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Jason Wheeler, a familiar face on the European Poker Tour for the past 16 years, has claimed the biggest score of his career by winning the €1,650 PokerStars Open Barcelona Main Event. The victory earned him €731,000 and pushed his lifetime tournament earnings to $6,627,471.
The event drew 4,333 entries, including re-entries, generating a €6,239,520 prize pool. Wheeler’s triumph surpasses his previous best result, a runner-up finish worth €570,000 at the 2017 EPT Prague Main Event.
Speaking after his win, Wheeler explained that he had scaled back his poker schedule for several years to focus on family life before recommitting fully after the pandemic. He said he wanted to prove he remained among the world’s top tournament players rather than fade from the scene.
Wheeler, who also holds a World Series of Poker bracelet from 2021, said this title ranks alongside that achievement given the effort he invested in his comeback.
The final table saw several notable eliminations, including Han Feng, this year’s WSOP Main Event fifth-place finisher, and Serbia’s Darko Svesko, who took third for €326,200. Heads-up play pitted Wheeler against Sweden’s Alexander Ivarsson, who settled for €457,000 as runner-up.
Elsewhere at EPT Barcelona, Germany’s Tom Fuchs won the €100,000 Super High Roller for €1,126,540, while defending Main Event champion Thomas Eychenne captured the €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller title.
