Aayush Arya, the rising star of Indian poker, has once again made his mark on the global stage. After winning his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in 2023, Arya was hungry to repeat history in the 2024 WSOP Online Main Event. While he missed out on the dream second bracelet, his 14th place finish in the record-breaking online main event solidified his place among the elite in Indian poker.
Almost a year ago, Delhi’s Arya made headlines by winning WSOP Online Event #22: $400 COLOSSUS, claiming his first bracelet and INR 2.76 Crore ($331,878) – by far his career-bests score to date. His victory made him the sixth Indian to ever win a WSOP bracelet. This year, Arya set his sights on even greater heights, and his journey through the 2024 WSOP Online Main Event proved his mettle once again. With a record field of 6,146 entrants and a guarantee-smashing prize pool of $29.19 million, Arya’s determination saw him rise through the ranks, even briefly taking the chip lead on the final day.
Despite his relentless effort, Arya finished 14th, securing a whopping payday of $186,746 (INR 1.55 Crores). While he fell short of his dream to win a second bracelet, his performance marked several significant achievements. This finish not only marked third-largest Indian online score but also the deepest run by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event, surpassing the performances of several Indians before him. The previous best WSOP Main Event finish by an Indian was held by Anirban Das, who finished 16th for $430,200 in the 2023 live main event. While Das’s achievement is still the deepest live finish, Arya’s online performance sets a new benchmark for Indians in the online WSOP.
This impressive result also pushed Arya’s total earnings for 2024 past INR 4 Crore, further solidifying his position as one of India’s elite poker pros. Arya’s resume already includes a WPT Cambodia championship and a DPT High Roller title, and he is expected to grind at the upcoming Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT) Grand, which starts on October 22 at the Deltin Royale casino in Goa.
Historic WSOP Online Main Event
The 2024 WSOP Online International Main Event made history with its staggering 6,146 entries, building an eye-popping $29.19 million – the largest prize pool in online poker history. Players from around the world battled in this $5,000 buy-in event, with 620 players making it to the money. Germany’s Moritz Dietrich emerged victorious, taking home a mind-blowing $4,021,012—the largest online poker prize ever awarded. For the full recap of this record-breaking main event, click HERE!
Other Indian Performances At 2024 WSOP Online Main Event
For Indian poker fans, Arya’s deep run in the main event was the real story, but several other Indian players also made their mark. ‘WholeLottaShove’ finished 112th, taking home INR 24.59 Lakhs, while ‘NoobNeil’ took 199th place for INR 18.14 Lakhs. Former Adda52 Team Pro Tarun ‘Uncapped’ Goyal, fresh off his victory in WSOP Online Event #4: $840 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha, finished 353rd for INR 13.40 Lakhs. Vinod ‘VinodT’ Kumar rounded out the Indian finishes, placing 544th for INR 9.93 Lakhs.
A Milestone For Indian Poker
Aayush Arya’s remarkable performance in the 2024 WSOP Online Main Event underscores his growing influence in the global poker stage. With already over INR 4 Crores in earnings this year, Arya has become a role model for the next generation of Indian poker players. His journey, from winning his first-ever WSOP bracelet to achieving the deepest runs in the online main event, showcases his poker prowess and also highlights the growing prominence of Indian players on the international felts.
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