This Week's Big Winner: Toby Lewis Wins 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event

Toby Lewis has won the 2018 Aussie Millions $10,600 AUD buy-in no-limit hold’em main event. The 28-year-old British poker pro overcame a field of 800 entries, the largest-ever turnout for this tournament, to capture the title and the first-place prize of $1,458,198 AUD ($1,156,205).

That is the largest tournament score of Lewis’ career, eclipsing the $599,984 he won as the champion of the European Poker Tour Vilamoura main event in 2010. Lewis now has just shy of $4.2 million in lifetime live tournament earnings.

Lewis entered the final day of this event as the chip leader with seven players remaining. Here are the five biggest hands that propelled him to the win.

Tournament: Aussie Millions Main Event
Buy-In: $10,600 AUD ($8,412) • No. of Entries – 800 • Prize Pool – $8 million AUD ($6,343,200) • 1st Place Prize – $1,458,198 AUD ($1,156,205)

The Action

With six players remaining, Lewis raised to 125,000 and was called by Park on the button and Richardson from the blinds. The flop fell 5 4 2 and Lewis continued with a bet of 150,000. Park called and Richardson folded. The turn was the 7, and Lewis bet 500,000. Park then moved all-in for 1,530,000. Lewis thought it over for a couple of minutes before ultimately folding 10 10 for an overpair. It turned out to be a great laydown against Park, who had turned a set with 7 7.

The Action

After retaking a slight chip lead on the previous hand, Lewis raised to 200,000 from the cutoff and Park made the call on the button. Solaas called from the big blind and the three players saw a flop of K 6 2. Solaas checked and Lewis bet 225,000. Park called and Solaas folded. The turn was the K, and Lewis bet 650,000. Park called and the river was the A. Lewis then cut out a bet of 2,100,000. Park went into the tank but ultimately decided to call with pocket jacks, only to see Lewis’ full house. The pot gave Lewis a huge chip advantage over his remaining four competitors.

The Action

With five players remaining, Lewis raised to 250,000 from under-the-gun and was called by both Huber on the button and Del Vecchio in the big blind. The flop came down A 10 6 and everyone checked to Huber, who bet 325,000. Del Vecchio made the call and Lewis then check-raised to 1,200,000. Huber quickly folded but Del Vecchio moved all-in for 1,920,000. Lewis snap called with 10 6 for two pair, but he was vulnerable to Del Vecchio’s Q 5 for a flush draw. The turn and river fell J 8, and Del Vecchio was eliminated in fifth place.

The Action

Solaas raised to 400,000 on the button and Lewis three-bet to 1,275,000 from the small blind. Huber folded his big blind and Solaas moved all-in for a total of 4,490,000. His timing was unfortunate, because Lewis snapped him off with pocket kings. Solaas needed help with his A 9, but failed to connect on a board reading J 8 4 J J, hitting the rail in third place. After dragging the pot, Lewis entered heads-up play with a nearly 2:1 chip advantage over Huber.

The Action

Facing a nearly 4:1 chip deficit, Huber raised to 400,000 on the button and Lewis defended his big blind. The flop came down Q Q 8 and Lewis checked. Huber bet 225,000 and Lewis check-raised to 625,000. Huber called and the turn was the 7. Lewis checked, and Huber bet 700,000. Lewis then moved all-in, and Huber briefly thought it over before calling with A 8 for second pair. Lewis, however, held Q 10 for flopped trips, meaning Huber was drawing dead. The inconsequential river card was the 5, and Huber finished as the runner-up.

Final Table Results

1. Toby Lewis — $1,458,198 AUD ($1,156,205)*
2. Stefan Huber — $909,699 AUD ($721,300)*
3. Espen Solaas — $1,177,103 AUD ($933,325)*
4. Chul-Hyon Park — $470,000 AUD ($372,663)
5. Mike Del Vecchio — $370,000 AUD ($293,373)
6. Ben Richardson — $300,000 AUD ($237,870)
7. Johan Schumacher — $235,000 AUD ($186,332)

*Based on a deal made during three-handed play.