The third incarnation of the WPT500 at the Aria Resort and Casino proved to be more popular than ever with 3,956 entrants and a $2 million prize pool – double the advertised guarantee. The WPT did kick in a nominal sum for the attractive number for a $565 buy-in, but after an action-packed final table with a slew of double ups Andreas Olympios won $260,000 and the title.

Wesley Hickey built a monster stack in Day 2, returning to the final table with 105 big blinds while Jonathan Opas was second in chips with 53. A three-way chase pack of Drazen Ilich, Robby Seurynck, Sanjay Mayekar held 20 plus big blind stacks and Olmpios was 8th of nine in chips to start Day 3.

Olympios was at risk of elimination after the first orbit. He was all in holding and Hickey called with pocket kings. Olympios spiked an ace on the flop and hit a queen on the river for good measure but still had less than ten big blinds.

The other short stacks were eliminated in relatively short order and at five-handed play it was anyone’s game with only ten big blinds separating the field. Hickey and Olympios both scored key double ups with five left – Hickey doubled up holding against Ilich’s and made two pair. Olympios got all in on the river holding a queen-high straight and got paid off by Jonathan Opas’ jack-high straight.

Olympios survived going all in half a dozen times throughout the day and when the final pairing began, Olympios held a near 3-1 chip lead over Hickey

They only needed ten hands, pushing the final table to 143 total, when they went to a raised flop of . Hickey shoved holding for second pair and Olympios called with . The board finished , Hickey didn’t improve and Olympios joined Craig Varnell and Sean Yu as WPT500 champions.

Olympios’ previous largest cash came at the 2016 WPT Amsterdam High Roller for $19,408 with 9th place finish. Hickey’s results reach back 15 months and his largest previous cash was a runner-up finish at the 2015 DeepStacks Edmonton Main Event for $44,109.

The event’s nine entry flights played until 5% of the field remained and 201 players returned for Day 2. Ebony Kenney and Mike Beasley just missed the final table while Justin Young and WPT Commentator Mike Sexton made the final three tables.

Zo Karim, Jesse Yaginuma, James Calderaro, Allen Cunningham, Ralph Massey and Joe Serock all recorded a cash on Day 2.

Final Table Payouts

1. Andreas Olympios – $260,000
2. Wesley Hicks – $185,000
3. Drazen Ilich – $135,000
4. Robby Seurynck – $100,000
5. Jonathan Opas – $75,000
6. Sanjay Mayekar – $58,000
7. Khoan Ho – $45,000
8. Guy Gorelick – $35,000
9. Guy Cicconi – $27,150