Joao Simao Wins 1st PGT Title in $10K PLO Dealer's Choice

The PGT PLO Series II has crowned another champion, with Brazilian Joao Simao winning the Event #6: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Dealer's Choice for $182,000.

Simao has accumulated $227,150 in earnings at the PGT PLO Series II from his three cashes, and this was also his first victory on the PGT. Simao not only moves into fifth place on the PGT PLO Series II leaderboard, but he now sits 66th on the PGT leaderboard with 611 PGT points from his 12 cashes. Simao is also 284 PGT points outside the current Top 40 who will qualify for the season-ending PGT Championship $1,000,000 freeroll.

The Event #6: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Dealer's Choice was a new event on the PGT PLO Series II schedule, with the Mixed Omaha being revamped to be a four-game Dealer's Choice mix with the games on offer being Pot-Limit Omaha, 5-Card Pot-Limit Omaha, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, and Big O. The 65-entrant field created a prize pool of $650,000 that paid the final ten players including Zhen Cai (6th), Jim Collopy (7th), Hassan Kamel (8th), Nick Guagenti (9th), and Alex Livingston (10th), who all fell short of a Day 2 berth.

Five players returned for the final day, competing for the $182,000 first-place prize, and it would be Veselin Karakitukov eliminated in fifth place in Big O by Simao, who improved to two pair by the river. Tyler Brown and Alex Foxen began to chip up, with Brown doubling through Simao with a superior two pair before he was unfortunately eliminated in fourth place by Foxen in Pot-Limit Omaha by Foxen's jacks.

Down to three players, Spurlin would be the next to fall when he was all-in with a gutshot against Simao's two pair. Simao instantly improved to a full house to have Spurlin drawing dead as he would collect $84,500 for his third-place finish. Down to heads-up play, Simao held a two-to-one advantage over Foxen, but Foxen immediately began chipping away at Simao's lead. Foxen would then take the lead in Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo before Simao doubled back in Pot-Limit Omaha with a superior two pair after all the chips went in. Simao then dragged another pot before the final hand played out which saw the chips enter the pot on the flop, and Simao improved to Broadway by the river to eliminate Foxen and be crowned the Event #6 champion.

2023 PGT PLO Series II Event #6: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Dealer's Choice Final Table Results

Simao Climbs to 5th on PGT PLO Series II Leaderboard

With his Event #6: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Dealer's Choice victory, Simao now climbs into fifth place on the PGT PLO Series II leaderboard with 227 PGT points. 

Stephen Hubbard is still leading with 262 PGT points, but on his heels are Event #5 winner Bryce Yockey (250 PGT points), Richard Gryko (246 PGT points), and Event #2 winner Eelis Parssinen (236 PGT points). Three events on the schedule still qualify for the PGT PLO Series II leaderboard, including the $25,200 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.

The player that tops the PGT PLO Series II leaderboard will win the $25,000 championship bonus and be awarded the PGT Gold Cup.

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