Justin Bonomo Wins Super High Roller Bowl for $4.8M
March 26, 2018 9:52 amJustin Bonomo has just collected the biggest score of his illustrious career after taking down the Super High Roller Bowl China for a massive $4.8 million. On his way to victory, Bonomo defeated a tough field of 75 players, including Patrik Antonius heads-up, to claim the title, as well as 840 points towards the Player Of the Year (POY).
All Time Money List
Prior to his recent triumph, Bonomo’s previous biggest score came in 2012 after winning the €100k EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller 8 Max for €1,640,000 ($2,165,217). Having now doubled that last tally, though, the 32-year-old US pro moves to number six on poker’s ‘All Time Money List’ with $25,247,485 in live earnings, in the process leapfrogging players such as John Juanda, Phil Ivey, and Phil Hellmuth. The only pros currently with more winnings than Bonomo are Daniel Negreanu ($36,546,095), Erik Seidel ($33,538,036), Dan Colman ($28,925,059), Antonio Esfandiari ($27,614,380), and Fedor Holz ($26,701,373).
Super High Roller Bowl China
The Super High Roller Bowl China was held at the Babylon Casino in Macau, with the three day tournament costing HK $2.1m (US$267,645) to enter. Seventy-five players then helped create a prize pool of HK$ 145.5m (US$18,550,297), and amongst those finishing in one of its 11 money spots was Dan Smith in 11th ($556,331), Dan Cates in 10th ($741,764), Jason Koon in 9th ($741,764), and Isaac Haxton in 8th ($927,205).
Final Table
Heading the final table in chips was Bonomo, followed by Patrik Antonius, with the two players eventually outlasting their competitors to face off against one another heads-up. First to go was David Peters in 7th after his A-Q lost against the pockets tens of Rainer Kempe, followed by Stephen Chidwick in 6th whose K-Q came off second best against Bonomo’s dominating A-Q hand.
In a case of history repeating itself, Bryn Kenney subsequently exited in 5th when his A-Q came up against Kempe’s 10-10, and continuing his roll, Kempe (8-5) hit a straight on a 9-7-6 flop and managed to string fellow German Dominik Nitsche (Q-9) along after a 6 and A fell on turn and river to see off the the player in 4th place.
Next, Kempe seemed to have caught lightning in a bottle once more having limped in preflop with 4d-4c and calling a raise from Patrik Antonius (10c-8c), before the dealer laid out a Jd-7c4s board. Kempe opted to call bets from Antonius on an Ac turn and 3c river, after which he departed in 3rd place, in the process ushering in the final phase of the tournament.
Heads-Up
Bonomo entered heads-up with a lead over Antonius, and despite there being a $1.7 million gap between first and second places no payout deals were discussed between the players. On the final hand of the event, Bonomo (7d-5d) raised preflop, prompting a three-bet from Antonius holding Kh-10h. The Jd-10d-8d induced a cagey check from both players, after which Antonius called Bonomo’s bet on a 9h turn, before calling his opponent’s all-in re-raise on a Qs river.
Recently, Juha Helppi was starting to close the gap between himself and Patrik Antonius atop of Finland’s ‘All Time Money List’, but following his runner-up finish worth $3,152,434 Antonius now consolidates his position further with $10,677,720 in earnings, whilst his nearest rival has just $7,194,816. The 37 year-old pro subsequently tweeted his contentment over his mega payout, writing:
“Thanks to all my fans for amazing support! Came short in heads up but overall very happy with 2nd place finish #shrbowl #Macau.”
Meanwhile, Bonomo expressed his delight in an all together more colorful way, tweeting “Holy s**t”.
Final Table Results:
1: Justin Bonomo $4,821,516
2: Patrik Antonius $3,152,434
3: Rainer Kempe $2,039,806
4: Dominik Nitsche $1,668,932
5: Bryn Kenney $1,483,495
6: Stephen Chidwick $1,298,058
7: David Peters $1,112,621