LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas poker professional Huck Seed has won $500,000 in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, topping a field of 64 players in bracket-style matches.

The 40-year-old former World Series of Poker champion beat 23-year-old poker professional Vanessa Rousso on Sunday night in the finals of the no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Rousso won $250,000 for second place.

The format differed from traditional poker tournaments. Invited card players and some celebrities played a series of one-on-one elimination matches trying to advance to the finals.

Seed beat poker pros Gus Hansen and Sam Farha, among others, before topping Rousso in the finals.

Rousso's path went through Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu.