888poker LIVE London 2025: Gang Wang Triumphs in a Dramatic Finale

The Main Event of the 888poker LIVE London 2025 series, held at the iconic The Vic casino in London, attracted a total of 367 entries with a buy-in of £1,250, creating a prize pool of £383,500. Poker stars, including several 888poker ambassadors, joined the battle for a share of the prize pool, with payouts to 44 places.

Day 2 saw 96 players return, but only 38 would leave with a reward (the min-cash was £2,250). Among those who fell short were 888poker ambassadors Ian Simpson, Aaron Barone, Vivian Saliba, and Lucia Navarro, as well as notables like Jack Hardcastle, Chris Da-Silva, and WSOP finalist Philippe Souki.

Once the bubble burst, the parade of eliminations began, with each exit guaranteeing a payday. Shortly after reaching the money, players like Adam Wilkinson (35th), Day 1B chipleader Karl Harris (31st), and renowned Brit Kully Sidhu (16th) were out. Ultimately, Spanish player Javier Zarco was the last to be eliminated before the final table, closing Day 2 as the final nine bagged their chips, ready for the decisive showdown.

Final Table Dominated by Gang Wang
 

Portuguese-British pro Paul Vas Nunes entered the final table with a commanding chip lead of 62 bb. The final kicked off at a brisk pace, with the most remarkable story penned by China's Gang Wang.

Starting as the short stack, Wang experienced an extraordinary run of cards throughout the day. By the time only three players remained, Gang Wang held about 80% of the chips, with Michael Rosaman and Calogero Morreale trailing behind but still fighting hard. Rosaman exited in 3rd place (£38,000), marking his second notable result at this event, having won the 435-entry Mini Main Event just days earlier (£26,650).

Final Heads-Up Showdown
 

Entering the final heads-up battle, Gang Wang held a comfortable 4:1 chip lead against Calogero Morreale. The Italian-British player, Morreale, fought valiantly and initially chipped away at Wang's lead, narrowing it to 1:2. However, any potential comeback was swiftly stifled by Wang, who shortly thereafter sealed the deal, sending Morreale to the cashier for a £57,200 runner-up prize.

Thus, Gang Wang emerged as the winner of the 888poker LIVE London Main Event, achieving a career-defining victory on the international stage. In a post-match interview via translator, he joked, "Now that I've got the trophy, my wife will let me play poker anytime," and humbly added, "God kissed my hand. I was very lucky." Wang, a poker player for about ten years, turned what was his best career run into a magnificent triumph, taking home not just the trophy but also a £86,600 payday.

Sources: X, PokerNews