The calendar may have changed from 2021 to 2022, but the names atop our list of Big Winners are familiar to regular readers of this weekly roundup. So, to see how players like Michael Addamo and Chance Kornuth are faring so far in the new year — and to learn about some other players like Jamie O’Connor and Gianluca Pace — who you’re likely to hear more about over the next 12 months, check out our latest collection of Big Winners of the Week ending Jan. 16.
Michael Addamo
Super Millions
GGPoker
$518,640
Addamo remains one of the standout tournament players in the world after winning his fifth Super Millions title. The Australian went on a tear in 2021, notching up more than $9.4 million in live earnings. He was just as impressive online, going deep in dozens of high-profile events, including GGPoker’s $10,000 Super Millions. He picked up where he left off on Monday by beating 265 players to win a record-setting five titles while taking his overall earnings in this event to $3.5 million.
Chance Kornuth
Stairway to Millions
PokerGO Studio
$132,240
For Kornuth, everything that glitters was, in fact, gold during the first week of PokerGO’s latest tournament series. Coming off a strong fall performance that saw him win his third-career WSOP bracelet, the Denver-based pro scored back-to-back victories at Aria last week. His first score came in Event #2, a $2,150 tournament where he took home $51,600 after besting two-time WSOP bracelet winner Eric Baldwin heads-up. He continued his rush the next day, finishing first in Event #3, where he turned a $4,200 buy-in into $80,640. That score was Kornuth’s third cash of the series, as he finished 16th place in Event #1.
Marco Petrusch
Mini Main Event
World Series of Poker Circuit
King’s Resort
€101,500
($115,713)
Petrusch outlasted a stacked field to win his first WSOP Circuit title on Monday. The German grinder only had two live results and just over $1,300 in prize money before the €250 ($285) Mini Main Event. However, he played like a seasoned pro to outlast 3,105 entrants at King’s Resort. He claimed the title and a free, 2022 WSOP Europe Main Event entry worth €10,350 ($11,800) after beating Marián Zemánek heads-up.
Jamie O’Connor
London High Roller
888Poker Live
Grosvenor Victoria
£57,650
($78,746)
O’Connor added another title to his collection on Thursday by winning 888Poker’s £2,200 ($3,000) high roller. The well-known circuit grinder beat a field of 93 entrants to win more than £55,000 ($75,000) at Grosvenor’s flagship London venue. The man known as Boz has GUKPT titles and deep runs at the WSOP on his résumé, but this is his first time lifting an 888 trophy.
Gianluca Pace
Main Event
Mid-States Poker Tour
Sycuan Casino
$74,562
Pace ran away with the latest MSPT title on Sunday. The Californian fired three bullets at a Day 1C satellite before he won his way into the $1,100 main event. From there, he picked up a big enough stack to make the final four of a 460-player field. He locked up just over $50,000 in a four-way deal that included Poker League of Nations founder, Lena Evans. Then, a final flurry of activity saw Pace bank an extra $23,500 and his first live tournament win.
Robert Sherwood
UltimateStack
Venetian
$22,085
Sherwood might conjure up images of Robin Hood, but this Englishman wasn’t robbing the rich to give to the poor last week. Cashing in events at the Venetian since November, Sherwood capped off his recent run by winning the latest $400 UltimateStack event on Wednesday. Three-hundred-ninety-six players anted up and the final three decided a chop was the best way to end things. Sherwood secured the win soon after to claim his fifth live title and to take his career earnings beyond the $850,000 mark.
Daniel Smyth and Kevin Taylor contributed to this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com
