Joao Vieira Wins Fourth WSOP Bracelet and $2.6M in $100K High Roller Triumph
Joao Vieira has added yet another milestone to his poker career by taking down Event #38: $100,000 High Roller at the 2025 World Series of Poker. The Portuguese pro outlasted a field of 103 entries to earn $2,649,158 and his fourth WSOP bracelet in what was the biggest buy-in event of the summer so far.
The final duel against Aram Oganyan turned into a dramatic, multi-hour heads-up battle, with swings on nearly every hand. Emotions ran high, with a few tense exchanges, but Vieira remained composed and focused. “It’s heads-up, you know how it is. Ups and downs happen every minute. I just kept doing my job — fight until the end and stay in control,” Vieira reflected after his win.
Vieira came into this event with three WSOP titles already, and although he narrowly missed winning this same tournament at WSOP Paradise just months earlier, he said the past didn’t weigh on his approach. “Today is today. I wasn’t thinking about what happened six months ago or what might happen next.”
Confidence rooted in years of preparation
While recent months have brought Vieira his biggest career score — $4.6 million — he made it clear that his true confidence stems from more than results. For him, it’s about showing up consistently over the last 13 or 14 years. “The confidence is from the work. Waking up, grinding, staying focused on the process. Results matter, of course, but the foundation is daily effort.”
As the heads-up match wore on, Vieira was cheered on by a rail stacked with poker talent, including Adrian Mateos, Alex Kulev, and Ren Lin. Their presence underscored the respect Vieira commands at the game’s highest levels. “You don’t walk this road alone. I’m thankful for my wife, my family, and my circle. That’s my foundation, and it keeps me grounded.”
Final Table Results – Event #38: $100,000 High Roller
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Joao Vieira (Portugal) – $2,649,158
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Aram Oganyan (United States) – $1,766,099
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Thomas Boivin (Belgium) – $1,212,020
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Isaac Haxton (United States) – $857,253
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Ben Heath (United Kingdom) – $625,491
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Andrew Lichtenberger (United States) – $471,281
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Emilien Pitavy (France) – $367,069
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Vinny Lingham (United States) – $295,883
Two chip leaders take it to the finish
Day 3 started with eight remaining players, each already guaranteed nearly $300,000. Vieira and Oganyan entered the final day with around 75% of the chips between them, setting the stage for a dominant showdown while the rest battled for ladder spots.
Vinny Lingham, the only recreational player left, suffered a tough beat early and couldn’t recover. He exited after running into Vieira’s kings. Emilien Pitavy followed shortly after, eliminated by Oganyan when a potential chop turned into a loss after the flop.
Andrew Lichtenberger, fresh off a second-place finish in the $50K High Roller, looked strong early. But a brutal river gave Thomas Boivin a straight to crack Lucky Chewy’s two pair, ending his run in sixth.
Ben Heath’s day was a rollercoaster, with several double-ups and tough beats. Eventually, his ace-five couldn’t get past Oganyan’s ace-king. Isaac Haxton had started as the shortest stack but made a deep run to fourth. His queens were cracked by Oganyan again, who seemed unstoppable in key all-ins.
Final clash: Vieira vs. Oganyan
With Boivin bowing out in third, Vieira and Oganyan were left to battle for the bracelet. What followed was more than four hours of tension and resilience. Vieira struck first with a rivered straight and gained a lead. Each time a player was short, they found a double-up — the pendulum never stopped swinging.
In a key flip, Vieira moved ahead again, only for Oganyan to find one of his two outs on the river, keeping the battle alive. Later, Oganyan shoved with ace-six and cracked Vieira’s pocket sixes by catching an ace. But Vieira kept fighting and eventually held with ace-high when at risk, leaving Oganyan with just a few big blinds.
On the very next hand, Vieira sealed the win. He flopped top pair while Oganyan chased a flush, but this time the river didn’t save him. With that, Vieira secured his fourth gold bracelet and another seven-figure score, celebrating with his Portuguese rail as the room erupted.
More action ahead at WSOP 2025
With the $100K High Roller wrapped up, eyes now turn to the upcoming $250,000 Super High Roller — the richest event of the series. Stay tuned as more drama unfolds at the 2025 World Series of Poker.
