EPT Prague Open High Roller: Sho Homma Scores Career-Best €454,385

The 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague festival, taking place at the iconic Hilton Prague, continues to produce exciting results and massive payouts across its side events. As the €5,300 Main Event gains momentum, two standout performances have captured attention: Japan’s Sho Homma securing a career-defining victory in the €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller, and Finland’s Kai Lehto emerging triumphant from an enormous field in the €825 PokerStars Open Cup. These wins highlight the global draw of the EPT, bringing together talented players from diverse backgrounds in pursuit of prestige and life-changing prizes.

Homma has delivered one of the most impressive runs of the festival so far, winning the €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller for a staggering €454,385 (~$529,136). This score represents a monumental leap for Homma, whose live tournament earnings prior to this event totalled just $288,845 over several years. His previous career highlight was a 10th-place finish in the 2025 World Poker Tour (WPT) Cambodia Championship, which earned him $38,500.

The tournament attracted a huge field of 1,115 entries, building a prize pool of €2,703,875. Payouts began at €4,200 for the top 167 finishers, ensuring many players walked away with a profit. Several well-known professionals cashed, including Tobias Leknes , Davidi Kitai , James Akenhead , Tobias Peters , Richard Trigg , Benjamin Chalot , Timothy Chung , and Jon Kyte .

Open High Roller Final Table Result

Several finalists achieved personal milestones. Italy’s Luca Guglielmoni , who recently cashed in the EPT Malta Main Event, secured the second-largest score of his career with ninth place. Spain’s Mario Navarro and Latvia’s Tomas Bulksas both earned their biggest-ever live payouts in eighth and seventh places, respectively.

Bulgaria’s Petar Kalev claimed the last five-figure prize (€92,370) in sixth, adding to his impressive resume that includes an eighth-place finish in the 2023 PokerStars Players Championship worth over €621,000. Argentina’s Alan Ferraro took home €120,090 for fifth, pushing his lifetime earnings close to the $1 million mark.

Brazil’s Murilo Garcia Pedroso has been on a remarkable hot streak. After three cashes at WSOP Europe – including a third-place finish in the Main Event for €525,000 – he added another €156,120 here in fourth place. Armenia’s Vahe Martirosyan rounded out the podium with €202,950, setting a new personal best and surpassing his previous high from a fourth-place finish in the 2018 EPT Sochi Main Event.

The heads-up battle came down to Homma and Finland’s Pasi Sormunen , a veteran known for his fifth-place run in the 2013 EPT Barcelona Main Event. Despite a €170,255 difference between first and second, no deal was made. Homma ultimately prevailed, denying Sormunen the title and claiming the full €454,385 top prize while Sormunen settled for €284,130.

Kai Lehto Conquers Massive €825 PokerStars Open Cup Field

In another major side event, Finland’s Kai Lehto outlasted a colossal field of more than 2,000 entrants in the €825 PokerStars Open Cup to win €162,000 after a four-handed deal. This result stands as the second-largest score of Lehto’s career and represents one of the most significant payouts of the EPT Prague festival to date.

The Open Cup drew huge numbers, creating a lively atmosphere and substantial prize pool that rewarded deep runs handsomely. Lehto’s victory further cements Finland’s strong presence at this year’s festival, following Sormunen’s deep run in the High Roller.

With side events continuing to deliver drama and the Main Event now in full swing, EPT Prague 2025 remains a must-watch stop on the international poker circuit. The combination of high-stakes action, diverse fields, and historic venue makes it one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year. Poker enthusiasts can expect more big stories and massive scores in the days ahead.