Blom and Aido Lead the Pack in Pursuit of First Bracelet in Event #39: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
Today, another bracelet winner will be decided at the 2024 World Series of Poker. The finale for Event #39: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em starts at 1 p.m. local time at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Just 13 players remain from a field of 177 runners, which generated a prize pool of $8,451,750. They are all guaranteed $106,810, with the winner taking home $2,026,506.
Leading the charge for the first-place prize is Viktor Blom with 9,670,000 in chips. Blom is one of seven remaining players yet to achieve victory under the WSOP umbrella, but with his extensive experience playing for enormous sums of money, he is unlikely to crumble against some of the world’s best.
With over $3,000,000 in live tournament earnings, the Swedish native currently ranks ninth on Sweden’s all-time money list. Most of these earnings came from two seven-figure scores in no-limit hold'em events. Having already reached a final table in this series, Blom is now aiming for the bracelet and the prize money that comes with it.
His closest rival is Spain’s Sergio Aido with 8,800,000 chips, who is also vying for his first WSOP bracelet today. In an impressive display during the last two levels of play yesterday, Aido eliminated Lander Lijo, Philip Sternheimer, and Yulian Bogdanov in three separate hands, catapulting himself within striking distance of the chip lead.
Jonathan Jaffe completes the top three with 5,135,000 chips. Despite reaching the final table in four WSOP events during his illustrious career, the American has yet to secure a podium finish. As a regular on the high roller scene worldwide, Jaffe has the mindset and skills needed to make a strong push for victory in today’s event.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viktor Blom | Sweden | 9,670,000 | 81 |
| 2 | Sergio Aido | Spain | 8,800,000 | 73 |
| 3 | Jonathan Jaffe | United States | 5,135,000 | 43 |
| 4 | Martin Kabrhel | Czech Republic | 4,380,000 | 37 |
| 5 | Jesse Lonis | United States | 4,230,000 | 35 |
| 6 | Leon Sturm | Germany | 3,895,000 | 33 |
| 7 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | 3,585,000 | 30 |
| 8 | Chance Kornuth | United States | 3,385,000 | 28 |
| 9 | Johannes Straver | Netherlands | 2,865,000 | 24 |
| 10 | Morten Klein | Norway | 2,210,000 | 19 |
Action will begin on Day 3 at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 16, at the Horseshoe Event Center, where the event will play down to a winner. Bruce Buffer, who currently sits 13th in the chip counts, will announce the start of the play today.
The tournament will resume at Level 19, with blinds at 60,000/120,000 with a 120,000 big blind ante. Levels will be 60 minutes in length, with 15-minute breaks every two levels and a dinner break to be determined.
Streaming will begin at 5 p.m. (subject to change). on PokerGO, and PokerNews will be providing updates on a delay, so as not to spoil any of the tournament as it progresses.
Be sure to follow PokerNews throughout this event, as well as future coverage throughout the summer.