Minot, North Dakota, isn't exactly an urban metropolis (it's not even one the of three biggest cities in North Dakota), but folks there sure know how to put on a successful poker tournament.

The fifth annual North Dakota Texas Hold 'em Poker Championship, held at the Vegas Motel in Minot, wrapped up over the weekend after once again attracting record numbers and state wide buzz.

This originally small tournament, sponsored by the Minot State University Alumni Association, surprised even the most optimistic of gamblers when it attracted 1,341 payers and was able to guarantee a top prize of $35,000. According to reports from Bismarck North Dakota's KFYR-TV, the event this year saw players enter from ten different states and from many parts of Canada.

The eventual winner of the event was one of those Canadians, Sam Dickson, who took down the event after a tough 14 hour-plus day.

This year's North Dakota Texas Hold 'em Poker Championship was dedicated to last year's winner Curtis Langford, who died of Pancreatic Cancer last fall. Many players who participated in the weekend's tournament, dedicated a significant portion of their winnings to Langford's family.

Story by Mark Anderson