The seasons are changing, but there’s still big-time poker to be played all over the world in a virtual setting and in RozVegas. The 2024 WSOP Europe us underway at the King‘s Casino in Rozvadov, and the 2024 WSOP Online International concluded at GG Poker. Bracelets were at stake for both events along with millions in guaranteed prize pools. A couple of players stepped into the winner circle for the first time and a well-respected German pro was the last player standing in a record-breaking online tournament.
The anchor event at the 2024 WSOP Online at GG Poker was the $5,000 Buy-In NLHE Main Event that had a $25 million guarantee which was never in doubt. The Main Event attracted 6,146 entries over a whopping 17 flights that generated a prize pool worth nearly $29.2 million.
First place paid out over $4 million, which was a record-setting score, and everyone at the final table locked up at least a cool half-million. Seven different countries were represented in this international series including American pro Isaac Baron. Other final table participants included Moritz Dietrich, Evgenii Akimov, Rui Ferreira, Isaac Baron, Diogo Coelho, Ilya Anatski, Hai Pan, Benjamin Rolle, and Audrius Stakelis.
Audrius Stakelis was the first player to bust at the final table which paid out $502,771. Benjamin Rolle was one of two Germans at the final table and his run ended in eighth place, which paid out a shade under $652K. China’s Hai Pan was picked off in seventh place, and earned a payday worth $845,342. The final six players notched at least seven figures, including Ilya Anatski from Belarus in sixth place which paid out $1,096,180.
The final five included two players from Portugal. Diogo Coelho bowed out in fifth place, which paid out $1.42 million, and Rui Ferreria was sent packing in third place which paid out nearly $2.4 million.
American Isaac Baron busted in between the two players from Portugal with a nasty bad beat. Baron took pocket Kings into battle against Evgenii Akimov’s button shove with 
. Baron flopped a set on a board of 
. The 
hit the turn and Baron added a flush draw, but Akimov picked up a couple of outs with a straight draw. The 
spiked on the river and Akimov won the pot with an eight-high runner-runner straight. Baron whiffed on his flush draw and other outs for a boat or quads. Baron banked $1,843,337 for his efforts, but everyone’s still talking about that bad beat.
First place came down to a battle between Germany and Russia. Akimov held a sizable advantage with a 6-1 lead over Dietrich when heads-up began. Dietrich struck first blood when he doubled up on a classic coinflip with pocket fives against Big Slick suited. His fives held up and even rivered a set.
Dietrich surged ahead when he rivered a Broadway straight with Queen-ten when Akimov backdoored two pair with 
.
When the dusted settled, Akimov settled on a runner-up finish which paid out $3,099,896. Dietrich emerged as the victor and he snagged $4,021,012 for a first-place finish. Not too shabby, eh?
Meanwhile in RozVegas… the WSOP Europe returned with 15 bracelet events and over €15 million in guarantees.
Festivities at the King’s Casino in RozVegas kicked off with “The Opener.” WSOP Europe Event #1 The Opener had a modest €315 buy-in which attracted 3,509 runners. The prize pool topped over €1 million. Poland’s Przemyslaw Szymanski was the last player standing and he banked €115,350 and his first bracelet. The final nine included Daniel Trunk, Rostyslav Sabishchenko, Alberto Speranzoni, Dmitrij Fadeev, Georg Strebel, Antonio Menga, Viorel Gavrila, and Jozsef Dobos.
WSOPE Event #2 €550 PLO (8-Max) attracted 642 runners and a prize pool worth €301,740. Poland missed out on another bracelet when Ukraine’s Volodymyr Kokoulin edged out Poland’s Tomasz Kozub in a heads-up joust. Kozub banked €37,400 and Kokoulin snatched the bracelet and €56,100 for first place. The final table also included Hristiyan Banov, Claudio Di Giacomo, Ivan Nikolov, Stefan Kostner, Andrei Shpak, and Damjan Radanov.
WSOPE Event #4 €2,000 2K PLO attracted 229 runners and a prize pool worth a smidge under €400K. Brazil’s Vivian Saliba won her bracelet much to the delight of the boisterous Brazilians on the festive rail. Saliba defeated Germany’s Markus Anheier heads up for the bling and €91,400. The other final table players included Hokyiu Lee, Alen Sabic, Thomas Hueber, Samuel Albeck, Eran Carmi, Milan Skacel, and David Sosic.
The WSOP Europe will continue through October 9.
The WSOP Online begins on September 29 for domestic players in the US (in legalized states). The WSOP Online runs through early November and online grinders will compete in 33 bracelet events in a shared liquidity pool consisting of the triumvirate of New Jersey-Nevada-Michigan. Also, lucky souls in Pennsylvania get a shot at four bracelet events online.