Michael Addamo Wins 2018 WSOP Europe €25,500 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller

Michael Addamo has won the largest payday awarded so far at the 2018 World Series of Poker Europe at the King’s Casino Rozvadov in the Czech Republic. The Australian poker pro defeated a field of 133 total entries in the €25,500 no-limit hold’em super high roller to take home the top prize of €848,702 ($976,007 USD). This was Addamo’s second career gold bracelet, having won his first by taking down the $2,620 no-limit hold’em ‘Marathon’ event this summer for $653,581.

The event was only scheduled to run over the course of two days, and the strong turnout that built the prize pool up to €3,158,750 meant that the final table ran well into the early morning. Addamo didn’t secure the victory until roughly 6:00 AM.

Day 2 began with nine late entries boosting the field to 133 total entries, with 58 remaining players taking their seats at 3:00 PM. Only the top 20 finishers made the money. Several big names cashing but failing to survive to the final table, including Sylvain Loosli (18th – $44,120), Martin Kabrhel (16th – $49,706), Rainer Kempe (13th – $57,444), Vladimir Troyanovsky (12th – $68,052), Jean-Noel Thorel (11th – $68,052), Tim Adams (10th – $82,594) and Matthias Eibinger (9th – $82,594).

Addamo entered the eight-handed final table in fourth chip position with just 19 big blinds. Christian Rudolph seemed to be taking control early on, scoring two out of the first three knockouts to send James Romero (7th – $130,531) and Winfred Yu (6th – $169,788).

The German kept up his spree by winning a flip against his fellow countryman Dominik Nitsche. Rudolph’s 88 were up against Nitsche’s AJ. Neither player improved and Nitsche was sent home in fifth place, earning $225,777.

Addamo did not earn his first bustout until there were just four players remaining. High roller regular Mikita Badziakouski got all-in with the A5 against Addamo’s A3. Addamo flopped trip threes and held up from there, knocking the Russian high-stakes star out in fourth place ($306,782).

Addamo scored another knockout not long after his first. 2017 WSOP main event third-place finisher Benjamin Pollak moved all-in for 24,400,000 from the small blind after Addamo had limped in for 1,600,000. Addamo called with the 77 and was in a preflop race against Pollak’s AQ. The board ran out K6665 and Pollak was knocked out in third place, taking home $425,752 for his deep run.

With that Addamo took a slight lead into heads-up play against Rudolph. The two traded the lead back and forth multiple times, with the short stakced player always finding a way to double up and extend the match. In the end Rudulph open-shoved for 46,000,000 from the button with the A7. Addamo called from the big blind with the 55. The board came down Q83810 and Addamo’s eights and fives won him the pot and the title. Rudolph took home $603,212 as the runner-up finisher.

Addamo was not only awarded a huge payday and his second bracelet in this event. He also earned 924 Card Player Player of the Year points as the champion. This was his fifth final table and second title of the year. As a result, he grew his point total to 3,890 and climbed to 17th place in the overall 2018 POY race standings. Addamo was not the only player to make moves near the top of the leaderboard as a result of this event. Mikita Badziakouski added 462 points for as the fourth-place finisher. This was his ninth final table, and with 4,146 points and $12,986,785 in year-to-date earnings he now sits in 12th place in the rankings. Dominik Nitsche earned 385 points as the fifth-place finisher for his 10th final table of the year, climbing to 18th place in the standings. Pollak scored 616 points for his third-place showing and now sits in 32nd place.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Winner photo provided by WSOP.

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