Peter Eastgate, known as the ``Ice Skate,'' won the longest final in series history by defeating Russia's Ivan Demidov -- another low-ranked player who learned his poker on Internet sites -- to eclipse Phil Hellmuth, a 24-year-old winner in 1989.
``I wasn't thinking about the records or anything like that, I just was thinking about playing my game,'' Eastgate said on the WSOP web site
The final, held at the Rio All-Suites Hotel-Casino, started with nine players and lasted 15 hours and 28 minutes -- 78 minutes longer than the previous longest final table in 2005.
In July, more than 6,800 participants began in what is officially called the World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em. It's known as the Main Event because it's the richest of more than 50 tournaments on a circuit founded in the 1970s.
The 27-year-old Demidov, ranked 425th, won $5.8 million for finishing second. Eastgate's paycheck was the second-largest in series history after the $12 million won by 2006 World Series of Poker champion Jamie Gold.
``I don't know right now,'' said Eastgate, when asked in a televised interview how he would spend the money. ``I haven't planned.''
