Lisa Costello Takes Down WPT Ladies Championship at Wynn for $85,297
Friday's focus at Wynn Las Vegas was on women in poker. More specifically, a special Ladies Meet-Up Game (MUG) in the morning followed by the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Championship, which was live-streamed on YouTube.
In that ladies tournament, part of the WPT World Championship Festival, Lisa Costello was the last player standing out of 457 entrants, and it paid her $85,297.
Before the final table took place, WPT Global ambassador Jamie Kerstetter hosted a MUG inside the Wynn poker room exclusively for women. There were nine low-stakes cash games going and many prize drawings for some valuable prizes, including multiple $1,100 WPT Prime Championship seats.
Costello Stands Alone
The second annual WPT Ladies Championship concluded on Friday night with Costello, who now has over $300,000 in The Hendon Mob results, coming out victorious. She steamrolled a tough final table that included poker pro Ashley Sleeth, the player she beat heads-up for the title. Sleeth recorded her career-best cash of $57,069 despite falling one spot short of the championship.
The World Poker Tour brought back the $1,100 buy-in tournament after the success they saw in the inaugural event last year. Lina Niu won it in 2022 for $105,136.
At the 2023 final table, Ada Lang was the first to go, taking sixth place for $20,155. Aylar Lie bowed out in fifth place for $26,480, followed by Chris Read in fourth place for $34,220.
By the time the field had dwindled down to its final three competitors, Costello had built a huge chip lead. But Sleeth would find a double against the chip leader when she moved all in with KQ against KJ and the best hand held up.
That was bad news for Kathy Stahl as she was hoping to get to heads-up play. Moments later, Costello busted her by winning a race. Stahl earned $43,686 for her third place performance.
When heads-up play began, Costello was heavily out in front, and she would quickly extend her lead to a 5-1 advantage. Sleeth would double up shortly after, however. But on the 113th hand of the final table, she moved all in preflop with A10 and was snap-called by Costello's AQ.
Help from the board didn't come for Sleeth as it ran out 976K5, putting an end to the tournament. Costello was officially crowned the 2023 WPT Ladies Champion.
WPT Ladies Championship Final Table Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisa Costello | $85,297 |
| 2 | Ashley Sleeth | $57,069 |
| 3 | Kathy Stahl | $43,686 |
| 4 | Chris Read | $34,220 |
| 5 | Aylar Lie | $26,480 |
| 6 | Ada Lang | $20,155 |