2009 WSOP - Matt Graham Wins the Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship

Matt Graham from Las Vegas, NV won Event 40, $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha, at the 2009 World Series of Poker and took home $679,402 in prize money.

Graham is a 25-year-old professional poker player.  He was born and spent most of his life in New Orleans, LA before moving to Las Vegas prior to the start of last year's WSOP.

The final table lasted about ten hours. Graham was the chip leader when it started, but Russian PokerStars pro Vitaly Lunkin hald the lead during the majority of play.

Matt Graham wins 2009 WSOP Event 40

The heads-up match between Lunkin and Graham was as entertaining as any finale played at this year's WSOP.  Lunkin had his opponent on the ropes several times, but was never quite able to put Graham away with a knockout punch.

The American managed to overcome the Lunkin's 9 to 1 chip lead and staged a dramatic comeback.

"I was thinking I was just going to continue playing my best.  No matter how good you play, it was a long shot in that situation.  So, you just have to do all that you can to come back and hope the cards cooperate," Graham said after the tournament.

The key hand of the match took place on the final hand of the tournament when Graham's flopped set of tens held up against Lunkin, who missed a flush draw with two cards to be dealt.  Two blanks on the turn and river gave Graham his second WSOP victory and the title, "2009 Pot-Limit Omaha World Champion."

This was Graham's second WSOP win. In the 2008 WSOP he won the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout and $278,180.

"I think I feel better about this.  I am more excited about this one.  It's really weird.  But just the fact this was a $10,000 buy-in PLO and triple the prize money.  This was more exciting," Graham said.

2009 WSOP Event 40 - World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha

Buy-in: $10,000
Entrants: 295
Prize pool: $2,773,000

Final results: