After Six-Year Hiatus, Oklahoma State Poker Title Goes to Grant Hinkle

The Oklahoma State Championship of Poker has a new champion—and it’s the first in six years. WSOP bracelet winner Grant Hinkle outlasted a 417-entry field to win the $800 Main Event at Hard Rock Casino Tulsa on Sunday, claiming $55,249 and the signature Oklahoma State Championship trophy. The series returned to Tulsa for the first time since 2019 with a 21-event schedule, and the Main Event lived up to the billing as a headline draw for players across the region.

Hinkle, a Kansas City native with more than $1.7 million in live tournament earnings and a prior WSOP Circuit Main Event title, didn’t even plan on playing—he jumped in on a whim. That spontaneous decision culminated in a grueling final table that stretched past six hours and featured multiple momentum swings, an extended three-handed duel, and a cagey heads-up match against Terry Harrell.

“It’s mostly relief,” Hinkle said moments after securing the title. “I had a big chip lead three or four-handed, and it slipped away. You kind of envision yourself at the end, and as soon as you do that, it starts slipping away. I thought that was happening again. Just relief and gratitude that I battled back and was able to take it down.”

Away from the felt, life has been busier for Hinkle in recent years. “It’s mostly kid activities for me. I’ve got a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old, so they take up a lot of my time,” he said with a laugh. “They’re getting to the ages now that I can play a little bit more because they don’t want to hang out with their parents as much.”

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Final Table Results Of Oklahoma State

• 1st — Grant Hinkle — $55,249
• 2nd — Terry Harrell — $38,167
• 3rd — Anthony Finley — $27,869
• 4th — Rehman Zahid — $20,642
• 5th — Sarah Renko — $15,506
• 6th — Johnnie Place — $11,820
• 7th — John Smith — $9,146
• 8th — Eric Salazar — $7,181
• 9th — William Berry — $5,726

The $800 Main Event generated a $291,900 prize pool, with 32 players returning for Sunday’s finale. Day 2 began with William Scarsdale holding the overall chip lead, but he ultimately exited in 17th as the pace of eliminations accelerated. Notables including Brent Gregory, Eric Bunch, John Reynolds, Todd Tucker, and Michael Perrone fell short of the final table as the field condensed to 11 within the first two hours.

The Day’s Action

When the final table formed after Jim Wilson bowed out in 10th, Anthony Finley had the lead, with Hinkle close behind. Two of the most decorated names at the table—William Berry and Eric Salazar—arrived short and were first to go in ninth and eighth, respectively. John Smith followed in seventh, setting the stage for a dinner-break six.

Post-break, Johnnie Place defended the big blind and flopped middle pair against Terry Harrell’s top pair; the remainder of Place’s short stack went in, and he couldn’t improve, departing in sixth. Nearly an hour later, Sarah Renko—the last woman standing—completed an impressive run with a fifth-place finish before Rehman Zahid exited in fourth.

Final Table Action

Three-handed play between Hinkle, Harrell, and Finley became an endurance test with the chip lead changing several times. In a pivotal three-way all-in, Harrell scooped the pot to eliminate Finley in third and simultaneously doubled through Hinkle, setting up a tight heads-up battle with shallow stacks.

The title ultimately hinged on a classic short-stack confrontation. Hinkle moved all in on the button with Q♣ J♣, and Harrell called off his last 12 big blinds with A♠ 5♦. The board rolled out to give Hinkle a turned flush, clinching the championship and capping a performance defined by composure and timely aggression.

“It was mostly opponent-specific,” Hinkle explained of his final-table approach. “If I can get to showdown often, I’ve got a good chance of winning, but if I get blown off it, it’s not a good feeling.” With swings coming fast, he focused on stack-to-stack adjustments and mental reset between hands: “Make sure you’re still playing your best with the stack you have going forward each hand. Don’t punt after a tough spot—just one hand at a time, even though it’s a frenzy inside my head.”

Hinkle credited his inner circle for the support that helped carry him through the grind. “[Thanks to] my wife and kids for letting me go down here. I’m looking forward to spending time with them tomorrow. Thanks to my RunGood family—they were cheering me on in the Telegram chat. Shoutout to them and all my friends.”

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A Triumphant Return for Tulsa’s Signature Series

The 2025 Oklahoma State Championship of Poker’s comeback delivered both nostalgia and new storylines. After a six-year hiatus, Hard Rock Casino Tulsa brought back the series with a robust schedule of 21 trophy events and a marquee Main Event that drew a deep, competitive field. By night’s end, it was Hinkle—already a WSOP Gold Bracelet owner and Circuit champion—adding yet another line to a sterling résumé and reminding the region why Tulsa’s state championship remains a must-play stop on the Midwest poker calendar.

Content and Image Courtesy: POKERNEWS