The highest buy-in pot-limit Omaha event of the 2022 Poker Masters series saw 40 entries made, each costing $25,000. As a result, the prize pool grew to $1,000,000,with only the top six finishers making the money. In the end, Tony Bloom came away with the title and the top prize of $360,000.
This was the first live tournament title in 12 years for Bloom, a noted sports bettor from the United Kingdom. According to PokerGO reporters, this was his first time playing in a poker event in three years. His last recorded victory came in a heat of the FullTilt Poker Million IX back in 2010. This most recent win resulted in his third-largest score ever, bringing his lifetime tournament earnings to nearly $3.3 million.
Bloom’s two larger scores both came in runner-up finishes, with each taking place in the Aussie Millions $100,000 buy-in high roller event. He earned $403,890 in 2009, and $975,000 in 2011.
In addition to the money, Bloom also scored 420 Card Player Player of the Year points and 216 PokerGO Tour points as the champion in this PLO high roller.
The bubble burst late on day 1 of this event, with World Series of Poker bracelet winner Alex Livingston making a flush to eliminate Kazuhiko Yotsushika on the money bubble.
John Riordan came into the final day as the chip leader, with Livingston on his heels and Bloom in the middle of the pack. Bracelet winner and 2019 Poker Masters champion Sam Soverel got his short stack in with flopped top pair and a gutshot against the overpair of aces and nut flush draw of World Poker Tour champion Matthew Wantman. Soverel found no help by the river and was eliminated in sixth place ($50,000).
Despite earning that knockout, Wantman was the next to fall. He got all-in with a wrap straight draw against the top set of kings held by Livingston. The turn and river missed for Wantman and he was sent packing in fifth place ($80,000). This was his ninth final-table finish of the year, with more than a million in year-to-date POY earnings. As a result, he now sits in 31st place in the 2022 POY race standings, which are sponsored by Global Poker.
Livingston took a big lead heading into the business end of this event thanks to picking up single-suited pocket aces against the double-suited pocket kings of Isaac Kempton. Livingston flopped top set and had Kempton drawing dead after the turn. Kempton, who finished runner-up in this year’s Wynn Millions main event, secured $110,000 as the fourth-place finisher.
Bloom overtook the lead Livingston as three-handed play continued. Riordan fell behind and was ultimately knocked out in third place ($160,000) when his last few blinds went in with A875 against the K832 or Livingston out of the big blind. The board ran out Q972K and Livingston made kings and deuces to secure the pot.
With that, heads-up play began with Bloom holding 3,430,000 to Livingston’s 2,570,000. It didn’t take too long for Bloom to convert his lead into the title. Everything seemed to go his way off early on, and he was able to extend his advantage to nearly 5:1 by the time the final hand was dealt. Livingston picked up AAQ9 on the button and raised. Bloom three-bet from the big blind with 10986, betting enough to put Livingston at risk. The Canadian made the call and it was off to the races. The K4269 runout saw Bloom make a flush to lock up the pot and the title.
Livingston was awarded $240,000 and 350 POY points as the runner-up. This was the 2019 WSOP main event third-place finisher’s ninth final-table showing of the year. With one title won and nearly $1.5 million in POY earnings, he has climbed into 21st place on the overall leaderboard.
Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Tony Bloom | $360,000 | 420 | 216 |
| 2 | Alexander Livingston | $240,000 | 350 | 144 |
| 3 | John Riordan | $160,000 | 280 | 96 |
| 4 | Isaac Kempton | $110,000 | 210 | 66 |
| 5 | Matthew Wantman | $80,000 | 175 | 48 |
| 6 | Sam Soverel | $50,000 | 140 | 30 |
Photo credits: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.
