Jesse Yaginuma Wins WSOP Millionaire Maker Amid ClubWPT Gold Controversy

NOTE: This story has been edited since being posted to reflect updated information.

Jesse Yaginuma was the last player standing in the 2025 World Series of Poker Millionaire Maker. The win would see Yaginuma capture his fourth career bracelet and a $1,255,180 top prize, but the conversation throughout the poker world in the aftermath was on anything other than what should have been a standout career moment for the longtime professional player.

Yaginuma’s comeback from a chip deficit of more than 16-to-1 against runner-up James Carroll led to widespread accusations of chip dumping on social media.

The WSOP posted an official statement in regards to the event the following morning, June 26, noting that an investigation will take place and that the final results of the tournament are not yet confirmed.

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

In addition to several questionable hands during the heads-up match, several key factors are likely informing the allegations.

The primary contextual detail to note is that Yaginuma, after winning a contest with online sweepstakes poker platform ClubWPT Gold, was entitled to a bonus payout of $1 million from the site for winning one of 11 eligible ‘Summer Majors,’ which included the WSOP Millionaire Maker, a $1,500 buy-in no-limit hold’em event with a guaranteed first-place payout of at least $1 million. The tournament drew 11,996 entries and generated a total prize pool of $15,924,690.

Another crucial factor in play is that the WSOP does not facilitate deals or chops in any of its tournaments, under any circumstances. It has been strongly suggested that deals have been made in the past, but the details of those deals are rarely, if ever, made public, and carry the risk of no official support.

The Outcry

The ClubWPT Gold contest, independently run and in no way affiliated with the WSOP, is the central talking point amidst a barrage of social media posts.

Joe Stapleton, who was on commentary for a PokerStars version of the final table broadcast stream, summed up the heads-up match as a “total embarrassment.” Seven-time WSOP bracelet winner and 2024 WSOP Player of the Year Scott Seiver made a strong statement of his own. There were hundreds of additional comments that fell on one end of the spectrum or the other.

Tonight is an extremely telling night in the poker world for who sides with a multi billion dollar private equity firm over and individual just trying to play some cards. Anyone choosing wrongly can be easily ignored from now until eternity about all things

— Scott Seiver (@scott_seiver) June 26, 2025

Carroll, a two-time WPT champion, has not yet made a public comment on the matter. Yaginuma did tell Poker.Org reporters that no heads-up deal was made between the final two.

Before releasing their official statement, the WSOP deleted all posts on X acknowledging Yaginuma’s victory and any posts referencing action after the elimination of World Poker Tour champion and 16-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Josh Reichard in third place.

In a comment to PokerNews, a representative from ClubWPT Gold stated, “We’re looking into the matter. “A video post on X (formerly Twitter) congratulating Yaginuma is still live on the ClubWPTGold account.

Yaginuma is the second player to cash in on the ClubWPT Gold “Gold Rush” promotion this summer. Michael Lavin earned his bonus $1 million in a $1,500 no-limit hold’em shootout.

Calm Before The Storm

Seven players returned for day 5 of the millionaire maker, with Reichard well out in front. The WPT Champions Club member and 16-time WSOP Circuit ring winner was looking for another major milestone in his ascent up the poker ranks in recent years.

Josh Reichard

Reichard’s lead expanded when he busted Alejandro Ganivet in seventh place. On an A♣5♥3♦J♠ board, Reichard put Ganivet all in. Holding A♠4♠, Ganivet called and was behind Reichard’s A♦10♦. The Q♣ river was a blank, and Reichard had a hold of more chips than the next four players in the standings combined.

Reichard’s fall back from the stratosphere began when he ran K♠Q♠ into Jonah Labranche’s A♦A♣. Soon thereafter, Carroll earned a double through Reichard when A♦K♣ held against Reichard’s A♠9♣. That win bumped Carroll all the way up to second in the chip counts.

It seemed as though Reichard might cascade his way down the chip counts in short order. But when Reichard got caught being overly aggressive with K♠9♠, and he ran into Labranche’s pocket kings, the poker gods had other thoughts.

The flop fell Q♠5♠2♠, giving Reichard a nigh unbeatable flush. The board had no miracle redraw for Labranche, and the field was down to five.

After slipping for a bit, Carroll secured yet another double through Reichard, as his A♠J♥ found an A♥ on the flop to surpass Reichard’s pocket threes.

Rise And Fall Of Reichard

Reichard made a strong final push towards domination when he picked off Jeffrey Tanouye in fifth. On a 5♦3♠2♣ flop, Tanouye called all in with 7♠3♦. His pair of threes was behind Reichard’s 9♣5♥ and remained that way through the river.

Reichard then eliminated Jacques Ortega in fourth. Reichard shoved his button with 5♥6♥ and Ortega called it off from the big blind with A♥8♠. The runout was clean for Ortega until the 6♠ river gave Reichard a winning pair of sixes.

Carroll’s third key double through Reichard was the one that hit hardest. Reichard put Carroll all in and Carroll called with pocket eights. Reichard was behind with A♠6♠ and was drawing dead to Carroll’s full house by the turn.

Yaginuma took a big bite out of Carroll’s stack when his A♦4♦ made a flush on the turn to run down Carroll’s A♣9♣.

In the fourth all-in confrontation between Reichard and Carroll, the former chip leader was finally the one at risk. After Reichard four-bet shoved with pocket threes, Carroll snap-called with pocket jacks. No help came from the runout, and Reichard’s dream of adding a bracelet to his WPT title and multitude of WSOP Circuit rings ended, at least for now.

Wowsers! James Carroll and Josh Reichard get the money in during three-handed play.

Watch the @WSOP Millionaire Maker on https://t.co/2RQh5ROjQG. pic.twitter.com/OTrS4mutEl

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) June 26, 2025

A Heads-Up Show

The first eyebrow-raising hand of the final showdown happened fairly early on, when Yaginuma seemingly had little more than a prayer of a comeback. In a limped pot, Yaginuma held 7♠5♣ and Carroll checked 10♦6♠ On a 7♦6♦6♥ flop in which the exceedingly short-stacked Yaginuma flopped top pair, Carroll led out for a small bet and Yaginuma folded with no resistance.

A call-down with a lesser king-high on the river seemed to be Yaginuma’s only mistake as he apparently made perfect reads throughout the heads-up match, until he took over the chip lead without a single double-up.

While there’s no verification, several players on social media, including cryptocurrency stalwart Billy Markus, seemed to notice an emerging pattern in the action.

wtf is this yaginuma carroll heads up poker match

if carroll bets an odd amount he doesn’t have it and will fold to a re-raise?

— Shibetoshi Nakamoto (@BillyM2k) June 26, 2025

Eventually, Yaginuma opened up a massive lead of his own. On the final hand, Yaginuma shoved the button with Q♠3♦ and Carroll called with A♣10♣. Carroll was ahead on the J♠4♥4♦ flop, but the Q♥ turn put Yaginuma solidly in front. The 5♥ river gave Yaginuma the victory, the $1,255,180 official prize, the bracelet, the $1 million ClubWPT Gold bonus and 2,400 points in the CardPlayer Player of the Year race, presented by Coin Poker.

Card Player will report on any further developments to this story in the coming days.

Final Table Results

Photo credits: Drew Amato.