Francisco Benitez

Francisco Benitez is a Uruguayan professional poker player who has established himself as one of South America's most consistent tournament performers. Known online as "Tomatee", Benitez has accumulated more than $3.6 million in live tournament earnings, with more than 110 recorded cashes. He is widely recognized as Uruguay's all-time money leader, has been honored as GPI National Player of the Year for his country, and has appeared as high as 653rd on poker's All Time Money List. His results span the European Poker Tour, the World Series of Poker, and the Triton Poker Series, along with a strong record in online high-stakes tournaments.

Benitez first made his mark on the virtual felt, playing under the alias "Tomatee". In 2021, he won a SCOOP title on PokerStars, one of online poker's most prestigious tournament series. Later that same year, he finished as runner-up to Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel in a 2021 WSOP Online event, a deep run that confirmed his ability to compete against the game's elite. These online results helped lay the foundation for his live tournament breakout, giving him experience in large fields and high-pressure final tables.

Benitez's breakthrough live performance came at the 2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona festival, where he won two high roller events in the span of two days. On August 9, he took down the €10,200 Mystery Bounty for €114,080. The very next day, he entered the €25,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, which attracted 50 entries for a €1,200,500 prize pool. After a heads-up ICM deal with Argentina's Ramiro Petrone, Benitez secured the title and €341,565, with Petrone earning €306,705 for second place. The victory gave Benitez his second EPT Spadie trophy of the festival and cemented his reputation as a high roller specialist on the European tour.

Benitez has a strong WSOP record with multiple deep runs and final-table appearances. In 2022, he finished 14th in the $50,000 High Roller for $80,000. In 2024, he achieved his best WSOP result when he finished runner-up in Event #97: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha for $260,403. He also posted a 20th-place finish in the 2025 $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship, earning $48,190, and a 34th-place finish in the 2023 WSOP Europe €10,350 Main Event for €35,500. These results show his versatility across both no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha formats.

Benitez has also made his presence felt on the Triton Poker Series, one of the highest-stakes tours in the world. At the 2023 Triton Monte-Carlo festival, he collected three cashes totaling $376,000 in earnings. His best result there was a 9th-place finish in the $100,000 NLH 8-Handed event for $288,000. That score remains one of the largest single paydays of his career and further underlined his comfort in elite high roller fields.

Benitez is known for an aggressive, adaptable playing style that serves him particularly well in high roller tournaments. His ability to navigate complex ICM deals was on full display during his back-to-back EPT Barcelona victories, where he negotiated a heads-up deal to secure maximum value. He tends to apply constant pressure on opponents and switches effectively between no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha, as shown by his deep WSOP runs in both disciplines.

Benitez remains an active presence on the live tournament circuit. His latest recorded cash came in October 2025 for $12,000, and his career total has continued to climb past $3.6 million. With more than 110 cashes and a growing trophy case, he has established himself as the standard-bearer for Uruguayan poker on the global stage. His 2022 EPT Barcelona double, in particular, put both him and Uruguay on the map in the high roller world, and he continues to be a dangerous opponent in any event he enters.