The 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) just concluded and it was a memorable summer for thousands of poker players who finished in the money. However, this is a summer that poker pro Patrik Antonius will want to forget quickly.
The Finnish poker pro just lost his entire Vegas bankroll worth more than $500,000 in a huge $6,000/$12,000 Omaha 8 or Better game in Bobby’s Room. Antonius will go home with his head bowed down as he tries to cope with the pain arising from his massive loss. Poker is a game of ups and downs and the 38-year-old poker player acknowledged the same in a six-minute video he uploaded on Instagram after his huge loss.
The high-stakes games running in Bobby’s Room has created quite a stir in the poker community as the games changed to strictly Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, from purely mixed games. US poker pro Scott Seiver tweeted about a $5,000/$10,000 Omaha-8 game which ran for 20 straight hours, something that became a subject of discussion on social media among poker fans and enthusiasts.
Some players like WSOP bracelet winner Owais Ahmed was keen on taking part while others joked about the $15 timed rake per half hour being too high. Nonetheless, if you are to enter Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio expect huge games and massive money involved as Bobby’s Room carries this reputation.
How Antonius Lost His Bankroll
Everything went great initially for Patrik Antonius. The seasoned pro was ahead after the game kicked off but felt sick from potential food poisoning and had to take a break. He quickly recovered and went back to the action but things started to quickly fall apart.
He lost $100,000 upon his return, but he continued to play as the games went huge. However, his losing streak continued but Antonius decided to solider on hoping things will change for the good. That did not happen and when it was all said and done Antonius only won one hand and eventually walked away with his entire summer roll all used up. He spent more than $500k at Bobby’s room.
High stakes games put everyone’s bankroll in jeopardy. At the kind of stakes being played in Bobby’s Room, it is not unusual for players to lose large sums of money, but sometimes massive losers are able to bounce back by winning more than their total loss both in live and online pots. Despite this fact, most players never get used to the big swings and Antonius falls into this category.
Losing Money Hurts
Losing such an enormous amount of money can be quite difficult to process but Antonius was strong enough to share his loss with his fans and the rest of the poker community. His video provided a rare insight into the thoughts of a high stakes poker pro who loses a huge amount.
Antonius, a former tennis player and coach, has admitted his recent loss hit him hard, describing it as the biggest anti-adrenaline feeling. He may be feeling down right now but the poker pro said such experiences are helpful as it helped him to realize how strong he really is mentally and how fast he can recover. Antonius may be currently out of funds in Vegas but he is not likely to face problems when it comes to starting over again, given his reputation and caliber as a poker player.
The Finn’s Accomplishments
Antonius is among the world’s most accomplished poker pros, with total live earnings of nearly $12 million. He started to make a name for himself back in 2005 with his deep runs in major poker tournaments, including the European Poker Tour (EPT), World Poker Tour (WPT) and the WSOP.
Since then, he has become a prominent figure in the poker world, being a heads-up specialist and a prolific cash game and high-stakes player. In the online arena, he is one of the most successful players, having won $1,356,946 in November 2009 – the largest pot in online poker history. In April 2019, he launched his new namesake tournament – the Patrik Antonius Poker Challenge – which took place in Tallinn, Estonia.
During the same tournament, he introduced the FLOP poker social media application that seeks to build a community in the industry that can benefit everyone.