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Craig Mason won the WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on Nov. 10, defeating Matt Affleck heads-up for the official first-place award of $358,800. It was Mason’s first World Poker Tour title, and the prize package also included a $10,400 entry to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

Mason called the result a dream, saying it meant everything to add a major title to his poker résumé. WPT CEO Adam Pliska said the victory puts Mason’s name on the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup.

The $5,000 buy-in championship ran Nov. 5-10 as part of the WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Festival. Its 510 entries, spread across three starting flights, created a $2.346 million prize pool, clearing the $2 million guarantee. The top 64 finishers made the money, with a minimum payout of $9,200.

The final three players agreed to adjusted payouts, although WPT’s published results retained the official payouts. Affleck was listed second for $301,000, while Daniyal Gheba took third for $276,000. Nick Pupillo finished fourth for $155,000, followed by Nick Yunis in fifth for $117,000 and Anthony Piacquadio in sixth for $88,000.

Gheba’s elimination set up the heads-up match. In Hand #146, he moved all in for 3.05 million from the small blind and Mason called from the big blind; Mason’s hand stayed ahead from flop through river to end Gheba’s tournament.

The heads-up lead changed hands. Affleck won key pots during Hands #147-156, including a queen-pair showdown in which his higher kicker played, and used all-in reraises to force folds from Mason. Mason recovered in the next stretch, taking a flop-and-turn pot in Hand #157 and winning a river call in Hand #160 to move back in front.

Affleck had also survived a pivotal confrontation with Mason on the unofficial final-table bubble, doubling through after making an all-in call for 600,000 and hitting a nine he needed to survive by the river. Notable in-the-money finishers included Phil Hellmuth in 20th, Jesse Lonis in 27th, Landon Tice in 28th, Asher Conniff in 40th and John Phan in 46th.

The Venetian festival continues through Nov. 15. Mason’s added WPT World Championship entry is for the $10,400 event at Wynn Las Vegas, which runs Dec. 13-20 and crowns Season 24’s final champion.