Bryan Piccioli's Main Event Dream Ends in 6th Place

WSOP bracelet winner Bryan Piccioli has been eliminated in sixth place from the World Series of Poker Main Event, collecting $1,675,000 for his impressive run into this event. Piccioli had a tough run on the second day of final table action, starting third in chips but nothing seemed to go his way.

As Dan Ott chipped up, Piccioli lost ground on the player to his left that ultimately sent him to the rail. Ott beat Piccioli in two important pots, leading to him moving all in with ace-seven off-suit. Ott woke up with pocket kings in the big blind, and the board brought no help. 

Right after collecting his payout slip that read $1,675,000, Piccioli was asked what went through him mind when the river card on the final hand hit, he let out a deep sigh and said, “’It’s over.’ That was the first thing I thought when that river card hit.”

“It’s been so long, I played Day 1a, which was the first day, and that was two Saturdays ago. I’ve been in this tournament for 13 calendar days, and it’s finally over. It takes a couple of minutes to process this, I will very soon, and I’m very excited to meet up with my friends and family and have a good time.”

Picciolio enjoyed a very vocal rail that supported him through every hand, and he lauded them for their encouragement.

“The support has been incredible. I’ve always dreamed of making it here. When I started playing poker it was my dream to make the Main Event final table. I always knew that if I made it I would have an incredible support group with me, and they lived up to expectations and beyond. They’ve been amazing.”

Last year, after Piccioli finished 84th in the Main Event, the unthinkable happened as his father was involved in an accident that left him with a severe spinal injury. The Allegany, NY native was surrounded by his girlfriend, mother and many other family members including his sister Lauren, and as the curtain fell on his Main Event, they shared an emotional embrace, captured in this image, thinking of Bryan’s dad who was unable to make it to the final table.

Bryan Piccioli hugging his mother, sister and girlfriend after getting eliminated from the Main Event