Jesse Lonis is dominating the live tournament circuit in 2025. The two-time bracelet winner has cashed for nearly $9.6 million across 36 in the money finishes so far this year, with a staggering nine titles already accumulated by late August.
The 29-year-old poker pro from Little Falls, New York added to his haul in a major way on Aug. 18, when he topped a field of 88 entries in the Onyx Super High Roller Series no-limit hold’em $100,000 invitational, striking a heads-up deal that saw him walk away with $1,745,625.
This was the third-largest score of Lonis’ career, trailing the $3.4 million he won in a Triton Poker Montenegro $100,000 earlier this year and the $2.3 million that came with his $50,000 pot-limit Omaha bracelet at the 2023 World Series of Poker. Lonis now boasts more than $23.7 million in career cashes.
Lonis’ incredible run so far in 2025 has made him the clear leader in the Card Player Player of the Year standings presented by CoinPoker. This event, which required an invite, did not award points. Lonis has won seven POY-qualified titles and made 17 such final tables already this year. His 7,679 points give him a 1,231 point lead over second-ranked Alex Foxen.
Setting The Stage
The strong turnout resulted in a final prize pool of $8,536,000. The 44 invited players each selected a poker professional to admit to the event, with amateur and grinder alike putting up $102,000 to battle.
The top 14 finishers made the money, with notables like bracelet winners Jessica Teusl (14th) and Eric Wasserson (13th), recent WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship final tablist Albert Daher (11th), and five-time Triton Poker champion Mikita Badziakouski (10th) all running deep.
The final day began with 13 contenders remaining. Rob Yong held the chip lead when the baker’s dozen took their seats inside Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa in North Cyprus. Yong was still atop the counts by the time the final table was set.
Lonis was towards the bottom of the pack, but began a surge up the standings when his A-2 suited cracked the pocket kings of fellow short stack Markkos Ladev. A king on the river filled Lonis’ gutshot straight draw, sending Ladev to the rail in ninth place ($250,000).
Rahul Byrraju (8th – $310,000) was the next to fall, with his A-10 unable to come from behind against the A-K of Yong. This was the second final-table showing of the series for Byrraju, who had placed sixth in the main event for $250,000 a few days earlier.
A classic flop spelled the end of Dejan Kaladjurdjevic’s (7th – $400,000) tournament, with his K♥10♣ bested by the 9♥9♦ of Lonis, who turned a full house to narrow the field to six.
No Looking Back
Lonis overtook the lead early in six-handed play and then began to pull away. He busted Matthew Moss (5th – $520,000) with K-J holding against J-10 suited, then made a flush to best the top pair, top kicker of Jamil Wakil (5th – $670,000). Wakil is having quite the week in Cyprus, with this top-five finish following a runner-up showing in the kickoff event of the festival for $650,000.
Yong was left short after he got all-in with [invalid notations] after a 8♥5♦3♦ flop. He was called by Maher Nouira, who had him pipped with A♠8♦. The A♦ turn left Yong drawing dead, rendering the 10♠ a mere formality. Yong was soon sent to the rail by Lonis, earning $856,000 for his efforts.
Phil Ivey
Poker Hall of Famer and 11-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey bowed out in third place ($1,080,000). Lonis ripped from the small blind with A♥9♥ and Ivey called off for 19,200,000 (24 big blinds) with A♣6♦. The board came down J♠10♠8♣3♠5♥ and Ivey headed to collect his 14th recorded seven-figure tournament payday. The living legend of the game now has more than $53.2 million in career cashes to his name.
Heads-up play began with Lonis holding 47,300,000 to the 40,70,000 of Nouira. The two hashed out a deal to redistribute the remaining prize money, with Nouira earning $1,704,375 while Lonis locked up $1,745,625.
Not long after that, the final hand of the event was dealt. Nouira raised to 2,500,000 on the button with K♠7♥ and Lonis defended his big blind with K♣3♥. The flop came down K♥6♥5♦ and Lonis checked. Nouira bet 2,000,000 and Lonis check-raised to 7,000,000. Nouira called and the 3♦ turn gave Lonis kings up. Lonis jammed and Nouira called off his remaining 31,700,000. The river was the J♦ to bring the event to a close.
This was a new high score for Nouira, topping the $1.4 million he earned with a deep run in a $200,000 Triton Invitational this spring.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout |
| 1 | Jesse Lonis | $1,745,625 |
| 2 | Maher Nouira | $1,704,375 |
| 3 | Phil Ivey | $1,080,000 |
| 4 | Robert Yong | $856,000 |
| 5 | Jamil Wakil | $670,000 |
| 6 | Matthew Moss | $520,000 |
| 7 | Dejan Kaladjurdjevic | $400,000 |
| 8 | Rahul Byrraju | $310,000 |
| 9 | Markkos Ladev | $250,000 |
Photo credits: Merit Poker.
