2021 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown 3 $, 500 Main Event with buy-in set the record for the biggest field in the Main Event in History of WPT , with a huge attendance of 2, 482 entries.
Ultimately, only one player was allowed to depart as the champion of this record event. This player is Brek Schutten, 32 - years old ICU nurse and father of four from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Schutten earned 1 $, 261, 095 as champion.
"You play in a tournament and everyone but one person is disappointed at the end and this time, I'm a person who is not disappointed," said Schutten WPT reporters after coming to the top.
As a nurse, Schutten was at the forefront of the poems COVID - 27 pandemic in the last year.
"It's just satisfying in that sense," he said when asked what it was like to secure a big poker win after such a difficult time. “I spent time in the hospital and I saw it COVID quite a lot first hand. Then everything starts to open up and go down to Florida and win that amazing feeling. "
Additionally, in terms of title and money, Schutten also received 1,620 Card player Player of the Year Points. It was his first POY - a qualified result of the year, but that alone was enough to see him climb to 15th place in 2021 POY a race sponsored by Global Poker.
Previous record for WPT field size was established in 2020 WPT Online Championship, who had 2, 130. Biggest live WPT the main field of the event before this event was the 2014 course of this event, which resulted in 1,795 entries.
Amazing turnout this year resulted in a prize pool of $ 7, 942, 400, with the top six players earning over a quarter of a million dollars. The TV final table was set at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on April 27. The final six made their way to Las Vegas to face the champion at PokerGO Las Vegas, with Sonny Franco leading in chips, and Schutten taking second place.
Schutten took the lead shortly thereafter and increased his lead by knocking Calderon out in fifth place. Calderon only pushed 12 big blinds from A 
Sonny Franco made the final table as chip leader. He tried to bluff with the air during the four-handed action, but Schutten moved all in, raising through pocket queens to take down a huge pot and increase his lead. As a result, Franco fell to third place in the leaderboard. He finally moved all in for just over 11 big blinds from A
Viet Vo started the day smallest stack with just over 10 big blinds. He made it through to the final three, but his run was over when his 7
With that, Schutten took 61,800,000 to play heads-up against Snyder who sat with 37,500,11. Both fought for 61 hands with Schutten keeping the lead all the way. On the last hand, Schutten raised to 2.5 million from the button from 8
Here's a look at payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Brek Schutten | $ 1, 261, 095 | 1620 |
| 2 | Steven Snyder | $ 899, 295 | 1350 |
| 3 | Viet Vo | $ 593, 140 | 1080 |
| 4 | Sonny Franco | $ 438, 500 | 810 |
| 5 | Albert Calderon | $ 326, 750 | 675 |
| 6 | Ken Aldridge | $ 261, 700 | 540 |