Written by :
Published on :
Little introduction is needed for Mike McDonald, the player who has just extended his long list of poker achievements by winning the EPT12 Malta €25k High Roller event tonight. McDonald beat Finnish veteran Juha Helppi heads-up to take down the event for a giant €498,575 payday.
Still only 26, the Canadian has already won more than $12 million in live tournaments. Eight years back, he became the youngest ever EPT champion, winning the title at EPT4 Dortmund. Back at the PCA in January 2014, he came close to becoming the first EPT double-champion, but eventually lost heads-up to Dominik Panka - while still earning a seven-figure prize. Since then, he's won another $5 million including four cashes at EPT Barcelona totaling €428,000. He finished fifth in the €25k High Roller in Spain, for €257,000.
Runner-up Helppi has been delivering outstanding results for the last fourteen years and his €354,440 for second place (the biggest cash of his career) puts him well over the $6 million mark in live tournament winnings. It also brings him withing shouting distance of Patrik Antonius, who currently tops the Finland all time money list.
American pro Jason Wheeler, who finished fourth, qualified for the event via a live satellite - starting the tournament on Day 2 - but managed to turn his €2,500 investment into a €178,580 payday. It was a back-to-back final table for both Sam Greenwood and Nick Petrangelo in this event, and they both improved on their previous performances. Greenwood was seventh in March and finished sixth this time around, while Petrangelo has leap-frogged from fourth place in March to third.
EPT12 Malta €25k High Roller results:
1st - Mike McDonald, Canada, €498,575
2nd - Juha Helppi, Finland, €354,440
3rd - Nick Petrangelo, USA, €232,065
4th - Jason Wheeler, USA, €178,580
5th - Byron Kaverman, USA, €141,415
6th - Sam Greenwood, Canada, €110,590
7th - Benjamin Pollak, France, €87,025
8th - Sylvain Loosli, France, €67,990
9th - Christopher Frank, Germany, €51,670
10th - Dietrich Fast, Germany, €45,325
11th - Andrew Chen, Canada, €45,325
