This stage of the European Poker Tour in Barcelona will not only go down in history as the biggest Main Event of all time. It will also be remembered as one of the craziest and loudest events in EPT history.
Giuliano Bendinelli was left with a single big blind at this final table, but he rose with the vocal help of his fellow countrymen to finish in first place which includes €1,491,133. By two during the final table, the 31-year-old – who has been playing EPTs for more than a decade – was one card away from elimination. But he prevailed, beating the field of 2,294 entries.
Throughout the final table, we witnessed some of the best poker hands we’ll ever see. Play had to be interrupted for over an hour when lightning struck the building, knocking out the power. We saw players hit miraculous rivers to stay in the game. And we witnessed not one, not two, but three discussions to make deals.
Around 11 p.m. local time, Bendinello found himself heads-up with France’s Jimmy Guerrero for 43 million to 25 million. Despite two unsuccessful attempts to make a three-handed deal, the two came to a heads-up agreement and left just €68,653 of the €11,125,900 prize pool to play for.
The two finalists reached a deal, and now that everything is finalized, Giuliano Bendinelli’s name will go down in the EPT history books.
Giuliano Bendinelli is the champion of the greatest EPT of all time.
Final table payout:
| Locul | Nume | Tara | Premiu | Deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giuliano Bendinelli | Italia | €1,491,133* | |
| 2 | Jimmy Guerrero | Franta | €1,250,337* | |
| 3 | Neville Costa | Brazilia | €734,470.00 | |
| 4 | Fabiano Kovalski | Brazilia | €565,280.00 | |
| 5 | Patrik Jaros | Cehia | €434,850.00 | |
| 6 | Kayhan Mokri | Noregia | €334,480.00 | |