WSOP 2025: Jason Koon Dominates $50k High Roller, Nick Schulman Scores Seventh Bracelet After Epic 8-Hour Heads-Up

Koon Proves His Dominance Against World-Class Field
 

Jason Koon, a true icon of the modern high-stakes poker scene, has added another massive title to his resume by winning Event #32: $50,000 High Roller. Koon claimed a $1,968,927 payday - the largest single prize so far at this year’s WSOP. This victory earned him his second WSOP gold bracelet, while pushing his career winnings past $66 million and putting him at No. 3 on The HendonMob’s all-time money list.

Koon entered the final day as the clear chip leader, but the road to victory was anything but easy. The final table was loaded with heavy hitters, including Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Ben Tollerene, and Brock Wilson. It ultimately came down to an intense heads-up battle with Lichtenberger. At one point, Koon briefly lost the lead and momentum seemed to shift, but in the end his relentless pressure prevailed. Pot after pot went his way until he broke Lichtenberger’s resolve for good.

"I’ve dedicated my whole life to being great at this game. Every single person in these events is giving their best. Somehow I keep managing to hang around, playing the biggest games against the best in the world and winning," Koon reflected after the victory. He also singled out his wife for her support, saying none of it would be possible without her.

Nick Schulman Captures Seventh WSOP Bracelet
 

Event #30: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and skill-testing tournaments at the WSOP. This year’s field was packed with elite talent, and at the end, it was Nick Schulman - an absolute master of this format - who emerged victorious.

After nearly eight hours of heads-up play, Schulman defeated Darren Elias to claim the bracelet and $497,356. For Elias, who was within reach of his first bracelet, the match turned into a war of skill and endurance, but eventually Schulman’s experience proved too much. Elias settled for runner-up and a $336,421 payday.

Schulman has now won this championship for the third time in his career, underlining his legend status in the poker world. With seven WSOP bracelets, he is now tied for seventh all-time, alongside poker giants like Daniel Negreanu, Benny Glaser, and Scott Seiver.

Duong Makes Unthinkable Comeback to Win Limit Hold'em
 

After three grueling days, Jason Duong of Canada pulled off an incredible comeback to win Event #33: $1,500 Limit Hold’em, earning his first WSOP gold bracelet and $130,061. It was a victory that looked nearly impossible at times. Duong came into Day 3 as the shortest stack at the table, holding just six big blinds. But with calm, patience, and perfectly timed aggression, he managed to claw his way back into contention. Even in heads-up against Adam Tyburski, he found himself down to just two big blinds at one point, but never gave up - step by step, he nullified Tyburski’s lead and seized the win.

"When I managed to beat a flopped full house on Day 2, that’s when it really hit me -  winning the whole tournament was truly possible," Duong shared after the win. That mindset turned out to be his biggest weapon at the final table. But Duong was also playing for more than himself - he brought two good luck charms to the table: his daughter’s little slipper and his son’s Charizard toy. After clinching the bracelet, he proudly displayed them beside it, along with a family photo that included his wife, whom he met at the WSOP.

WSOP to Pay Players $550,000 After Canceled Online Event
 

While the live action heats up at the tables in Las Vegas, the WSOP online series ran into a major hiccup. Event #7: $500 Online No-Limit Hold'em was canceled during Day 2 due to large-scale connectivity issues - according to WSOP, as many as 60% of players were locked out of the event. After a thorough investigation, the poker room notified players via email with the following outcomes:

• No gold bracelet will be awarded for Event #7

• All buy-ins will be refunded to players

• Players who earned bounty rewards or cash prizes will keep their winnings

• WSOP will distribute $550,000 in the form of $500 online tournament tickets to the 1,100 players who made it to Day 2

Sources: WSOP, PokerNews