Joao Simao won over $10 million in a month: an incredible poker streak

Brazilian pro Joao Simao won over $10 million in a month, finishing second in the Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV and making a mark at the Triton series.

In recent weeks, Brazilian professional player Joao Simao has been showcasing one of the most impressive streaks of results in poker history. On Wednesday night, he finished second in the prestigious Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV tournament with a $103,000 buy-in, losing heads-up to Sean Raphael and earning $775,000. This amount allowed Simao to surpass the $10 million mark in winnings in less than a month—thanks to several major scores at the Triton series in September. Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV: Final Table Results The Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV tournament with a $103,000 buy-in was held in Las Vegas as part of the Super High Roller Series at the PokerGO Studio in ARIA Resort & Casino. The tournament attracted 32 participants, and the prize pool reached $3,200,000. The world’s top pot-limit Omaha (PLO) players battled for the title and impressive prizes. Six players made it to the final day, including such well-known professionals as: Sean Raphael — a Las Vegas pro with $6.6 million in winnings according to Hendon Mob Joao Simao — last year’s SHRB no-limit hold’em champion Lautaro Guerra — Spanish PLO specialist Talal Shakerchi — British high roller Richard Gryko — WSOP bracelet winner from the UK In the final heads-up, Sean Raphael started with a big chip lead. Simao knocked out Gryko in third place with a nut flush. In one of the key hands, Simao made a tough fold with a set after seven minutes of thinking—as the cards showed, Raphael really was ahead with a straight. However, it was a set that proved fatal for Simao in the last hand. He went all-in on the turn with trips, and Raphael called with a flush draw, which completed on the river. Thus, Raphael claimed victory and earned the biggest win of his career—$1,150,000. Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV Payout Table 1st place: Sean Raphael — $1,150,000 2nd place: Joao Simao — $775,000 3rd place: Richard Gryko — $480,000 4th place: Talal Shakerchi — $350,000 5th place: Lautaro Guerra — $255,000 Joao Simao’s Phenomenal Upswing: $10.5 Million in a Month Joao Simao has long been considered one of Brazil’s top poker players, but his current streak stands out even among his previous successes. Just a few weeks ago, he won the $200,000 Triton Invitational in Jeju, Korea, taking home $7,250,000—the largest tournament win ever by a Brazilian player. Right after that, Simao wrapped up the Triton series by chopping first place in the 10th Anniversary Special with a $150,000 buy-in. His share was $2,510,000. In an interview with PokerNews after his Invitational win, Simao admitted he felt incredibly happy and considered such moments unique in any player’s life. But the streak continued: at the Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV in Las Vegas, Simao once again reached heads-up, adding another $775,000 to his winnings. These three results alone over the past four weeks have brought him $10,542,090. Other Simao Achievements in 2023 This year has been extremely successful for Joao Simao even beyond his September results. In June, he won the WSOP $50,000 High Roller PLO tournament, earning $1,360,000 and his fourth World Series of Poker gold bracelet. Thus, 2023 has already become a record year for him in terms of winnings. It’s worth noting that other poker stars also made the SHRB PLO IV final table, including Ben Lamb, Jason Mercier, Ben Tollerene, Jesse Lonis, Dylan Weisman, and Eelis Parssinen. The latter won the WSOP $25,000 PLO High Roller this summer, earning $2,200,000. Tournament Format and PLO Features The Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV was played in pot-limit Omaha format—a poker variant where each player receives four cards, and must use exactly two of them along with three community cards to make a hand. Pot-limit means the bet size cannot exceed the current pot. This format is known for its high variance and requires great skill in equity management and playing drawing hands. The tournament lasted three days and brought together the elite of the PLO scene. The $103,000 buy-in makes such events accessible only to the most successful and prepared players, while the prize pools and competition are among the highest in the world. A Look at the Opponents and Final Table Dynamics Sean Raphael, based in Las Vegas, entered the final day with a big chip lead. His experience and aggressive style allowed him to maintain his advantage throughout the final stage. Lautaro Guerra, known for his PLO achievements, finished fifth and received $255,000. British high roller Talal Shakerchi took fourth place ($350,000), and WSOP bracelet winner Richard Gryko rounded out the top three ($480,000). Simao showed excellent discipline, notably making a tough fold with trips against Raphael, which turned out to be correct. However, in the decisive hand, luck was on his opponent’s side: a rivered flush gave Raphael the win and the biggest prize of his career. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Joao Simao’s success story is a great example of how discipline, constant improvement, and the ability to adapt to different formats can lead to outstanding results even on the highest stage. For PPPoker club players, it’s a reminder that success in poker requires not only talent, but also hard work, analysis of played hands, and a willingness to learn from the best. The pot-limit Omaha format used in the tournament is becoming increasingly popular in PPPoker online clubs as well. Studying the nuances of PLO, working on ranges, and understanding deep stack play can provide a significant edge in club games, where less experienced opponents are often encountered. In addition, participating in regular club tournaments with various buy-ins allows you to gain experience and prepare for more serious competitions. Keep an eye on the PPPoker club schedule so you don’t miss interesting PLO events and put your new knowledge into practice!