Nikolaos Lampropoulos Wins World Series of Poker Paradise $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller

Nikolaos Lampropoulos was the last player standing in the 2023 World Series of Poker Paradise $25,000 pot-limit Omaha high roller event. The Greek player bested a field of 140 entries in the nosebleed-stakes PLO affair to earn his first bracelet and the top prize of $871,600. This score more than doubled Lampropoulos’ career tournament earnings.

“I don’t really care about the bracelet and all the fame,” Lampropoulos told PokerNews live reporters after securing the win. “I care about cash, and this one was really good.”

In addition to the title and the money, Lampropoulos also earned 1,008 Card Player Player of the Year points as the champion. This was his third final-table finish of the year, with his two prior deep runs both coming in PLO events in Europe. With 1,558 total points, Lampropoulos now sits in 328th place in the 2023 POY standings presented by Global Poker.

The 523 PokerGO Tour points he scored for the win catapulted him inside the top 100 on that high-stakes-centric leaderboard.

This event played out over two days. Just 32 players moved on from day 1, with only 21 set to make the money. The strong turnout for this event resulted in a $3,500,000 prize pool. Among those who earned a share but fell short of the final table were two-time POY award winner Stephen Chidwick (20th), Sean Winter (19th), three-time bracelet winner Chad Eveslage (15th), Ren Lin (12th), Biao Ding (11th), and Matt Glantz (10th).

Second-ranked 2023 POY contender Isaac Haxton fell in ninth place ($83,100) when he ran into the pocket aces of four-time bracelet winner Nick Schulman.

Lampropoulos scored the next knockout, rivering two pair to eliminate four-time bracelet winner Yuri Dzivielevski (8th – $104,700). World Poker Tour champion Matthew Wantman soon followed in seventh place ($133,500).

A three-way all-in spelled the end of two-time bracelet winner Michael Moncek’s run in this event. His single-suited rundown was up against the single-suited pocket kings of Dan Shak and the single-suited aces of Lampropoulos. Shak spiked a king on the river to win the pot, knocking out Moncek in sixth place ($172,300).

Schulman was not able to crack the pocket aces of 2023 WSOP mystery millions champion Tyler Brown with his A-Q-8-7 double suited and was knocked out in fifth place ($225,000). He earned 420 POY points to climb to 33rd place in the standings. He has made 16 final tables this year, with three titles won along the way.

Brown was soon the one at risk, though, with his flush draw, middle pair, and gutshot straight draw facing the top set of Imad Derwiche. Brown found no help on the turn or river and was eliminated in fourth place ($297,400).

Derwich got the last of his stack in with a flopped wheel well out in front of the overpair and backdoor flush draw of Lampropoulos. The turn and river brought consecutive hearts, though, giving Lampropoulos the nut flush and the knockout. Derwich earned $397,700 for his third-place showing.

Heads-up play began with Lampropoulos holding nearly a 3:1 lead over Shak. The chips went in on a 9642 board with shak holding A965 for top two pair with a gutshot straight draw. Lampropoulos held QQ96 for the same two pair with a flush draw and an overpair on the side. The 7 completed the board, giving Lampropoulos a flush to earn the pot and the title. Shak took home $537,900 as the runner-up, growing his career earnings to more than $14.2 million.

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

Photo credit: WSOP / Matthew Berglund.

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