Alejandro Lococo Wins $12,070,000 As World Series of Poker Paradise Triton Million Champion

Argentina’s Alejandro Lococo has captured the biggest match poker high prize of 2024. The freestyle rapper and poker participant, identified to many as ‘Papo MC’, got here out on high of the first-ever World Series of Poker Paradise Triton Million invitational occasion. He bested a discipline of 96 complete entries within the $500,000 buy-in nosebleed-stakes affair to safe his first gold bracelet and the staggering $12,070,000 first-place payout.

This dwarfed Lococo’s earlier high rating of $1,225,000 that he earned because the seventh-place finisher within the 2021 WSOP primary occasion in Las Vegas. He now has almost $14.9 million in lifetime match earnings, with the bulk coming from this one career-defining victory. As a end result, he has surged into second place on the Argentinian all-time cash record, trailing solely Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero ($21.2 million).

“It feels amazing for sure. I have to make a special mention of my mother and father, who are here,” mentioned Lococo in his post-win interview on Triton Poker’s broadcast. “Thanks for everybody who is supporting me.”

“This was my first $500k… actually this was my first $100k-plus in my entire life. It’s amazing, it’s like I’m dreaming,” continued Lococo.

This invitational occasion sported a cut up discipline throughout the early motion, with the newbie gamers and the professionals they invited separated to begin day 1. The 96-entry discipline that turned out to the Atlantis Paradise Island within the Bahamas resulted in a $48,000,000 prize pool.

The remaining day started with 14 gamers remaining, all of whom had been safely within the cash after the bubble burst late on day 2. Several massive names had been despatched packing on the best way right down to the ultimate desk, together with two-time Card Player Player of the Year award winner Stephen Chidwick (14th – $792,000). He was quickly joined by hedge fund founder David Einhorn, who was knocked out of this occasion within the first hand of the match, however rebought and made it right down to the 2 tables. Einhorn earned $865,000 because the Thirteenth-place finisher.

Esti Wang (twelfth – $865,000) and four-time bracelet winner Adrian Mateos (eleventh – $985,000) didn’t take lengthy to hitch the payout line, which left the remaining contenders taking part in at two five-handed tables.

A cooler then spelled the tip of Chance Kornuth’s run on this occasion. He flopped a nine-high straight with 7-6 suited, however two-time bracelet winner Daniel Dvoress’ turned a full home with pocket eights when the board paired. Kornuth worth wager on the river and Dvoress moved all-in excessive. Kornuth known as and was proven eights full. The four-time bracelet winner was eradicated in tenth place ($985,000).

The Final 9 has been reached within the Triton MILLION!@DDvoress opens 88 within the CO for 600k || Chance Kornuth defends BB with 67

Flop 5 8 9 Kornuth checks || Dvoress bets 500k || Kornuth calls

Turn 5 each gamers test

River J Kornuth bets 750k || Dvoress… pic.twitter.com/zrIIGOH6ry

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) December 9, 2024

The first main conflict on the remaining desk noticed bracelet winner Ben Heath’s JJ face off towards the A7 of two-time bracelet winner Michael Moncek. Dvoress opened with A-10 suited from the hijack and Moncek three-bet shoved for 4,975,000 from the cutoff. Heath four-bet jammed for 7,975,000 from the large blind and Dvoress received out of the best way. The board got here down Q875Q and the pocket pair held for Heath. Moncek earned a career-best rating of $1,200,000 because the ninth-place finisher.

Sosia Jiang was the final feminine participant within the combine. Her remaining hand was OkQ, which she three-bet shoved from the small blind going through an under-the-gun increase from Dvoress and a name from Sinan Unlu on the button. Dvoress known as with AOk and neither participant linked with a seven-high runout. Jiang cashed for $1,605,000, which was almost twice the scale of the New Zealander’s earlier high rating.

Two-time bracelet winner Aleksejs Ponakovs open-shoved for simply over 20 massive blinds with 98 when it folded to him within the small blind. Dvoress made a reasonably fast name with A8 out of the large blind and was in dominant place with 5 playing cards to return. The 44277 runout was of no assist to Ponakovs and the Latvian took dwelling $2,140,000 for his third lifetime multi-million-dollar payday. He now has over $23 million in profession cashes below his belt.

Alex Foxen dedicated the bulk of his stack preflop with pocket sevens towards the A-8 of Dvoress. The previous few massive blinds went in after Dvoress had improved to a pair of aces to take the lead. Foxen was unable to return from behind and the two-time bracelet winner was knocked out in sixth place ($2,795,000). This was the second-largest payday of his profession, and it elevated his lifetime haul to over $39.2 million.

Heath almost hit the rail in fifth place after dropping a giant hand to Lococo. Heath opened with 77 within the cutoff to 1,100,000 and Lococo defended his massive blind with Q9. The flop got here down Q82 and Heath continuation wager 750,000 (1.5 massive blinds) when checked to. Lococo known as after which led out for two,150,000 on the Q flip. Heath hung round and the three accomplished the board. Lococo wager 5,000,0000 into the pot of 8,750,000 for worth along with his journey queens and after lots of time within the tank, Heath went for the hero name along with his pocket pair. He was proven the winner and was left on fumes.

Heath managed to win a number of all-ins after being right down to lower than a small blind to bounce again out of the hazard zone, although. He then doubled up but once more, with Q-J besting the A-8 of Dvoress to depart the Canadian close to the underside of the counts after spending a lot of the ultimate desk as the large stack.

Elias Talvitie was the following to be eradicated. The Finn defended his massive blind with OkJ going through a small-blind increase from Lococo, who held 107. The flop got here down 864 and Lococo wager 1,800,000 with a double-gutshot straight draw. Talvitie known as and picked up high pair on the Ok flip to go along with his coronary heart draw. Lococo fired once more, this time for 3,600,000. Talvitie known as and the 9 gave Lococo a ten-high straight on the tip. He shoved and Talvitie went into the tank earlier than calling all-in for 11,300,000. Talvitie was proven a straight by his opponent and headed to gather his $3,542,000 payout, which was a brand new private greatest.

Not lengthy after Talvitie bowed out, Dvoress received this final 19 or so massive blinds in preflop with 22. He three-bet shoved over Lococo’s cutoff min-raise to 1,600,000 and obtained a fast name, as Lococo had picked up JJ. A jack on the OkJ7 all however sealed the deal, and the 7 on the flip made the river Q a mere formality. Dvoress earned $4,390,000 because the fourth-place finisher. He now has over $41.1 million in recorded scores.

Turkey’s Sinan Unlu was the following to fall at Lococo’s fingers. Unlu received his previous few massive blinds in preflop with J5 going through Ok6 for Lococo. The Q87107 runout helped neither participant and Unlu was knocked out in third place ($5,304,00). This was simply his eleventh recorded match rating, and by far his largest.

Heads-up play started with Lococo holding 84,000,000 to Heath’s 12,000,000. Heath slid a bit earlier than doubling again as much as round the place he began. In the ultimate hand, Lococo shoved from the button with Ok2 and Heath shortly known as with AOk. His unbelievable comeback story ended right here, although, because the board got here down Q8278 to offer Lococo a pair of deuces for the win. Heath walked away with a career-best payday of $8,160,000 because the runner-up. The Brighton, England native’s lifetime earnings swelled to over $31.2 million due to this huge rating.

Here is a take a look at the payouts awarded on the remaining desk:

Photo credit: Triton Poker / Drew Amato.