Sergio Aido Wins First Bracelet for $2 million in WSOP High Roller Event

It was an amazing 20^th day of action in the 2024 World Series of Poker as Spanish professional Sergio Aido won the $50,000-entry High Roller Event #39 from other players such as fellow Spaniard Adrian Mateos, Swedish sensation Viktor Blom and American tournament poker talent Chance Kornuth, who Aido beat heads-up.

Bruce Buffer Can’t Help but Call

With WSOP drama coming in over 40 events already this summer, the Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas have been packed with players. The $50,000 High Roller Event #39 was no different, with 177 entries and a top prize of over $2 million.  Sergio Aido had the chip lead by the time the final table was reached with 83 big blinds, with Jesse Lonis (63 bigs) his closest challenger

One player who was a long way from the lead was German high roller regular Leon Sturm. He shoved pre-flop with king-jack but marched right into Aido’s pocket kings and although a flop of Q-T-8 gave Sturm an open-ended straight draw, both the six turn and four river missed and he left with a score of $165,849.

Out in eighth place was Bruce Buffer, the American UFC announcer winning $212,423 when he was the caller with ace-king. Jonathan Jaffe was all-in with pocket kings, however, and Buffer couldn’t hit an ace.  Soon, another premium hand confrontation took out Dutchman Johannes Straver for $276,987 in seventh when his all-in move with queen-jack lost out to Aido’s own pocket kings. Straver did flop a straight draw but as in the case of Sturm earlier, he was unable to hit on turn and river and just half a dozen players remained in the hunt for the gold bracelet.

Lonis Loses Out

Viktor Blom took out Jonathan Jaffe next, as the American exited in sixth place for $367,577. Jaffe was short and shoved with ace-four suited but ran into pocket kings, at the at-risk player couldn’t find a miraculous flush – or ace – to survive.

Over the past few years, the emergence of Jesse Lonis has been one of poker’s starring stories. The professional, who has used trauma from his past to inspire his new life with a young family who idolise him has inspired many others to take up the game. It says it all that Lonis would have been disappointed to exit in fifth place for $496,293. All-in with ace-jack, Lonis lost to Viktor Blom’s jack-ten when the Swede picked up a flush draw on the flop then hit runner-runner tens on turn and river for a full house.

Down to four, there were two Spanish players remaining, but soon only one was in the hunt for glory. Adrian Mateos was the man to miss out as he shoved with queen-eight of diamonds and was ousted by his fellow Spaniard’s king-seven of spades. A seven on the flop and another on the turn did the damage, as Mateos shook his countryman’s hand and made his way from the felt to collect $681,554.

Aido Achieves His dream

Down to three, a rollercoaster few levels ended with Viktor Blom missing out on the final battle for a score of $951,727. The Swedish phenom was all-in with seven-four on a flop of 7-5-4, but somehow wasn’t winning, as Chance Kornuth turned over seven-five, holding to take over 25 million chips into heads-up. With Aido on 28m, it was a close match.

Heads-up came down to a really good call by Aido when Kornuth bluffed, before a flop of 9-6-6 saw Kornuth bet with jack-nine. Aido called and repeated the action on the turn of a deuce. On the river of a three, Aido shoved, and Kornuth made the call, only to be shown the Spaniard’s nine-six for a flopped full house.

“It feels very good, of course, it’s something special,” said Aido as all the chips were piled up in front of him. “The best thing in my poker career for me for the moment.”

Aido was asked what it was like to knock out his fellow Spanish player Mateos in fourth place.

“He knows me; I know him, and it’s a bit different. Sometimes, you have to level or think a bit too much about it. Yeah. In the end, I was lucky. I probably will celebrate, save some money… and play more!”

With no restrictions on what is next for Sergio Aido, no-one would be surprised to see him improve his tally of one WSOP bracelet to two in the very near future.