Winning the WPTWOC Main Event Feels “So Surreal” to Gostisa

Rok Gostisa became a World Poker Tour champion last week when took down the $5,300 WPT World Online Championships Main Event for a cool $959,492. It was Gostisa’s largest-ever tournament cash.

WPT #07 Main Event Final Table Results

Place | Player | Country | Prize
1 | Rok Gostisa | Slovenia | $959,492
2 | David Peters | Canada | $660,482
3 | Vlad Darie | Austria | $453,676
4 | Bruno Volkmann | Brazil | $296,185
5 | Philipp Hofbauer | Austria | $202,733
6 | Talal Shakerchi | United Kingdom | $156,421
7 | Manuel Fritz | Austria | $123,182
8 | Rodrigo Seiji Sirichuk | Brazil | $97,471
9 | Joao Simao | Brazil | $76,713

Gostisa overcame 1,178 opponents, including winning a thrilling heads-up battle with David Peters, to become the tournament’s champion, something Gostisa told the partypoker blog still feels surreal.

“It feels so surreal, especially when there were so many situations that had to align in order for me to win. I feel extremely grateful for the support I received from my friends and family. I would also like to thank all the people that were rooting for me on the final table.”

Gostisa is obviously delighted to win the 2021 WPTWOC Main Event, so looks at the tournament in a positive light. He was a particular fan of the structure of the Main Event, including being in the money as soon as you sit down on Day 2.

“I like how we are directly in the money starting on Dy 2. The blind levels make it so we are not incredibly deep-stacked while also not short-stacked in the latter stages. I think this is pretty ideal for Main Events.”

There were some incredible poker tournament players in this tournament due to the large buy-in and the prestige of this being a WPT event. Vlad Darie was one player who gave Gostisa plenty to think about as the tournament progressed.

“In the latter stages of Day 2, Vlad and I played so many crazy hands. On the final table, I had to watch out for David Peters.”

Gostisa eventually found himself heads-up against Peters. It was at this stage and this stage only that he thought victory could be his. A deal never crossed his mind despite facing one of the best players on the planet.

“The only time I started thinking about winning was heads-up and even then I just focused on playing hands in the moment and tried to make the best decisions possible. Honestly, I actually forgot deal-making was possible. But either way, I would want to play for it all, it is more fun that way.”

He not only played for it all but got his hands on the $959,492 top prize after a sick final hand. Peters raised 2.5 times the big blind with 5,000,000, Gostisa three-bet to 20,000,000, and Peters called. Gostisa shoved into the 40,500,000 pot on the flop, and Peters quickly called off his 69,943,817 stack. Peters flipped over for a set, and Gostisa for an overpair. The turn kept Peters ahead, but the river gifted Gostisa a better set and the vicotry!

“Complete disbelief turned into a giant outburst of positive emotions!”

The $959,492 Gostisa collected for his impressive victory, the largest of his career. What next for the talented Slovenian?

“Going to Las Vegas and winning a WSOP bracelet.”

We would not bet against Gostisa achieving that goal.