High Roller: Justin Bonomo Adds to Seminole Success with High Roller Victory

2018 Lucky Hearts Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 
Hollywood, Florida
Event 20

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
Entries: 75
Prize Pool: $1,875,000
January 22-23, 2018

Justin Bonomo

Justin Bonomo has found poker success all over the globe, and he’s making his mark at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, too.

Bonomo won the High Roller this evening, outlasting a field of 75 entries to earn the trophy and the top prize of $556,874. It’s his third huge result in this building but the first time he’s managed to get his hands on the big glass guitar pick.

In 2013, Bonomo finished as the runner-up in the SHRPO Championship event, earning well over a million bucks despite losing the heads-up match to Blair Hinkle.

Then last April, Bonomo made a run at the Showdown High Roller title, but he was once again forced to settle for second place. Florida’s chosen one, Jason Mercier, denied Bonomo the trophy once again.

As recently as last week, Bonomo was still trying to earn his victory dance. He entered the $50,000 Super High Roller and finished Day 1 atop the leaderboard with five players left. Day 2 was unkind, though, and he ended up dropping out in third place.

This time around, Bonomo did everything in his power to avoid another near-miss. By the time Day 1 ended, he found himself with the chip lead once again. And a big one, at that. Bonomo had amassed a stack of close to two million chips, with only one other player in seven figures.

That player happened to be Stefan Schillhabel, who won that Super High Roller last week. Schillhabel exited in seventh place this time, though, leaving the door wide open for Bonomo.

The final 11 players finished in the money, and hand-for-hand play lasted more than 50 hands on the bubble. Bonomo extended his lead throughout that period, while at least four players had less than a single big blind at one point or another.

“I’ve seen chip disparities like that in satellites before, but never in an MTT payout structure,” Bonomo said. He noted that the payouts were pretty top-heavy, and there was very little jump until the top five or six spots.

“You really have to finish in the top three,” he said. “Because of that, I adopted a more aggressive strategy. And it paid off.”

Bonomo eventually found himself heads-up against Adrian Mateos, the reigning tournament Player of the Year. Mateos was looking to write his own redemption story, too.

He was the man that Schillhabel defeated in the Super High Roller, and it wasn’t the first runner-up finish for the Spaniard, either. Mateos earned the same result the last time he played a $50,000 tournament here, falling to another German standout, Dietrich Fast.

Bonomo and Mateos squared off to determine which one of them could get the proverbial monkey off their back in this building. And it ended up being Bonomo.

In the final hand, Mateos put his stack in with a combo draw against Bonomo’s top pair. The river was a blank, securing the win and cueing that photo shoot for which Bonomo had waited so long. Mateos was forced to settle for second once again.

For Bonomo, the victory moves him to within reach of the $20-million mark in career tournament earnings. He’s just outside the top ten on poker’s all-time money list.

A big chunk of those earnings have come in events with big buy-ins and elite fields, and that was the case in this one, too. “You had some of the best players in the world,” Bonomo said. “And some amateurs who want to compete against them. That always makes for an interesting dynamic.”

Apart from his success on the felt, Bonomo has become known as an outspoken public thinker, unafraid to address the deeper issues both in person and on social media. He’s also a philanthropist who actively promotes the charitable organization Raising for Effective Giving (REG).

“I’m definitely on a hot streak the last two months, and I’ve noticed that I’ve been wearing my REG patch more consistently,” Bonomo said after the win. “So hopefully I’m getting a little karma from endorsing such a great charity.”

Results:

1st: Justin Bonomo – $556,873
2nd: Adrian Mateos – $403,125
3rd: Ben Tollerene – $248,438
4th: Joe McKeehen – $169,688
5th: Dylan Linde – $113,438
6th: Lander Lijo – $85,313
7th: Stefan Schillhabel – $69,375
8th: Sean Winter – $60,000
9th: Bryn Kenney – $58,125
10th: Ben Yu – $56,250
11th: Alexander Turyansky – $54,375

Justin Bonomo Defeats Adrian Mateos, Wins High Roller and $556,873

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 22: 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Justin Bonomo

Returning from the last break, the two finalists were discussing the possibility of taking a dinner break in the near future. The match ended before the conversation could finish, though.

In the last hand, Justin Bonomo opened the button with a raise, and Adrian Mateos defended his big blind.

The flop was Ks9h2c. Mateos checked, Bonomo continued for 75,000, and Mateos check-raised to 225,000. Bonomo called.

The turn was the 4h. Mateos moved all in for 1,380,000, and Bonomo quickly called to put him at risk.

Bonomo: AsKd
Mateos: ThJh

Bonomo was ahead with top pair, but Mateos was drawing to a straight and a flush with one to come.

The river was the blank 3d, though.

Bonomo won the pot with a pair of kings, sealing the High Roller victory and the top prize of $556,873. More about his win will be published shortly.

Adrian Mateos

Mateos finished as the runner-up, earning $403,125 for his work. It’s his second runner-up finish of the trip, following a matching run in the $50k Super High Roller.

High Roller: Justin Bonomo Presses Further

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 75

Adrian Mateos opened the button with a raise, Justin Bonomo three-bet, and Mateos called.

The flop was AdKh3s. Bonomo continued for 600,000, and Mateos called. They both checked through the 7c turn, and the river was the Ac. Bonomo moved all in.

It’s a similar line to the last big confrontation, and Mateos once again spent a few minutes in the tank. And once again, he eventually folded, surrendering another big pot to Bonomo.

Justin Bonomo – 5,780,000 (145 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 1,720,000 (43 bb)

High Roller: Justin Bonomo Moves In

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 75

Most of the heads-up pots have been relatively small so far, and Justin Bonomo has stretched his lead a bit since the match began.

In a recent hand, Adrian Mateos opened the button to 100,000, and Bonomo three-bet to 425,000. Mateos called.

The flop was Qs2s2c. Bonomo continued for 275,000, and Mateos called. Both players checked through the 6c turn, and the river was the Jh. Bonomo moved all in.

Mateos sank in his chair and slumped his shoulders. He had about 1,920,000 chips left in front of him, and he’d need at least three or four minutes to ponder.

Eventually, Mateos did fold, and Bonomo won the pot with no showdown.

Justin Bonomo – 5,580,000 (140 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 1,920,000 (48 bb)

High Roller: Adrian Mateos Folds the River

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 75

Adrian Mateos opened the button for a raise to 100,000. Justin Bonomo called and the pair saw a flop of QcTc4s. Bonomo checked and Mateos C-bet 70,000. It was back on Bonomo and he check-raised making it 275,000. Mateos kept the pedal down, four-betting to 650,000. Bonomo called.

The turn fell the 3d. Both players checked.

The river was the Jc. Bonomo lead for 500,000. Mateos folded and Bonomo took the pot.

Justin Bonomo – 4,850,000 (121 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 2,650,000 (66 bb)

High Roller: Ben Tollerene – 3rd Place ($248,438)

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 75

Ben Tollerene

Adrian Mateos opened the button to 90,000, and Ben Tollerene moved all in for 950,000 in the small blind. Mateos called, flipping for the knockout.

Mateos: 9h9d
Tollerene: AsTc

The board ran out in Mateos’ favor, coming 9s4s2dKsJd. He won the pot with a set of nines, eliminating Tollerene in third place.

Mateos and and Justin Bonomo are now heads-up for the trophy, beginning the duel nearly even in chips.

Justin Bonomo – 3,845,000 (96 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 3,655,000 (91 bb)
Ben Tollerene – Eliminated

High Roller: Joe McKeehen – 4th Place ($169,688)

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 75

Justin Bonomo opened the cutoff with a raise to 80,000, and Joe McKeehen moved all in for about 800,000 on the button. Bonomo called to put him at risk.

Bonomo: AcQs
McKeehen: KcJs

The board ran out Td6d3sAs8s, and Bonomo won the pot with a pair of aces.

McKeehen was eliminated in fourth place.

Justin Bonomo – 3,950,000 (99 bb)
Joe McKeehen – Eliminated

High Roller: Ben Tollerene Doubles Through Adrian Mateos

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 75

Ben Tollerene

Action folded around to the blinds, where Adrian Mateos raised from the small and Ben Tollerene moved all in for 795,000 in the big. Mateos called, putting Tollerene at risk.

Mateos: AdJs
Tollerene: KhJd

The board ran out KsKc6cTh9d, and Tollerene doubled up with three kings.

Ben Tollerene – 1,610,000 (54 bb)
Adrian Mateos – 1,930,000 (64 bb)

High Roller: Dylan Linde – 5th Place ($113,438)

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 75

Adrian Mateos opened to 65,000 under the gun, and Dylan Linde moved all in for 540,000 on the button. Mateos called to put him at risk.

Mateos: AcQd
Linde: 7s7h

The board ran out QhTd2h8s9d, and Mateos won the race with a pair of queens.

Linde was eliminated in fifth place.

Adrian Mateos – 2,575,000 (86 bb)
Dylan Linde – Eliminated

High Roller: Lander Lijo – 6th Place ($85,313)

$25,500 High Roller No Limit Hold’em
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 75

Lander Lijo moved all in for 185,000 in the cutoff, and Ben Tollerene put him at risk on the button.

Lijo: Kh9h
Tollerene: Ah5s

The board ran out QhQd3dTs4h, and Tollerene won the pot with his ace kicker.

Lijo was eliminated in sixth place.

Ben Tollerene – 870,000 (29 bb)
Lander Lijo – Eliminated