Nick Petrangelo Wins 2018 World Series of Poker $100,000 High Roller

Nick Petrangelo has won the inaugural running of the World Series of Poker $100,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event, defeating a field of 105 total entries to secure his second WSOP gold bracelet and the massive first-place prize of $2,910,227. The 31-year-old poker pro from Feeding Hills, Massachusetts previously won the 2015 $3,000 no-limit hold’em shootout event for $201,812. He now has $14.5 million in lifetime live tournament earnings.

Petrangelo came into this event fresh off of a sixth-place finish in the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl for $900,000. He then managed to survive to the final day of this event as the chip leader, an enviable position that brings with it a unique form of pressure.

“Sleeping on the chip lead is definitely a little more stressful,” Petrangelo told WSOP reporters after coming out on top. “It’s kind of like in a sports game. If you have the lead and there are a few minutes left, it’s more stressful sometimes because you want everything to work out. There are expectations to deal with. I’ve tried to teach myself to just be happy to be here and just be excited to be playing. “Luckily for me today, it was the easiest anything has ever gone. I coolered everybody and ran super hot. No complaints. The last two days were super easy for me. The last time I played any tough pots were around the middle stages of Day 2. I’m happy with my decision making, but ultimately, I just had sick cards and it worked out.”

In addition to the title and the money, Petrangelo also earned 1,200 Card Player Player of the Year points as the champion of this event. This was his first title of 2018, but it was his eighth final table appearance. With $5,027,971 in year-to-date earnings, Petrangelo has climbed into 11th place on the POY leaderboard.

Petrangelo was far from the only player deep in this event who is in contention for Player of the Year honors. In fact, four other players at the final table are now among the top ten in the POYstandings, including Adrian Mateos (8th – $295,066), Jason Koon (7th – $372,894), Stephen Chidwick (6th – $484,551) and Bryn Kenney (5th – $646,927). Also at the final table was Fedor Holz, who is sixth on the all-time money list with $26,987,103 in earnings. He finished ninth for $240,265.

In the end it came down to a heads-up showdown between Petrangelo and 2011 WSOP Europe champion Elio Fox, who won the first open event of the 2018 WSOP less than a week ago in the $10,000 turbo bounty no-limit hold’em event. Petrangelo began with just over than a 3-to-1 chip advantage, but Fox was able to mount a swift comeback that saw him take a slight lead after only six hands of action. Petrangelo was being ground down, but was able to come from behind with his JDiamond Suit3Diamond Suit beating Fox’s pocket fives after the two got involved in a raising war that ended in Petrangelo five-bet shoving and Fox making the call. The board brought the QHeart SuitJHeart Suit6Diamond Suit3Heart Suit8Spade Suit to give Petrangelo two pair and the chip lead once again.

On the very next hand Petrangelo raised to 600,000 with the QClub Suit8Spade Suit and Fox three-bet to 900,000 holding the 5Club Suit2Diamond Suit. Petrangelo four-bet to 1,800,000 and Fox called. The flop gave Fox the lead when it brought the ASpade SuitAHeart Suit2Club Suit. Fox checked, only to raise to 3,000,000 after Petrangelo fired a continuation bet. Petrangelo called and the turn brought the 8Diamond Suit. Fox checked and Petrangelo bet 4,000,000. Fox called and the 3Club Suit completed the board. Fox checked, Petrangelo moved all-in and Fox called. Petrangelo’s aces and eights were the best hand, earning him the pot and the title. Fox took home $1,798,658 as the runner-up finisher.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at this final table: