Three of Mikalai Vaskaboinikau’s top four tournament cashes have come in 2024, including his $4.7 million victory at the Triton Montenegro $125,000 buy-in main event earlier this year. The Belarusian businessman just secured his second-largest payday, winning the 2024 European Poker Tour Cyprus $50,000 high roller. He topped a field of 47 entries to claim $601,397.
Vaskaboinikau’s career earnings now exceed $9.3 million, with more than two-thirds ($6.2 million) coming from seven in-the-money finishes this year alone.
The event took place over three days at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. The money bubble burst at the end of Day 2, when Thomas Eychenne lost a classic race with pocket queens against the A-K of two-time bracelet winner Artur Martirosian. This secured the remaining players at least $159,600.
Four-time bracelet winner Adrian Mateos led the final six players. Jamil Wakil, extremely short-stacked, got all-in with pocket deuces but lost to the flush of Alexander Zubov, who held 7♠5♠. Wakil earned $159,600 for his sixth-place finish.
Zubov was the next to go, despite eliminating Wakil. He lost a big all-in with A-J against the A-Q suited of Vaskaboinikau and was knocked out when his J-4 lost to the pocket fives of Mateos, which improved to a set. Zubov earned $205,200 for his fifth-place finish.
Roman Hrabec, a Czech bracelet winner, got all-in with A-10 but couldn’t beat Vaskaboinikau’s pocket eights, finishing in fourth place with $262,200. This boosted Hrabec’s career earnings to nearly $10.6 million.
The final three players agreed to a deal, adjusting the remaining prize pool but leaving $59,277 for the winner.
Adrian Mateos slid to third after the deal, losing his final hand with A♠3♥ against Vaskaboinikau’s A♣K♥. Mateos earned $555,758 for his third-place finish. This marked his 19th final table of 2024, bringing his POY earnings to over $10.4 million, with 9,404 points—a 1,104-point lead over David Coleman in the POY standings.
In heads-up play, Vaskaboinikau held 6,420,000 to Martirosian’s 5,330,000. In a pivotal hand, Martirosian’s A♠A♣ was ahead of Vaskaboinikau’s A♦4♦, but the board ran out J♣7♠3♦7♦8♦, giving Vaskaboinikau a backdoor flush.
Martirosian, now short-stacked, was eliminated soon after. His A♣2♦ lost to Vaskaboinikau’s 4♠4♦ on a J♠3♠2♦6♠9♦ board. Martirosian earned $495,815 for second place, bringing his lifetime earnings to nearly $18.3 million.
2024 EPT Cyprus $50,000 Super High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikalai Vaskaboinikau | Belarus | $601,397* |
| 2 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | $495,815* |
| 3 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | $555,758* |
| 4 | Roman Hrabec | Czechia | $262,200 |
| 5 | Alexander Zubov | Russia | $205,200 |
