Brian Rast Wins $25k Aria High Roller for $393,120

Brian Rast has won the $25k Aria High Roller, after overcoming a field of 39 players over 13 hours to lift the title, and collect a first place prize of $393,120. Following a victory which pushes his live career earnings to $18,173,512, the 34 year-old pro consolidates his position as tournament poker’s 11th biggest winner, and moves within $113,135 of John Juhanda in 10th.
The $25k High Roller tournament was held at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and featured a prize pool worth $936,000. Only six players subsequently saw a return on their buy-ins, with those falling by the wayside including Andrew Robl, Justin Bonomo, Andrew Lichtenberger, Dan Smith and Tom Marchese.
After the final table got underway, Brian Rast eventually made it all the way to heads-up play where he faced Cary Katz for the title. Two and a half hours would then ensue before Rast managed to overcome his final opponent to claim the win, while Katz had to settle for a runner-up finish worth $224,640.
The $25k Aria High Roller was the casino’s 43rd iteration of the competition, and interestingly Rast had just bubbled its 42nd event the previous day. As he tweeted following his exit:
“Just bubbled @ARIAPoker 25k HR 8th (pays 7)… but good news is there’s another tomorrow & Saturday! #competition #loveit #gratitude.”
The action continues at the Aria into this weekend, when a $50k tournament will be held, with Phil Hellmuth expected to put in an apperance.
Aria $25k High Roller
1st: Brian Rast $393,120
2nd: Cary Katz $224,640
3rd: Bill Klein $131,040
4th: David Peters $84,240
5th: Jake Schindler $56,160
6th: Sam Soverel $46,800
Brian Rast is a 3-times WSOP winner, having picked up two bracelets in 2011 alone at the $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em event for $227,232, and at the $50k Poker Player’s Championship for $1,720,328. In 2016, Rast picked up another WSOP $50k Poker Players Championship bracelet for $1,296,097, but the Las Vegas’ pros biggest cash to date followed victory at last year’s $500k Super High Roller Bowl for $7,525,000.