From Freeroll to Six Figures, Persinger is Story of WPT World Championship

If you are a poker player and you have a Twitter account, you saw a number of players offering seats to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas via freerolls from WPT Global. 

Ambassadors Amanda Botfeld to Jamie Kerstetter, Jaman Burton, Brad Owen and more won entries through WPTG satellites and offered their seats in a series of promotions..

Andrew Neeme was one of the players winning WPT Global satellites and placing the seats available via Twitter promotions. Neeme asked people in one 280-character-or-less Tweet to tell why they are passionate about the game of poker.

LoriAnn Persinger - a low-stakes daily tournament grinder living in the tournament host city of Las Vegas - took to Twitter and offered her thoughts on why this game means so much to her. Neeme read Persinger’s entry, recognized her name from many different live and online poker activities and said he was immediately impressed with how she presented herself.

“It was equal parts her entry, and her regular and continued passion for all things poker. I’ve seen her screen name and avatar in countless poker livestreams, in conversations on Twitter, in YouTube comments,” said Neeme. “She’s one of those people in the community who is always positive and supportive, with nothing really to gain other than just enjoying being a part of it all.’

Neeme went through a virtual boatload of contest entries, and kept coming back to Persinger’s.

“When I saw her tweet reply in the comments for the giveaway, I knew it would be a good fit,” said Neeme. “To me, personally, it is more interesting to see someone make a deep run who doesn’t do this every day. I want as many Moneymaker-esque ticket holders on the battlefield as possible.”

Persinger’s passion and personality were the fit Neeme looked for, and he awarded her a $10,400 tournament entry.

“People who just aren’t gonna be there without a shot provided to them. I feel like LoriAnn checks all the boxes,” said Neeme. “It has been so exciting seeing her march through this tournament, doing interviews, and battling with the absolute best of them.”

That run came to an end Sunday afternoon in 30th place, a career-best tournament cash of $119,300.

“It is the first time I have busted a tournament and not been upset, today was absolutely amazing” said Persinger a few minutes afterward, standing in the Encore Ballroom hallway with her husband of 32 years. “I see players who just won six figures and they look like it is the end of the world. Me? I am just over the moon, I almost do not know what to say.”

A number of media stopped to interview Persinger, and a much larger group of players gathered around to offer their congratulations on her multi-day tournament performance. One person asked if she planned to play higher-stakes tournaments now or change how she approaches the game.

“I probably will not change anything, I am a small-stakes grinder who loves playing the daily tournaments at the Aria, Orleans and more,” said Persinger. “I am not a pro, I just like to play like one.

While Persinger’s Hendon Mob resume shows more than $160,000 in career tournament earnings, her largest cash before this was slightly more than $13,000. Only three of her 35 tournament cashes this year are in tournaments with a buy-in larger than $300.

Neeme said he found Peringer’s personality and low-stakes focus 

“I have loved the way I was treated, the VIP lounge (available to online qualifiers and WPT Champions Club members), everything,” she said. “I just wanted to take it all in and absorb every moment.”.