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Brandon Wilson added a Super High Roller Bowl title to his poker résumé this week, outlasting a 28-entry field at the PokerGO Studio at Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Wilson defeated Nick Petrangelo in heads-up play to claim his first Super High Roller Bowl title. Although the tournament’s published payout structure awarded $1,125,000 to the champion, a subsequently disclosed heads-up deal gave Wilson $950,440 and Petrangelo $874,560.
Petrangelo finished as the Super High Roller Bowl runner-up for the second time, having previously lost to Daniel Negreanu in the 2022 Super High Roller Bowl VII.
Despite the tournament’s buy-in dropping from $300,000 to $100,000 in 2025, winning the prestigious high-stakes event remains a significant career achievement.
Las Vegas is also part of Nevada’s regulated online poker market, where eligible players can compete in real-money cash games and tournaments. However, Super High Roller Bowl XI was a live, in-person event featuring some of poker’s biggest names.
Wilson survives dramatic money bubble scare
Wilson nearly missed the money when Kristen Foxen called his all-in bet with 9♠️9♣️ on a 5♠️4♥️3♣️4♣️ board. Wilson held A♣️6♣️ and needed help on the river to survive. The A♥️ gave him a higher two pair, keeping him alive and denying Foxen a potential knockout.
Left short-stacked, Kristen Foxen later moved all in with A♣️8♣️ against Wilson’s 9♠️9♦️. The board ran out 10♣️9♥️5♠️7♦️A♠️, giving Wilson a set and eliminating Foxen on the money bubble.
Her elimination left Alex Foxen as the only Foxen advancing to the five-player final day, with each remaining player guaranteed at least $215,000.
Wilson surges into lead on day 3
Alex Foxen entered Day 3 with a commanding chip lead, holding nearly twice as many chips as second-place Nick Petrangelo. Wilson began fourth, although all five finalists had stacks exceeding 40 big blinds.
Five-handed play lasted more than two hours before Wilson won a crucial 82-big-blind coin flip against Foxen. Wilson’s A♣️K♦️ defeated Foxen’s 10♥️10♦️ on an A♥️2♥️2♣️4♠️7♦️ board, moving Wilson into the chip lead.
On the next hand, following a 15-minute break, Adrian Mateos jammed 18.5 big blinds from the button with K♣️J♣️ but ran into Wilson’s A♠️J♥️.
The 4♥️A♦️7♦️ flop left Mateos needing significant help. A ten on the turn provided additional outs, but another ace on the river eliminated the Spaniard in fifth place for $215,000.
Those two hands nearly tripled Wilson’s stack, transforming him from a middle-of-the-pack contender into the tournament leader.
Over the next 30 minutes, Wilson and Petrangelo pulled ahead of Jeremy Ausmus and Foxen, with Wilson controlling approximately half the chips in play.
Foxen briefly fought back after Wilson opened with A♣️J♣️ from the cutoff. Foxen moved nearly all-in for 20 big blinds with A♠️T♦️ and hit a 10 on the turn to double up.
Ausmus would exit in fourth place, shoving 17 big blinds with Q♠️9♣️ against Petrangelo’s A♠️9♠️. The 2♦️9♣️6♣️4♦️5♥️ board gave both players a pair of nines, but Petrangelo’s ace kicker secured the pot. Ausmus finished fourth for $310,000.
Wilson then eliminated Foxen in third place when his 8♦️8♣️ held against Foxen’s 7♠️7♥️ in a confrontation involving 27 effective big blinds. Wilson flopped a full house, ending Foxen’s title hopes and sending him home with $450,000.
River straight seals Wilson’s victory
Wilson entered heads-up play with a narrow advantage over Petrangelo, holding approximately 90 big blinds to Petrangelo’s 80. Despite the deep stacks, Wilson gradually extended his lead to 2-to-1.
The decisive hand came when Petrangelo attempted a massive river bluff, putting his remaining chips at risk.
With blinds at 30,000/60,000, Wilson raised to 130,000 with Q♠️T♠️. Petrangelo three-bet to 500,000 with 7♥️7♦️, and Wilson called.
Petrangelo continued for 500,000 on the 9♠️Q♣️A♦️ flop, and Wilson called with middle pair.
The J♣️ turn gave Wilson an open-ended straight draw. With more than 2 million chips in the pot, Petrangelo bet 650,000, and Wilson called again.
The 8♥️ river completed Wilson’s queen-high straight. Petrangelo moved all in, and Wilson immediately called to secure the championship.
“It would have worked,” Petrangelo remarked afterward, referring to his bluff and Wilson’s river improvement.
The victory marked Wilson’s first Super High Roller Bowl championship and sixth career PokerGO Tour title. It also moved him into fifth place on the PGT leaderboard.
Super High Roller Bowl XI final standings
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Brandon Wilson | United States | $1,125,000* |
| 2 | Nick Petrangelo | United States | $700,000* |
| 3 | Alex Foxen | United States | $450,000 |
| 4 | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | $310,000 |
| 5 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | $215,000 |
*Days after the end of the Super High Roller Bowl, it was discovered that Wilson and Petrangelo made a heads-up deal. Wilson took home $950,440 while Petrangelo bagged $874,560.
