Just days ago, the poker world was rocked by an explosive controversy during heads-up play at WSOP Event #53: Millionaire Maker (1.500$ buy-in, 11.996 entries). James Carroll entered heads-up with a commanding ten-to-one chip lead over Jesse Yaginuma, but Yaginuma engineered a dramatic comeback to even the match. The timing couldn’t have been more significant: Yaginuma had qualified via ClubWPT Gold, and a win would trigger a one-million-dollar bonus.
Viewers watching the live stream pointed out that Carroll appeared to be deliberately losing hands—passing up strong holdings and allowing Yaginuma to claw back into contention. Both fans and experts called the situation classic chip dumping, leading the WSOP to launch an immediate investigation into potential collusion.
A precedent-setting ruling
After four days of investigation, WSOP issued an official statement on social media: “The investigation of Event 53 is complete. In order to uphold the integrity of the game, this year there will be no recognized winner for this event, and no bracelet will be awarded. The remaining prizepool will be split between the two finalists.” While the exact prize distribution was not released, the use of “split” suggests each player will receive an equal share of the prizepool remainder—roughly 1.133.750$ apiece.
The investigation into WSOP Event 53 has been completed.
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 1, 2025
We have concluded that in order to uphold the integrity of the game and to uphold our official WSOP Tournament Rules, no winner will be recognized and no bracelet will be awarded for this year's tournament. The remaining… https://t.co/giL0Ij9Cwj
According to the official WSOP rulebook, chip dumping is a form of collusion—defined as any intentional transfer of chips between players—and is strictly forbidden. Even in heads-up play, tournament rules remain crystal clear: any agreement between players violates competitive integrity. As a result, the WSOP took the unprecedented step of voiding the result, splitting the prizepool, and withholding the bracelet.
Community reacts to a historic decision
For the first time in its history, the WSOP has implemented such a drastic measure, marking a true watershed moment for the game. The poker community has once again split squarely down the middle. Fueling the fire further, ClubWPT Gold confirmed that Yaginuma’s million-dollar bonus would be honored and paid out, regardless of the final ruling.
You can judge the play for yourself on the official live stream
The debate exploded, especially on X (formerly Twitter). Many questioned whether Yaginuma should still receive the bonus, given he is not recognized as the official winner and will not collect the coveted bracelet. Others were quick to criticize the WSOP and WPT Gold, arguing the series’ own promo offers created this bizarre scenario and then unfairly punished players for capitalizing on it.
The entire poker industry is now watching for potential ripple effects on affiliate deals, future partnerships, and the way players approach heads-up scenarios with major bonuses on the line. What’s your take on this unprecedented episode? Did the WSOP do the right thing? Should the bonus still be paid out despite the controversial finale?
Sources: WSOP, PokerNews, X, Poker.org