Michael Addamo Wins Third Gold Bracelet in Event #38: $50,000 High Roller ($1,132,968)
Michael Addamo took home his third World Series of Poker gold bracelet and a $1,132,968 first-place prize after topping an elite 81-player field and defeating Justin Bonomo heads-up in the 2021 WSOP Event #38: $50,000 High Roller.
Addamo is a regular in high-stakes tournaments and is no stranger to success – having already cashed for over $14 million prior to this victory according to The Hendon Mob. The year 2021 has been a career year for the Aussie native, having won three PokerGO Tour tournaments back in September for a combined $5.2 million in earnings alone. That includes winning a pair of Poker Masters tournaments to win the coveted purple jacket and then taking down the Super High Roller Bowl VI for $3.4 million.
Addamo also now joins a select club of three-time bracelet winners alongside Antonio Esfandiari, Joe McKeehen, and Bonomo himself, to name a few.
Addamo remained humble in victory — mostly attributing his resounding success in the past couple of months to luck.
"Obviously there's some skill involved, but winning this much is really attributed to luck in the end, so it's very fortunate. I play a strategy where I put a lot of big bets in. That's no secret. Sometimes you're going to be out in the first level and sometimes you're gonna build up a big stack."
On being regarded as one of the best tournament players by his peers, Addamo had this to say:
"It does put some pressure on me. If you sort of internalize and believe that, you can become complacent. I try to just stay humble and not to let it get to my head and keep working and studying."
Event #38: $50,000 High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Addamo | Australia | $1,132,968 |
| 2 | Justin Bonomo | United States | $700,228 |
| 3 | Gal Yifrach | United States | $495,305 |
| 4 | Erik Seidel | United States | $358,665 |
| 5 | Chris Hunichen | United States | $266,031 |
| 6 | Bin Weng | United States | $202,236 |
| 7 | Sam Soverel | United States | $157,666 |
| 8 | Mustapha Kanit | Italy | $126,141 |
| 9 | Leonard Maue | Germany | $103,635 |
Final Table Action
Addamo entered Day 3 with a commanding chip lead over the remaining players and quickly continued to add to his stack by knocking out Chris Hunichen and Erik Seidel within the first level. After doubling Gal Yifrach up on two separate occasions, Addamo sent Yifrach to the rail in third place after his pocket eights held up against the ace-seven of Yifrach after getting all-in preflop.
Heads-up play began with Addamo enjoying a slight chip lead over Bonomo, but the tides quickly turned in Bonomo's favor after Addamo called Bonomo with ace-high and lost in a sizable pot.
It wouldn't take long after that, however, for Addamo to regain the chip lead after winning a series of smaller pots that would eventually culminate in Bonomo four-bet shoving with ten-nine and getting called by Addamo with king-jack. Addamo ended up rivering a straight in dramatic fashion after losing the lead on the turn to seal his victory.
Congratulations to Michael Addamo on winning the 2021 Event #38: $50,000 High Roller for $1,132,968!
— keeping Addamo out in front, but the 
turn vaulted Bonomo into the lead with trip tens.
completed the board — giving Addamo Broadway and eliminating Bonomo in second place.
and the river spade completed a flush to knock Yifrach out of the tournament in third place.
and Yifrach checked to Addamo, who bet 660,000. Yifrach then check-shoved for a bit over two million and Addamo called.
river completed Yifrach's flush and he doubled through Addamo.
and Addamo bet 1.1 million. Bonomo called to see a river 
went into the muck.
and Addamo's flopped pair of kings was enough to send Seidel to the rail in fourth place.
river left Addamo with trips and Hunichen was eliminated in fifth place
