Amateur poker player and professional skydiver Jesse Hale is the World Series of Poker's newest Circuit champion after outlasting 67 players over the course of three days, and pummeling a final table that included Ari "BodogAri" Engel and Jeff "Mr. Rain" Banghart.

For the victory, Hale earned a top prize worth $113,020, a coveted gold WSOP Circuit ring, and an entry into the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

The final table finish positions for the WSOP-C Council Bluffs Championship were as follows:

1st. Jesse Hale - $113,020

2nd. Dennis Meierotto - $62,790

3rd. John McDonald - $34,535

4th. Evan Panesis - $25,116

5th. Joaquin Sosa - $21,977

6th. Ari "BodogAri" Engel - $18,837

7th. Jeff "Mr. Rain" Banghart - $15,698

8th. Jeff Bryan - $12,558

9th. Jeff Daubs - $9,419

For further details from Council Bluffs, visit www.worldseriesofpoker.com, for full updates from yesterday's final table.


Story by Mark Anderson