Omaha Week: The $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller Preview

The $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller is less than a week away in the 2017 World Series of Poker and since it’s Omaha Week on the Poker Central Podcast, we’re taking a look back at the history of the event. Last year’s champ Jens Kyllonen did declare retirement, but we all know how subjective that can be in poker.

The $25,000 PLO High Roller returns for just its third consecutive year on July 5 after drawing 184 and 175 entrants respectively. 

Last year’s runner-up Tommy Le has also not yet cashed in any WSOP events so far but final tablists Dan Smith, Ryan D’Angelo and Sean Winter are near locks to play the 2017 event. 

Kyllonen, Le, Veselin Karakitukov and Ludovic Geilich haven’t’ cashed in a WSOP event since their final table run.

2016 $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller Final Table – 184 entrants, $4,370,000 prize pool

1. Jens Kyllonen – $1,127,035
2. Tommy Le – $696,558
3. Dan Smith – $487,361
4. Ryan D’Angelo – $347,641
5. Veselin Karakitukov – $252,909
6. Dmitry Savelyev – $187,724
7. Ludovic Geilich – $142,227
8. Sean Winter – $110,035

Both Robert and Michael Mizrachi missed the final table with them finishing 9th and 12th respectively. Paul Volpe, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Cary Katz and Sam Stein all cashed in the event that paid out the top 28 finishers.

Anthony Zinno’s favorite game is Pot Limit Omaha. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
Anthony Zinno took down the 2015 event for $1.1 million – roughly the same Kyllonen won in 2016. Christian Harder finished in fourth place, Ismael Bojang in sixth and Shaun Deeb in eight place.

Runner-up Pakinai Lisawad has just once, 2016 WSOP Main Event, since making the final table and third place finisher Stian Usterud also has a single cash since his final table run; a 17th place finish in the 2016 Deuce to Seven Triple Draw Championship. Even the accomplished Alexander Kostritsyn has just two cashes since his final table run.

2015 $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha Final Table – 175 entrants, $4,156,250 prize pool

1. Anthony Zinno – $1,122,196
2. Pakinai Lisawad – $693,553
3. Stian Usterud – $456,522
4. Christian Harder – $332,998
5. Juha Helppi – $247,754
6. Ismael Bojang – $187,571
7. Alexander Kostritsyn – $144,305
8. Shaun Deeb – $112,675

Talal Shakerchi missed the final table with a tenth place run, David Chiu in 13th and Justin Gardenhire in 15th place. Mike Gorodinksy, Gjergj Sinishtaj, Ben Sulsky and Scott Palmer finished in the money that paid out the top 24 finishers.

Vanessa Selbst last won a bracelet in 2014. (Photo: PokerPhotoArchive.com)
The WSOP used the $25,000 price point a few times in prior years: 2014 featured the Mixed Max Hold’em format that Vanessa Selbst won for $871,148, in 2011 the Heads Up Championship took the price tag that Jake Cody won for $851,192 and in 2010 the high roller event was a Six Max No Limit Hold’em event that Dan Kelly won for $1.3 million.