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Mike Hurley, a semi-professional player who lives minutes from Hollywood Casino in St. Louis, won the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition $800 Main Event on his home turf. Hurley defeated Jacob Tourville heads-up, hitting two pair to secure the championship ring and the top prize of $52,597 from a field of 407 entries.
The victory capped a strong recent stretch for Hurley, who finished runner-up in the MSPT Main Event in nearby St. Charles last month. He said the win meant extra validation after several deep runs that fell just short of a title.
Hurley, who works in commercial real estate, described himself as a hobbyist who mainly plays cash games and smaller buy-in events at his local casino, where his live tournament earnings now exceed $230,000. He previously reached the final table of this same event in 2024.
Supported by friends from the local poker community, including fellow final table competitors Jeff Copeland and Craig Welko, Hurley kept the atmosphere light throughout the day, calling the experience “a home game atmosphere for 50 grand.”
The final table saw several swings, including Quintin Sargent’s rise to chip leader before a string of losses sent him out in sixth. Hurley took control after eliminating Darroll Sayles in fourth place, then survived a back-and-forth heads-up battle with Tourville, who briefly held the chip lead after flopping a set.
Hurley ultimately sealed the win when his ace-three improved to two pair against Tourville’s dominating ace-high all-in. He said the prize money would primarily help support his children’s college expenses rather than fund further poker travel.
