Michael Del Vecchio
United States
Michael Del Vecchio is an American professional poker player with over $3.18 million in live tournament earnings. He is best known for winning the World Poker Tour Rolling Thunder in 2017 and finishing runner-up in the 2019 Aussie Millions Main Event.
Early Career and Online Beginnings
Michael Del Vecchio, born in Port Jefferson Station, New York, began his poker journey in the online realm before transitioning to live tournaments. He currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, and maintains an active presence on Twitter under the handle @3kingme3. His early online success laid the foundation for a robust live tournament career, marked by consistent cashes across major series. Del Vecchio's first significant live cash came in 2017 when he won the WPT Rolling Thunder, but his online results also include a deep run in the 2022 WSOP Online Bracelet #29: No-Limit Hold'em Championship, where he finished 7th for $14,195, and multiple final tables in WSOP Online Circuit events.
Major Tournament Victories
Del Vecchio's breakout performance occurred in March 2017 at the WPT Rolling Thunder $3,500 Main Event held at Thunder Valley Resort Casino. He bested a field of 421 players to claim his first WPT title and $284,638, along with a $15,000 entry into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions. The final table was notoriously tough, featuring Olivier Busquet, Connor Drinan, and Sorel Mizzi. Del Vecchio played 182 hands heads-up against Mizzi before sealing the victory with trip fours.
He continued his strong run in 2017 by finishing 3rd in the WPT Five Diamond Classic for $752,196. The following year, he placed 5th in the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event for A$293,373. In 2019, Del Vecchio achieved his largest career cash by finishing runner-up in the Aussie Millions Main Event, earning A$915,957 (approximately $914,303 USD). He also made the final table of the 2020 Aussie Millions, finishing 10th for A$84,870. These consistent deep runs in high-profile tournaments solidified his reputation as a formidable force in live poker.
WSOP and Online Success
Del Vecchio has also demonstrated prowess at the World Series of Poker, both live and online. In the 2021 WSOP Main Event, he finished 396th out of 6,650 entrants, earning $30,000. He has numerous WSOP cashes, including a 242nd-place finish in the 2022 $1,000 Million Dollar Bounty event ($4,560) and a 368th-place finish in the $500 Housewarming event ($3,260). Online, Del Vecchio has cashed in multiple WSOP Online Circuit events, notably finishing 6th in a $200,000 GTD Main Event in August 2022 for $11,191. His total WSOP earnings amount to over $242,000, with 41 live WSOP cashes and one final table. Across all tournaments, he has recorded 125 cashes and total earnings exceeding $3.21 million.
Playing Approach and Legacy
Del Vecchio is often described as a disciplined and technically sound player. He emphasizes the importance of hand selection and adjusting strategies through tournament stages. His ability to navigate tough final tables—such as the one at WPT Rolling Thunder—showcases his patience and risk management. Del Vecchio's legacy is defined by his consistent success on the World Poker Tour and at the Aussie Millions, where he became a fixture at final tables from 2017 to 2020. He is respected by peers for his calm demeanor and focus, rarely seeking the spotlight but delivering results when it matters most.
Comments (0)
Sign in to join the discussion
Related
Bankroll Management
Bankroll Management
In practice, it helps players withstand losses during downswings and prevents their account from being wiped out by sho…
GlossaryBubble
Bubble
The bubble refers to the stage in a tournament where only one more elimination is needed before the money bubble (the p…
GlossaryPosition Advantage
Position Advantage
Position advantage refers to the benefit of acting later in a betting round, particularly on later streets, which allow…