With 15 World Series of Poker Circuit rings, Josh Reichard is one of the most decorated champs that is a current tournament poker regular. But despite all those rings and more than $3 million in tournament cashes, he felt something was missing from his poker resume: A major title.
Last night, he finally got one.
Reichard is the winner of the 2024 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, more than doubling his career-best payout. The $3,500 event attracted 1,869 entries, pushing the prize pool into the $5.9 million neighborhood. Reichard took the lion’s share of $839,300 after beating Landon Tice heads-up at HyperX arena at the Luxor in front of a raucous crowd who showed up to cheer him on.
“The friends and family definitely are what makes me rich, it’s not even close. And it was great. I mean, couldn’t have done it without them. It’s more than double my career high score,” Reichard told the WPT. “All my titles [to this point] are minor league titles. This is a major league title. It feels great to finally break through and have a win of this magnitude.”
The event started April 19 at Seminole Hard Rock in Florida. It played down to the final six before reconvening at WPT’s studio in Las Vegas. The final table of WPT Choctaw finishes today.
Reichard, 33, faced a formidable final six that included Tice (second for $550,000), Jesse Lonis (third for $410,000), Alexander Queen (fourth for $305,000), Dylan Smith (fifth for $230,000), and Aaron Kupin (sixth for $176,000). Dylan Linde bubbled the final table.
Reichard, who is from Janesville, Wisc., is locked in a three-way tie with 15 rings for second most WSOP Circuit wins. He’s still looking for his first WSOP bracelet, which he almost secured last year in the $1,000 Mini Main Event where he finished second for his largest cash to date.
“Every time you have a run like that, it’s like just incredible. It feels great,” said Reichard. “People were asking me when I got second, like, ‘Are you disappointed?’ Absolutely not. Obviously this is better, winning, but you know, all of them feel good. All of them build your confidence and just help you move through to the next one.”
The mid-stakes grinder currently has more than $4 million in tournament cashes. Besides his success in WSOP Circuit events, Reichard has racked up victories in events all across the country, including wins on the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour and the new Moneymaker Tour.
But this one was the sweetest for Reichard, and not only for the large payday, but for the amazing support he received from his friends and family, all who piled on the stage at HyperX Arena for one of the most crowded victory photos ever.
“It’s unbelievable just to know this many people care and love me,” Reichard told the WPT afterwards. “They want to see me do well, and are willing to spend money and time to come do this and support me. It makes this so fun.”
