Local poker player Paul Worsley shipped the event after almost not participating
Paul Worsley, a poker player from Liverpool, pulled off one of the most unexpected tournament victories of the year, winning the Grosvenor Goliath at Grosvenor Casino Coventry. This record-breaking live event drew 12,961 entries, the largest field ever outside of Las Vegas.
The £200 (US$266) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, part of Grosvenor’s long-running Goliath series, featured a prize pool that saw Worsley take home £316,640 (US$421,000). It marked not only the biggest score of his career but also a dramatic shift in personal fortunes, as Worsley admitted during a postgame interview that he had just £600 in his bank account before entering.
Worsley was close to giving up on poker altogether. He had entered the tournament with modest expectations, telling the Grosvenor livestream team that reaching the final table would’ve already been more than he hoped for. But after surviving the massive field and reaching three-handed play, his outlook quickly changed.
During a break in the action, a potential deal between the final three players fell apart. Worsley, along with Thomas Clack and Vasilica Luca, resumed play without an agreement. In a key hand, Clack eliminated Luca in third place with a rivered jack, leaving Worsley as the short stack entering heads-up play.
Despite being down nearly 9:1 in chips, Worsley mounted a remarkable comeback. Within 30 minutes, he had taken the lead. The final hand saw Clack shove with 9♠7♠ and Worsley call with 10♣9♣. A board of J♥9♥3♥A♠10♠ gave Worsley two pair and the win.
Clack earned £217,500 (US$290,000) for second place. But it was Worsley, once ready to walk away from poker, who walked off with a life-changing title — and a new chapter in his poker journey.
