In poker, when finalists agree to chop a tournament prize pool, it’s usually to reduce variance and smooth out payouts—often meaning the eventual winner leaves with less than the original first-place prize. But Mehmet Siginc found a way to flip that script during his run to a second WSOP Circuit ring.
The Canadian walked away with CA$40,545 (US$29,231) in the $600 no-limit hold’em/pot-limit Omaha mixed event last week at Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary—well above the CA$24,580 initially earmarked for first place.
A Heads-Up Deal With a Twist
Siginc and runner-up Nicholas Lee agreed to a heads-up arrangement after Amir Khan was eliminated in third place for CA$10,692. Instead of splitting the remaining prize evenly, the pair made a winner-take-all deal, adding the CA$15,965 originally assigned to second place to the eventual champion’s payout.
“It was a gentleman’s agreement,” Siginc told PokerNews. “Nick and I are friends, so we decided to play it out for everything.” Unlike some tournaments, the WSOP does not facilitate chops, leaving such deals entirely up to the players.
Chips, Luck, and Timing
The agreement wasn’t necessarily made at the start of heads-up play. Live updates show that after Siginc eliminated Khan, he held a 3-to-1 chip lead over Lee. However, Lee mounted a comeback with a few timely doubles, even seizing a brief lead before Siginc regained control.
The decisive hand came when Lee shoved with K-10, and Siginc called with A-9. The board didn’t help Lee, and Siginc secured the victory, claiming his second piece of Circuit gold while Lee narrowly missed a fifth Circuit title.
WSOP Records vs. Real-World Deals
Even though the heads-up agreement increased Siginc’s payout, WSOP records will reflect the original payout structure, not the outcome of the private deal. This policy keeps official records consistent, though it doesn’t diminish the savvy—or the friendship—that turned a standard chop into a winner-take-all payday.
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