Dong Meng Wins 2024 WSOP Tournament of Champions ($200,000)
While players from around the world brace themselves for a chance at riches and bracelets at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas this summer starting on May 28, one player in China’s Dong Meng got a head start and claimed the first WSOP gold bracelet this summer along with a hefty prize of $200,000 after defeating American Kevin Will heads-up in the exclusive three-day WSOP Tournament of Champions freeroll at The Commerce Casino and Hotel in Los Angeles.
The stakes become even higher for players who have already tasted WSOP victory. Those who have won a WSOP bracelet or a WSOP Circuit gold ring, including the dozen players who triumphed in the 2023 WSOP Circuit Tallinn, were invited to participate in the Tournament of Champions. This exclusive event offers a chance at a $1 million freeroll. But the excitement doesn’t end there. A dozen more players are set to earn tickets to next year’s affair during the 2024 WSOP Circuit Tallinn from July 19-28 at our flagship home of Olympic Park Casino.
Meng won his seat in one of the newer events at the WSOP after winning the 2023 WSOP Event #89: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Flip & Go Presented by GGPoker for what was his largest prize at the time on The Hendon Mob of $160,490. He eclipsed this over the weekend and pushed his total poker tournament earnings past the half-a-million milestone.
The live stream produced some memorable moments, including when Meng got paid with quads holding nine-eight suited to pad his chip lead with three players remaining after Kevin Will called off with ace-high with trips on the board holding ace-five. Will was down but not out as he doubled soon after with kings against Meng’s jacks and was heads-up against Meng after Nathan Wasson ran his ducks into Meng’s ladies to hit the rail in third place.
Will doubled his short-stack early into the heads-up affair after his king-five suited got there against sevens but his momentum ended there with Meng winning a few small pots before winning the event when his ace-queen held against king-five.
2024 WSOP Tournament of Champions Final Table Results
The 2024 WSOP Tournament of Champions witnessed more than 1,100 players earn an invite, with 562 players ultimately battling it out for the first bracelet and a share of the $1 million prize pool. Check out the final table results below.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Dong Meng | China | $200,000 |
| 2 | Kevin Will | USA | $120,000 |
| 3 | Nathan Wasson | USA | $87,000 |
| 4 | Richard Gebhart | USA | $63,000 |
| 5 | Cody Bell | USA | $46,000 |
| 6 | Ramon Kropmanns | Brazil | $35,000 |
| 7 | Scott Dulaney | USA | $26,000 |
| 8 | Alan Merdita | USA | $20,000 |
| 9 | John West | USA | $16,000 |
WSOPC Tallinn Champ Albert Gorelik Bubble Final Table
American Albert Gorelik won the final ring event during the 2023 WSOP Circuit Tallinn when he shipped Event #12: €660 NLH Progressive Bounty for €7,900 plus bounties. Unfortunately, he was the final elimination of the penultimate day to bubble the final table, but the trip was well worthwhile, as his 10th-place performance earned him $12,300.
Meanwhile, other WSOP Circuit Tallinn ring winners were less than successful, including Ukraine’s Viacheslav Sultanov, Uruguay’s Martin Lategui, Norway’s Jon Kyte, and Cypriot Antonios Onoufriou, who were all unable to cash but did get rid of some cobwebs leading into the 2024 WSOP in Las Vegas kicking off soon. This year’s WSOP Circuit Tallinn takes place from July 19-28, during which 12 more players will have a chance at winning a gold ring and an invite into the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions. See you in the summer!
