket sixes, which held against the ace-jack of Bui, busting Bui in the process.
The next playerto fall was Amir Dehghan who doubled twice before bowing out in third place when he shoved his king-nine into Teranie’s. He took home $156,850 for a remarkable podium finish.
Finally, it came down to the heads-up between Laak and Teranie, both starting the duel with roughly equal chip stacks. Teranie quickly fell behind, facing a daunting 6-1 chip deficit. Despite his struggles, Teranie staged a remarkable comeback and closed the gap but could not go all the way, eventually finishing as the runner-up.
In the final hand, Laak and Teranie were on a flop of Qc 6s 2s. Laak check-called a bet of two million, and the 9h landed on the turn. Laak check-called five million, and the 2d came on the river. Laak checked a third time, and Teranie moved all in. Laak quickly called with Qd 9s for the top two pair. Teranie tabled 8s5s for missed draws, and was eliminated in second place for a payout of $250,450.
Celebrating Laak’s monumental win, his long-time girlfriend, actress and poker enthusiast Jennifer Tilly took to X to extend her heartfelt congratulations, highlighting the significance of Laak’s long-awaited victory. With this win, Laak not only revives his tournament career but also reminds us of his enduring legacy in the poker world.
Mega Millions XXVII Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Phil Laak | $380,245 |
| 2 | Behzad Teranie | $250,450 |
| 3 | Amir Dehghan | $156,850 |
| 4 | Anne Bui | $116,175 |
| 5 | Leo Vaisburg | $90,930 |
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Images & Hands Credit: TheBikePokerFeed/ Parkwest Bicycle Casino
