Adrian Mateos Wins Fourth World Series of Poker Bracelet In $250,000 Super High Roller Event

Adrian Mateos is just 27 years old, but already he has put together one of the best live tournament poker resumes in the game. His latest major victory saw him defeat a field of 33 total entries in the 2021 World Series of Poker $250,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em high roller, earning his fourth career gold bracelet and a career-best payday of $3,265,362.

With this score, Mateos increased his lifetime live tournament earnings to $25,945,482. Not only is he the current leader on Spain’s all-time money list, Mateos has more than twice the earnings of the nearest competition in Sergio Aido ($12,751,563). His previous largest score came when he won the 2013 WSOP Europe main event for $1,379,300 at just 18 years of age.

Mateos made two prior final tables in events with buy-ins of a quarter-million or more but finished fifth both times.

“It means a lot,” said Mateos when asked about taking down this prestigious event. “I have played some $100,000 [buy-in] tournaments and even the $1,000,000 buy-in, and I never won a big buy-in like this. So this was something I’ve had in mind, to win one of these.”

“The most important thing for me is feeling that I’m in the top of the players and tournaments,” Mateos said after coming out on top. “Feeling that I can compete with the best of the best is what motivated me to stay here and I will continue to try my best to keep having good results in the high buy-in tournaments.”

The final day began with Mateos well out in front, with his 25.5 million representing more than 100 big blinds when day 3 action resumed with five players remaining. The money bubble had burst late on day 2, with 2017 Super High Roller Bowl champion Christoph Vogelsang being the last player to finish outside of the money.

Bracelet winner Keith Tilston was the first to fall, with his A3 running into the A10 of John Kincaid. Kincaid opened and then called the three-bet shove of Tilston. Kincaid made a queen-high straight on the river to take down the pot and send Tilston home with $632,124 for his fifth-place showing.

World Poker Tour Seth Davies fell to the bottom of the chip counts during four-handed action. He got the last of his stack in preflop, shoving from the small blind with A7 for just shy of nine big blinds. Ben Heath called from the big blind with JJ. The pocket pair held up and Davies was eliminated in fourth place ($930,791).

Despite not scoring either of the first two knockouts, Mateos remained the chip leader heading into three-handed play. He briefly gave up the lead after losing a preflop race with A-J suited against the pocket threes of Heath. His stint in second chip position was short-lived, though, as less than 15 minutes later he picked up AA against the 99 of John Kincaid. The chips went in preflop and Mateos made aces full of queens to send Kincaid to the rail in third place ($1,370,575).

Mateos took roughly a 3:2 chip lead into heads-up play with Heath, who was looking for his second WSOP bracelet after winning the 2019 $50,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em high roller. He quickly expanded his advantage to nearly a 4:1 advantage in time for the final hand of the event.

Mateos limped in from the button Q10 for 400,000 and Heath raised to 1,400,000 from the big blind holding 53. Mateos made the call and the flop came down 765. Heath check-called a bet of 1,000,000 with his bottom pair, gutshot and backdoor flush possabilities. The Q on the turn gave Mateos top pair.

Heath checked second time and Mateos fired 2,800,000. Heath called and the 2 completed the board. Heath checked a third time and Mateos moved all-in. Heath thought it over before making the call for his last 5,050,000 with fourth pair, only to be shown Mateos’ queens. Heath earned $2,018,148 as the runner-up, the largest score of his career. The cash increased his lifetime live earnings to just shy of $10.8 million.

Mateos earned 480 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was his second title and fourth POY-qualified final table of the year. He now sits in 127th place in the 2021 POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker. He also secured 600 PokerGO Tour points. With 994 total points, he now sits in 33rd place on that leaderboard.

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

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