What happened
Sean Rafael won the $100,000 Super High Roller Bowl Pot-Limit Omaha IV on the PokerGO Tour for $1,150,000, the first seven-figure score of his career. The event drew 32 entries: 27 on day 1 and five late re-entries to open day 2. Four players busted twice on day 1 and were allowed to keep going. The $3.2 million prize pool paid six places, and Youness Barakat, the chip leader, went out seventh, one spot short, when Rafael flopped the nut flush against him.
Joao Simao took second for $775,000. Richard Gryko got $480,000 for third, Talal Shakerchi $350,000 for fourth, Lautaro Guerra $255,000 for fifth and Cesar Garcia $190,000 for sixth. Rafael started the final six with just over 4.9 million chips to Simao's 1.415 million. Heads-up, Simao cut the lead to under 3 to 1 and could not get further.
During that match Simao spent about seven minutes on one decision, used 14 time extension plaques, and then folded to a river straight. The last hand ran 9 of diamonds, 4 of diamonds, 4 of clubs, 6 of clubs on the board. Simao held ace of diamonds, king of hearts, 5 of hearts, 4 of hearts. Rafael held ace of clubs, 7 of clubs, 7 of spades, 6 of diamonds, and was about 27.5 percent to win with one card to come. The 9 of clubs gave him the flush.
Why it matters
Rafael has spent about three years on the PLO circuit, and all but one of his recorded cashes outside a small 2025 WSOP Main Event result are in PLO. His career earnings now stand at $7,899,472, so this single payout is about 15 percent of everything he has ever won.
The win moves him to 58th in the PGT standings, within reach of the top 40 and the $1 million PGT Championship. Fourteen plaques is a lot of clock to spend arriving at a fold, and a $100,000 game is still the only place that sentence gets written.
