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Justin Bonomo Wins the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl

The final table of the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl kicked off on Wednesday from the ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Mikita Badziakouski started as the overall chip leader with both Daniel Negreanu and Justin Bonomo right behind.

Jason Koon has won over $4 million in the last month and was looking to add another monster seven-figure score to his 2018 tally. Christoph Vogelsang was the defending champion and looked to become the first two-time winner of the event. Nick Petrangelo started with the second shortest stack and was looking for the largest score of his live poker career.

Here are the chip counts at the start of the final table.

Mikita Badziakouski – 4,205,000
Daniel Negreanu – 4,000,000
Justin Bonomo – 3,965,000
Jason Koon – 1,185,000
Nick Petrangelo – 600,000
Christoph Vogelsang – 445,000

Nick Petrangelo Falls in 6th

Petrangelo started the day as the second shortest stack but was the first to fall at the final table. In the very first hand of play, he was dealt pocket tens and raised. Jason Koon made it 130k to go from the button with pocket queens. Petrangelo shoved and Koon made the easy call.

Through the turn, the board missed both players but a river queen gave Koon the hand and sent Petrangelo to the rail. He earned $900,000 for his final table run.

Christoph Vogelsang Out in 5th

Christoph Vogelsang started the day as the short stack and remained in that position even after Petrangelo’s elimination. The defending champion was never able to get anything going and ultimately dropped to about 300k.

In his final hand, Vogelsang shoved from the small blind with Qc-6c and was called by Mikita Badziakouski made the insta-call with pocket jacks.

Vogelsang got a sweat on the flop when it fell Kc-6h-5c to give him a pair and a flush draw. However, the turn fell the 9d and river the 8d and Vogelsang hit the rail in 5th place.

Vogelsang became the first millionaire from the event, taking home $1.2 million. This was an impressive run for Vogelsang who took down this even in 2017 and finished 5th this year.

Mikita Badziakouski Finishes 4th

After Vogelsang’s elimination, it would be several hours before the next player fell. During that time, the chip lead changed several times and Jason Koon battled back from the short stack to even take the chip lead.

Mikita Badziakouski played brilliantly for most of this event but ultimately found himself as the short stack. In his final hand, he was in the big blind and called a raise from Justin Bonomo in the small to see a flop of 10h-9c-3s. Bonomo bets 225k and Badziakouski called.

The turn fell the 4c and Bonomo bet 475,000. Badziakouski shoved for his remaining 1.5 million and Bonomo snap-called showing Kd-10c for top pair. Badziakouski was dominated with 10d-8s and was left needing an eight to stay alive.

The river fell the 2h and Mikita Badziakouski was the fourth place finisher, earning $1.6 million.

Three-handed, the chip stacks were relatively even with Bonomo holding 5.4 million to 4.4 million for Koon and 3.9 for Negreanu.

Jason Koon Finishes 3rd

The downfall of Jason Koon in this event started in a massive hand against Justin Bonomo. After Koon raised to 135k pre-flop with Kc-9c, Bonomo three-bet to 500k with Kd-Qd.

Koon made the call and the flop fell Kh-Qc-9s. Bonomo bets 350k and Koon called. The turn was the 5s and Bonomo bets 900k. Koon then shoved for 2 million more and Bonomo called immediately.

The river 4d gave Bonomo a full double and left Koon with just under 1 million. It wasn’t long before he put those remaining chips at risk.

Koon was dealt 8c-6c pre-flop and moved all-in. Bonomo looked down to Ah-4s and after about 15 seconds made the call.

The flop fell Ks-4d-3h to give Bonomo a pair. The turn fell the Ac to give Bonomo two pair and Koon was drawing dead.

Jason Koon adds another seven-figure score to his 2018 tally with a third-place finish. He earns $2.1 million for his amazing run.

In the last month, Koon has won over $6.8 million, giving him $8.9 million in earnings on the year.

Daniel Negreanu Eliminated in 2nd – Justin Bonomo Wins the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl

After Koon’s elimination, Bonomo and Negreanu took a short break and the two returned to play for the title. At the start of heads-up play. Bonomo had almost a 4:1 chip lead with 11.49 million in chips to just 2.9 million for Negreanu.

Negreanu hung tough and got back up to almost 5 million, but he just couldn’t get enough going heads-up. The final hand saw Bonomo raise to 200,000 from the button with pocket nines and Negreanu calling with 8c-7d.

The flop fell 9h-7h-6d and that’s when the fireworks happened. Negreanu checked and Bonomo bets 160k. Negreanu then check-raised to 500k, followed by a three-bet to 1.25 million from Bonomo.

Daniel went into the tank for a bit and finally shoved for 4.4 million and Bonomo practically beat Negreanu into the pot with his set. Negreanu had an open-ended draw and needed a five or ten to double.

The turn fell the Ks and then the river the 6c to give Bonomo the full house and the victory.

Justin Bonomo is your 2018 Super High Roller Bowl champion. He takes down the $5 million top prize and the championship ring. He also becomes the first (and maybe only) winner of both the Super High Roller Bowl China and the standard Super High Roller Bowl in Vegas.

With his win, Bonomo moves up to third on Poker’s All-Time Money List and becomes just the third player in poker history to win more than $30 million. He now has $31.9 million in career live tournament earnings.

Congratulation to Justin Bonomo, winner of the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl.

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