This Week's Big Winner: Ben Yu Wins $50,000 Buy-In WSOP No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Event

Ben Yu was already having an incredible summer at the World Series of Poker, cashing 14 times and making three final tables for total earnings north of $1 million. Then he topped it all off late in the series by taking down the $50,000 high roller event for his third career bracelet and a massive payout of $1,650,773.

“This is pretty unreal,” Yu told WSOP reporters after his win. “I mean a couple days ago I was in day 5 of the main event. I just busted and I wasn’t that bummed compared to a lot of people being bummed out of the main event. I did make a final table in the $1K and got fourth place there. And I mean I thought that would be my best chance at that bracelet again this summer. I’ve had a really good summer. I’ve run really well, been very fortunate. So, I just thought you know summer is about to be over. Pretty content with it. And this is just like the super special golden cherry on top of everything.”

Yu, whose previous bracelet wins came in the 2017 $10,000 triple draw event, and the 2015 $10,000 limit hold’em event, now has more than $5.2 million in earnings.

The $50,000 buy-in ensured a stacked field, but the 128-player turnout was a good showing for the brand-new event, creating a total prize pool of $6,144,000. To earn the title, Yu overcame a loaded final table that included some of the best players in the world such as Jake Schindler (8th), John Racener (7th), Manig Loeser (6th), Igor Kurganov (5th), Isaac Haxton (4th), Nick Petrangelo (3rd), and Sean Winter (2nd).

Here are five key hands that propelled Yu to victory.

Tournament: WSOP NLHE High Roller
Buy-In: $50,000
No. of Entries: 128
Prize Pool: $6,144,000
1st Place Prize: $1,650,773

The Action

After surviving the money bubble and scoring a double knockout, Yu found himself with a big stack as short-handed play began. With 12 players left, he raised to 200,000 and Riess moved all-in behind him for about ten big blinds. Yu immediately called with pocket aces, which were big favorites overs Riess and his pocket eights. The board ran out J 10 5 K A, and Yu’s set sent the former WSOP main event winner to the rail, where he earned $115,102.

The Action

On a flop of 7 6 6, Koon bet 230,000. Yu called, while Fox folded. The turn was the 3, and both players checked. The river was the K and Koon checked once again. Yu then put out a big overbet with stack of 100,000 chips, which easily covered Koon’s stack. Koon agonized over his decision, using four time extensions before finally calling with A 6 for trips. Yu, however, had floated the flop with Q 9 and backed into a diamond flush. Koon earned $115,102 for his disappointing min-cash.

The Action

Yu raised to 750,000 from the cutoff, and was met with an all-in shove from Haxton for 3,700,000. Yu quickly called with A Q, which had Haxton’s A 7 dominated. The board ran out 10 6 3 4 to give Haxton an extra four outs to a straight, but the K was a brick on the river that ended his tournament in fourth place. The high roller regular pocketed $518,882 for his efforts.

The Action

Petrangelo raised to 800,000 on the button and Yu moved all in from the big blind. Petrangelo called off the last of his 19 big blinds with A 10, and was pleased to see he was at least flipping against Yu’s pocket fours. The flop of 9 6 4, however, was a disaster for Petrangelo. The 9 on the turn sealed his fate and he picked up $720,103 for his third-place finish. It was a nice cap to a high roller summer for Petrangelo that amounted to six final tables, three wins, and more than $4.6 million in earnings. Yu meanwhile, went into heads-up play with a 3:2 chip lead.

The Action

On just the second hand of heads-up play, and sitting on a still healthy 25 big blinds, Winter limped in on the button. Yu then opted to move all in, and Winter made the call with A 9. Yu was behind with K Q, but was only a 42 percent underdog according to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator. The flop of J 7 3 kept Winter in the lead, and increased the likelihood of him doubling up to 74 percent. Unfortunately for the Florida poker pro, the turn was the K, giving the advantage to Yu. Before the river 6 had even hit the felt, Winter was already congratulating Yu on his victory. Winter took home $1,020,253, the largest score of his career. He now has more than $7.5 million in career earnings.

Final Table Results

1. Ben Yu — $1,650,773
2. Sean Winter — $1,020,253
3. Nick Petrangelo — $720,103
4. Isaac Haxton — $518,882
5. Igor Kurganov — $381,874
6. Manig Loeser — $287,174
7. John Racener — $220,777
8. Jake Schindler — $173,604