Michael Addamo Wins Third WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event #38: $50K High Roller ($1,132,968)

Dan O'Hair
Live Reporter
3 min read
Michael Addamo

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.

Event #38: $50,000 High Roller Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize (USD)
1Michael AddamoAustralia$1,132,968
2Justin BonomoUnited States$700,228
3Gal YifrachUnited States$495,305
4Erik SeidelUnited States$358,665
5Chris HunichenUnited States$266,031
6Bin WengUnited States$202,236
7Sam SoverelUnited States$157,666
8Mustapha KanitItaly$126,141
9Leonard MaueGermany$103,635

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."

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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.

Justin Bonomo
Justin Bonomo

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!

Check out our 2021 WSOP Hub here!

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Dan O'Hair
Live Reporter

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