In the culinary world, there’s instant coffee, instant oatmeal, even instant Chinese noodles.

In the poker world, there is the instant millionaire.

Another one was hatched Sunday, when Allen Carter, 40, of Carrollton, Texas, USA, won the 2009 World Poker Tour Southern Poker Championship Main Event, at the Beau Rivage Casino & Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.

The Main Event was a four-day, no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament with 283 entrants, a $10,000 buy-in and a total prize pool of almost $2.7 million.

For the big win, his first tournament victory, Carter earned a cool one million dollars. =A0=A0 Finishing second was Bobby Suer of Dana Point, California, USA, who earned $501,028.

Finishing third was Soheil Shamseddin of Houston, Texas, USA, who earned $263,725.

Finishing fourth was Hilbert Shirey of Winter Haven, Florida, USA, who earned $184,607.

Finishing fifth was Tyler Smith of Smithdale, Mississippi, USA, who earned $134,500.

Finishing sixth was Hyong “Chuck” Kim of Simpsonville, South Carolina, USA, who earned $105,490.=A0 =A0 In addition to becoming a millionaire, Carter was also awarded a championship bracelet made of diamonds and white gold, plus a free entry into the $25,500 buy-in World Poker Tour championship in Las Vegas in April.

“I’m very fortunate,” Carter said after the victory.=A0″But the million dollars will not change my life.=A0The validation is what’s important to me, to be called a champion. =A0 “It’s really cool to have a bracelet I can keep,” he added.=A0″Those are the kinds of things you just can’t put a price tag on.=A0So this is all about the hardware.=A0It’s about the victory.=A0I do this for the competition.=A0I think it’s really cool to beat out 300 people.=A0And to do it at the top level is all you can ask for.”

Among the well-known names who competed in the Main Event and were beaten out by Carter were Brandon Cantu, Vanessa Rousso, Brent Carter, “Miami” John Cernuto, Scott Clements, T.J. Cloutier, Hoyt Corkins, Bill Edler, Layne Flack, Brett Faustman, Ted Forrest, Clonie Gowen, Barry Greenstein, Tiffany Michelle, Bernie Lee, Erick Lindgren, Men “The Master” Nguyen, David “The Dragon” Pham, Hevad Khan, Mark Seif, David Singer and Gavin Smith.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)