Local Monaco resident Patrick Antonius walked away with the cool $2.1 million top prize at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Super High Roller Event.
Literally walked away, too, as Antonius lives in a swanky apartment less than five minutes walk from the tournament venue, Monte Carlo Sporting.
Antonius beat out 72 entries in the $100K buy-in tournament to take home the top prize.
The majority of players and staff inside the Salle des Etoile (Salon of Stars) this week arrive at the tournament after a long journey. Antonius just takes a short stroll from his apartment to the heart of this millionaire’s playground.
Antonius, 43, has been a staple on the European poker scene for many years. He puts his win — which will be one of the biggest poker prizes of the year outside of the WSOP Main Event — down to a mix of experience and luck.
“I was there before anyone really knew how to play, and then it evolved and evolved. I think a lot of experience, a lot of natural abilities, and, of course, studying and evolving with the game,” he said, speaking to PokerStars after his win.
“We’re living in an interesting era in poker. You can try to play like a computer, study as much as you can, but there’s still the human elements. We all play like humans. I think I have a pretty good balance, kind of mixing it up with those two.”
The Tournament and Winners
The Monte Carlo Super High Roller tournament cost $100,000 to enter, and came with a $6.9 million prize pool.
Monte Carlo, a tiny city in the luxurious principality of Monaco, is the playground of the ultra-rich, and it has the poker chops to match.
Back in 2016, the Big One for One Drop charity tournament was held here, which had a $1 million buy in with 11% going to charity.
Antonius’ $2 million win might not be on the level of the $12 million won by Elton Tsang that night. It’s not even his highest career cash, as he came in second at the Super High Roller Bowl in Macau in 2018 for a $3.1 million prize.
Antonius barnstormed his way to victory in his hometown, with a confident chip lead during all three days of the tournament.
| Pos | Name | Prize |
| 1 | Patrik Antonius | $2.108M |
| 2 | Christoph Vogelsang | $1.360M |
| 3 | Juan Pardo | $971K |
| 4 | Byron Kaverman | $747K |
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
