2019 World Series of Poker

Event #90: $50,000 Final Fifty No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2019 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$1,608,406
Event Info
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$5,904,000
Entries
123
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000

Welcome to Day 1 of Event #90: $50,000 Final Fifty No-Limit Hold'em

Welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for Day 1 of Event #90: $50,000 Final Fifty No-Limit Hold'em.

In early June with the 2019 WSOP in full swing, a 90th bracelet event was added to the schedule for the 50th annual WSOP with this Final Fifty looking to bookend another successful WSOP.

"We got some feedback from players who thought [the initial $50k event] was too early in the series and they weren’t around for it," said VP of Corporate Communications Seth Palansky. "We also goofed by not having a $25K High Roller NLH on the schedule this year, which was more feedback we received from players."

With the WSOP schedule always packed with events and buy-ins satisfying all types of players, fitting in the Final Fifty was tough, but eventually, it was decided on July 8 - 10, just prior to Event #83: $100,000 High Roller. "It’s tough at this stage to fit things in, but we found this slot on July 8 that we thought could satisfy everyone," Palansky said.

What's not surprising is the continuation of the "Fifty" theme after the BIG 50 was such a huge success this year. "We decided to make it a $50k instead of $25k to properly close out the 50 theme of the WSOP this year," said Palansky, who added: "The event is well positioned right before the $100k."

The first High Roller tournament of the 2019 WSOP concluded over a month ago with Ben Heath topping a 110-entrant field to capture his first WSOP bracelet and the $1,484,085 first-place prize in Event #5: 50th Annual High Roller. Heath defeated Andrew Lichtenberger heads-up, and the likes of Sam Soverel, Nick Petrangelo, Chance Kornuth, Elio Fox, Cary Katz, Manig Loeser, Bryn Kenney, and Johannes Becker on his way to capturing the first high roller bracelet of the series.

Event #5: 50th Annual High Roller Champion Ben Heath
Event #5: 50th Annual High Roller Champion Ben Heath

The history of high roller tournaments at the WSOP stretches back to the 40th Annual WSOP in 2009 when Vitaly Lunkin won the $40,000 buy-in high roller. Since then, the 'The Big One for One Drop,' and the 'High Roller for One Drop' have been the key high roller events awarding over $170 million in prize money. With another $29 million paid out in other high rollers in the last decade, the World Series of Poker has awarded over $199 million in high roller prize money.

WSOP No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Results

YearBuy-inEventEntrantsPrize PoolWinnerCountryFirst Prize
2009$40,00040th Annual High Roller201$7,718,400Vitaly LunkinRussia$1,891,018
2012$1,000,000The Big One for One Drop48$42,666,672Antonio EsfandiariUnited States$18,346,673
2013$111,111One Drop High Roller166$17,891,148Anthony GreggUnited States$4,830,619
2014$1,000,000The Big One for One Drop42$37,333,338Dan ColmanUnited States$15,306,668
2015$111,111High Roller for One Drop135$14,249,925Jonathan DuhamelCanada$3,989,985
2016$111,111High Roller for One Drop183$19,316,565Fedor HolzGermany$3,981,775
2017$111,111High Roller for One Drop130$13,722,150Doug PolkUnited States$3,686,865
2018$100,000High Roller105$10,185,000Nick PetrangeloUnited States$2,910,227
2018$50,000High Roller128$6,144,000Ben YuUnited States$1,650,773
2018$1,000,000The Big One for One Drop27$24,840,000Justin BonomoUnited States$10,000,000
2019$50,00050th Annual High Roller110$5,280,000Ben HeathUnited Kingdom$1,484,085

* List doesn't include six-handed or mixed-max tournaments. Click event for tournament reporting, click winner's name for final table recap.

Players will begin with 300,000 in starting chips with levels lasting 40 minutes and a 15-minute break every three levels. Day 1 will play twelve levels with play ending at approximately 2:45 a.m. (PDT), while on Day 2, play will conclude once six players remain with the final table returning on Wednesday, July 10, at 12 p.m. (PDT) to be live-streamed.

Late registration for the Final Fifty will conclude at the start of Day 2 (approximately Tuesday, July 9, at 4 p.m. PDT), and players are allowed unlimited re-entry. A shot clock will be in play for the duration of the tournament.

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to provide continuous live updates of all the Final Fifty action once play is underway at 6 p.m. (PDT). So stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for all your live reporting needs from the Final Fifty, and every event of the 2019 World Series of Poker.

Tags: Ben Heath