by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Jun 16, 2022 | Updated on Jun 16, 2022
Summary
- O’Dwyer outclassed a 450-field and defeated Luuk Gieles heads-up to win €250K
- This is O’Dwyer’s first poker win on Spanish soil
- Partypoker ambassadors Jeffrey Johnson and Matt Staples also cashed in the event
Steve O’Dwyer is no doubt among the world’s most accomplished poker players, winning various tournaments across the globe, but throughout his career, the American poker pro has yet to win a major title on Spanish soil.
That changed now after the Colorado native emerged victorious in the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Europe Main Event in Barcelona.
O’Dwyer topped a field of 450 players to secure the title and the top prize worth €250,000. Apart from O’Dwyer, 67 other players walked away with a share of the €1,310,300 total prize pool, including Steven van Zadelhof, Will Kassouf, Yucel Eminoglu and PokerStars ambassador Ramon Colillas who earlier shipped the €1,100 MILLIONS Open for €45,000.
Former professional footballer Anthony Gardner, chess grandmaster Ottomar Ladva, as well as Jeffrey “MaximusBlack” Johnson and Matt Staples, both of whom are part of partypoker‘s Team Online, also took home some cash.
Final Table Results
O’Dwyer scored the first elimination of the final table when he sent Jelle Moene to the rail with ace-king versus top pair. The Dutch poker pro took home €29,000 for finishing 9th. Next out was Pawel Brzeski from Poland who finished 8th for €29,000, followed by another Dutch player, Duc ten Haven who collected €38,500 for his 7th-place finish, courtesy of Gergely Bartos.
Bartos scored his second knockout of the day when he busted Germany’s Igor Picone in 6th place for €50,000. Irish poker pro Daniel Smyth was next out, courtesy of Ukraine’s Tara Khilko. Smyth walked away with €65,000 for his 5th-place finish. Khilko’s final table journey was cut short as well, as he followed Smyth to the payout desk winning €84,000 for finishing 4th.
Claiming the 3rd spot was Bartos whose ace-five was dominated by Luuk Gieles‘ pocket aces. The Hungarian poker pro took home €122,000 for his efforts.
O’Dwyer’s First Win in Spain
Gieles was ahead of O’Dwyer when heads-up play began but the latter managed to narrow the gap and eventually navigate his way to the top. In the final hand, the eventual winner open-shoved with ace-ten that went against his opponent’s king-four. Gieles flopped two pair and was initially ahead, but O’Dwyer turned an ace to ultimately claim the title, which was his first victory in Spain.
O’Dwyer’s live tournament earnings have now climbed to $31,580,066, putting him at number 10 on Hendon Mob’s All-Time Money List.
