The 2022 Poker Masters series' largest $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event attracted 40 entries who created a $1,000,000 prize pool. But, the last six players shared the money. Tony Bloom, a United Kingdom player, beat his opponents to take the $360,000 first-place prize and title home.
It was the poker pro's first live event to take part in 12 years. PokerGO reporters stated that it was Bloom's first time in three years to play poker in a competitive tournament. His previous recorded victory was in the 2010 FullTilt Poker Million IX heat.
Even so, Bloom's recent victory has drastically increased his lifetime poker earnings to almost $3.3. million. His two bigger scores were in runner-up finishes in the Aussie Millions $100,000 buy-in high roller tournament.
He won $975,000 in 2011 and $403,890 in 2009. Still, he garnered 4216 PokerGO Tour points for winning the PLO high roller and 20 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points.
The Final Table's Payouts and Points
- Tony Bloom – $360,000;420 POY points and 216 PGT points
- Alexander Livingston – $240,000;350 POY points and 144 PGT points
- John Riordan – $160,000;280 POY points and 96 PGT points
- Isaac Kempton – $110,000;210 POY points and 66 PGT points
- Matthew Wantman – $80,000;175 POY points and 48 PGT points
- Sam Soverel – $50,000;140 POY points and 30 PGT points
Action on the Final Day
Alex Livingston, World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet champion, sent Kazuhiko Yotsushika packing on Day 1 hence busting the money bubble. John Riordan was the stack leader on the final day, followed by Livingston, while Bloom was in the middle of the chip standings.
Sam Soverel (2019 Poker Masters winner and bracelet champion) used a gutshot and flopped two pair to put his stack in against Matthew Wantman (World Poker Tour winner) nut flush and overpair of aces. The river didn't help Soverel, and he left the table in sixth place with $50,000.
Wantman followed Soverel despite getting a knockout. He used a wrap straight draw to move all-in against Livingston's set of kings. Wantman missed the river and turn, thus exiting the event in fifth place with $80,000.
It was his ninth time to advance to a final table in 2022, and his year-to-date POY earnings have exceeded $1 million. Wantman is in the 31st position in the 2022 POY race.
Livingston got a huge lead in the tournament after his single-suited pocket aces beat Isaac Kempton's double-suited pocket kings. The former flopped a top set that drew Kempton dead after the turn and busted him in fourth place with $110,000.
Bloom regained the chip lead in three-handed action. Riordan dropped his chip position and left the table in third place with $160,000. This was after his few remaining blinds got in with AClub Suit8Heart Suit7Diamond Suit5Club Suit against Livingston's KHeart Suit8Diamond Suit3Spade Suit2Club Suit out of a big blind.
The board ran out QDiamond Suit9Spade Suit7Club Suit2Spade SuitKSpade Suit as Livingston won the pot, made deuces and kings. A heads-up match began as Bloom had a 3,430,000:2,570,000 chip advantage.
Bloom converted the chip lead to a title after several minutes as he extended it to almost 5:1 before the event's final hand. Livingston raised and picked ASpade SuitAClub SuitQDiamond Suit9Heart Suit on the button. Bloom used 10Club Suit9Club Suit8Diamond Suit6Diamond Suit to three-bet from a big blind and put Livingston in a precarious situation.
The KDiamond Suit4Diamond Suit2Spade Suit6Heart Suit9Diamond Suit runout enabled Bloom to win the title and pot. The victory increased his position in the overall POY leaderboard to 21st place, while Livingston won $240,000 as the runner-up.
