Justin Bonomo is close to creating history in the poker world, rivalling the 2014 performance of Daniel Colman or the historic 2016 show put together by Germany’s Fedor Holz. The 32-year-old poker pro won his ninth title of the year 2018, emerging victorious in the 2018 World Series of Poker $10,000 Heads-Up NLH Championship. Bonomo defeated 114 entries to win his second bracelet.
With 16 total final table finishes in 2018, Bonomo has cashed for $14,681,541 this year alone. He now holds $32,774,095 in live earnings, which puts him in third place on the all-time money list, just behind the legendary Daniel Negreanu ($38,377,607) and Erik Seidel ($34,567,415).
“The first bracelet definitely felt a lot more special,” Bonomo told WSOP reporters after winning his second. “I had four second-place finishes at that time without a first-place finish. Now, I don’t really have to feel like I have to get any monkey off my back anymore or kill any kind of curse. The significance of this one just means my insane winning streak isn’t over. I just hope it continues.”
Bonomo has won nine titles this year and six came in May alone, including his victory in $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl where he won $5,000,000 just 10 days before this win. He followed that up by winning two $25,000 Buy-in High Roller at Aria. He also clinched the title in the Super High Roller Bowl China event for approximately $4.8 million back in April this year. With so many titles and several final table appearances, he has taken the commanding lead in the 2018 Player of the Year rankings, which are to be presented in 2018 by Global Poker.
The victory for Bonomo was not easy as he had to win seven consecutive heads-up matches to clinch the title. He defeated David Peters, David Laka, Jake Schindler, Niall Farrell, Mark McGovern and Martijn Gerrits and eventually Britain’s Jason McConnon to win the championship title.
By the time the final hand came Bonomo had built a 7-to-1 chip advantage. Bonomo three-bet with 4-4 and McConnon called with Q-9. The board ran K-10-2-2-8 to give Bonomo the coveted title.
Final Table Payouts:
1st: Justin Bonomo – $185,965
2nd: Jason McConnon – $114,933
3rd: Juan Pardo Dominguez – $73,179
4th: Martijn Gerrits – $73,179
5th: Jan Eric Schwippert – $31,086
6th: Mark McGovern – $31,086
7th: Nicolai Morris – $31,086
8th: Kahle Burns – $31,086