The 2025 Australian Poker Open is now in full swing at Club Marconi in Sydney, with 30 occasions slated from April 14-27. The largest occasion of the primary week was the $1,500 AUD no-limit maintain’em Platinum Players Championship, which sported a $1,000,000 AUD assure.
A complete of 1,000 entries have been made throughout the event’s 5 beginning flights, topping the assure by $300,000 AUD. In the top, the biggest chunk of that haul was awarded to Johan Lees. The resident of close by Manly, Australia earned $252,300 AUD ($161,472 USD) because the champion.
This was the biggest recorded event rating but for Lees, who has now gained three titles in 2025. He took down a $400 facet occasion on the World Poker Tour Cambodia collection again in February, then triumphed in a $1,150 AUD buy-in on the WPT Prime Gold Coast cease in March. His lifetime earnings have now surpassed $300,000.
Lee’s newest victory got here with 960 Card Player Player of the Year factors. His three POY-qualified wins have moved him into sixtieth place within the 2025 standings, with 1,575 complete factors.
The high 126 finishers made the cash, with all of them returning for day 2 with the plan being for motion to proceed till a champion was determined. In the top, an unscheduled day 3 was wanted with a purpose to decide a winner.
Jennifer Cassell bagged up the chip lead, with Lees in the midst of the pack. Cassell went on to complete fifth for $36,992.
The ultimate heads-up battle for the title pitted Lees towards Daniel Neilson, an completed stay circuit common with practically $5 million in profession cashes. Neilson added $94,272 to his tally along with his runner-up displaying. The 2023 World Series of Poker Paradise predominant occasion third-place finisher’s final hand noticed him bluff shove the river after lacking a flush draw, solely to run into the highest pair of aces held by Lees.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Johan Lees | $161,472 | 960 |
| 2 | Daniel Neilson | $94,272 | 800 |
| 3 | Reece Bedot | $65,472 | 640 |
| 4 | Anthony Xu | $47,552 | 480 |
| 5 | Jennifer Cassell | $36,992 | 400 |
| 6 | Dustin Tran | $27,072 | 320 |
| 7 | Jason Brown | $18,112 | 240 |
| 8 | Hai Kee | $12,352 | 160 |
| 9 | Zac Vigar | $10,624 | 80 |
Photo credit score: Australian Poker Open Facebook account.
