After a long 17 year grind and relentless pursuit, Aditya Agarwal‘s golden dream came true in the morning hours of Monday, July 9, 2024. The Indian pro crushed the final table of the 2024 WSOP Event #82: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout, outlasting 1,423 players to clasp his first ever World Series of Poker bracelet. In a post-win interview with WSOP, Agarwal expressed,
“I’ve been a professional, I think, for twenty years now. I’ll be turning forty this year, and I’ve played in the World Series every year since I was twenty-one!”
In addition to the shine, Agarwal walked away with the lion’s share of the $1,253,120 prize pool for a payday of $189,661.
Aditya Agarwal at the WSOP
Like many players that return to the WSOP every year, the gold bracelet can be very elusive. For Agarwal, it has certainly been the case that before the annual festival, he dedicates himself to months of preparation, hoping each time that this will finally be the year he captures the coveted prize.
Just one year after his WSOP debut, Agarwal’s drive intensified with a 96th finish at the 2008 Main Event out of a field of 6,844 players. Years later, in 2015, he climbed up rung in 71st place which is his best Main Event run to date.
Agarwal posted his most impressive results at the 2017 WSOP with 11 cashes which included a first ever final table. Closing in on the gold, in 2021 Agarwal knocked on victory’s door but missed, finishing runner-up at the Super Turbo Bounty NLH Freezeout. Despite the loss, it paid out a career best $286,705.
Finally, after years of hunting, the moment arrived. Agarwal’s perseverance has cemented his name in history as a WSOP bracelet champion. At the ongoing 2024 WSOP, Agarwal dominated the final table and eventually entered heads up with a massive 8:1 chip advantage. He quickly finished off Augusto Hagen to become India’s newest bracelet champion. The win also pushed his WSOP total earnings to over a million USD.
RESULTS – 2024 WSOP $1K NLH Freezeout
Outside of the WSOP arena, Agarwal is one of India’s most recognizable players both on the live and online felt. Starting his poker journey while still in college, Agarwal went on to become a Team PokerStars Pro for five years, ultimately leaving in 2019. He has also coached several poker leagues in India and continues to teach today. One his best finishes in Asia was 2nd place at the 2018 APPT Macau Main Event where he earned a hefty payout of $242,211. This was also his first six-figure USD score.
Agarwal is ranked 6th in the India All Time Money List with total live earnings over $1.7 Million. He is the second winner from India at the ongoing series and brings home the country’s 10th WSOP gold bracelet.
