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Accusations of foul play, a deleted winner post, and a $1 million bonus on the line—Event #54: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em at the 2025 World Series of Poker ended in anything but celebration. Jesse Yaginuma won the tournament and was supposed to take home a $1,255,180 first-place prize. However, that payout is now under review, and the gold bracelet has been withheld. Instead of focusing on his comeback win, the poker world has been consumed by what may be one of the most debated final tables in recent WSOP history.
Good to know
- Jesse Yaginuma’s bracelet and payout remain under review by the WSOP.
- The tournament offered an extra $1 million bonus through ClubWPT Gold.
- Allegations of chip dumping in heads-up play with James Carroll sparked widespread backlash.
Yaginuma entered Event #54: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em with more than a bracelet on the line. By winning a contest through ClubWPT Gold, he became eligible for an additional $1 million payout if he won one of 11 major tournaments, including the Millionaire Maker. After navigating a 11,996-entry field and battling back from a huge chip deficit, he was in line to cash in both from the WSOP and the sweepstakes bonus.
But everything changed once the heads-up match began. On June 26, the WSOP confirmed it would investigate possible rules violations. The bracelet win and the official payout have both been put on hold. Notably, the WSOP removed all social media references to Yaginuma’s victory shortly after the tournament ended.
Strange moves lead to suspicion
The heads-up match against James Carroll raised immediate questions. Yaginuma was down more than 16-to-1 in chips but won the event without scoring a traditional double-up. Several hands drew criticism, including one where Yaginuma folded top pair on the flop to a small bet, and another where he called down with king-high.
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Joe Stapleton, who called the action for a broadcast partner, called the match a “total embarrassment.” Poker pros also voiced concerns online. Meanwhile, Carroll has remained silent, and Yaginuma told reporters that no deal had been made between them.
Though the WSOP has a strict policy against final table deals, speculation of an off-the-books agreement spread quickly—especially considering the $1 million ClubWPT Gold bonus hanging in the balance.
Last night, we were made aware of a potential breach of the official WSOP Tournament Rules during heads up play in Event 53. An investigation is underway. At this time, 1st and 2nd place have not been confirmed and neither the prize money nor the bracelet have been officially…
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 26, 2025
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ClubWPT responds as pressure builds
ClubWPT Gold, which offered the bonus, is not affiliated with the WSOP. However, it issued a short statement acknowledging that it is “looking into the matter.” While its congratulatory video post remains online, the payout to Yaginuma has also not yet been finalized.
The ClubWPT Gold promotion had already paid out $1 million earlier in the series to Michael Lavin, who won a separate WSOP event. Yaginuma would be only the second player to cash in on the bonus—assuming the result stands.
The match before the storm
Before the heads-up showdown, the final table was dominated early by Josh Reichard, who came into Day 5 with a big lead and knocked out several players, including Alejandro Ganivet in seventh place. His aggressive style worked until he ran into some tough luck and tougher hands.
Reichard lost a major pot to Jonah Labranche’s pocket aces, then doubled up James Carroll twice. Though he briefly recovered with a lucky flush against Labranche’s kings, Reichard’s run ended in third place after losing a fourth all-in confrontation with Carroll.
As the tournament narrowed to the final two, Yaginuma had barely any chips left. That is where the controversy really began.
Final Table Results 2025 WSOP Event #54: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em
- Jesse Yaginuma – $1,255,180 (under review)
- James Carroll – $1,012,320
- Josh Reichard – $702,360
- Jacques Ortega – $534,590
- Jeffrey Tanouye – $409,870
- Jonah Labranche – $316,190
- Alejandro Ganivet – $245,430
- Bruno Fuentes – $191,690
- Kaifan Wang – $150,660
The post Did Jesse Yaginuma Cross the Line in Millionaire Maker Showdown? appeared first on iGaming.org.