Zachary Zaret Scoops First WSOP Bracelet In PLO8

The 2025 World Series of Poker $1,500 pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better event drew 1,176 entries to the Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas, resulting in a prize pool of $1,561,140. Zachary Zaret scooped up the lion’s share of that money, in the end. The Toronto, Ontario resident outlasted the sizable field and a stacked final table to secure his first WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $248,245.

Before this breakthrough at the series, Zaret’s largest recorded payday was the $23,131 he earned as the champion of a WSOP Online Circuit $1,050 CAD gold ring event in Ontario back in 2023.

This latest triumph career-best score was for nearly three times his combined earnings from all previous tournament cashes.

“Feels amazing. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of. Hard to believe it’s real life,” Zaret told PokerNews live update staff after coming out on top.

Zachary Zaret secures his first World Series of Poker bracelet after taking down Event #21: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo.

He got to three handed play against 5X bracelet winner Calvin Anderson and 3X bracelet winner Chris Vitch, but they were no match for Zaret. He takes home… pic.twitter.com/2oEfTzVDaO

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 7, 2025

Narrowing The Field

The top 178 finishers made the money in this event, with defending champion Caleb Furth (177th) narrowly eking into the money. Plenty of highly-accomplished players ran deep, including multi-time bracelet winners like Maxx Coleman (34th), Shaun Deeb (31st), Marco Johnson (7th), Bryce Yockey (6th),  Chris Vitch (3rd), and Calvin Anderson (2nd).

Zaret came into the final day as the chip leader with 11 players still in contention, and remained on top heading into the final table. Vitch scored the first two knockouts of the day to overtake the lead, with Anderson ending Johnson’s run in seventh ($33,374) to kickstart a surge for the five-time bracelet winner. Anderson followed that up by knocking out Yockey in sixth place ($44,630), making the nut low and a six-high straight to scoop.

The next elimination saw Vitch make a ten-high straight to best the set of tens of Ronnie Tate (5th – $60,584), narrowing the field to four. World Poker Tour champion Darryll Fish soon bowed out in fourth place, committing most of his stack preflop only to get his last couple of big blinds in trailing the aces up of Vitch. Fish headed to the payout desk to collect $83,465 for his strong showing after the turn and river brought him no help.

Stacked Final Three

Three-handed play began with Vitch out in front. Zaret then won a big one with jacks up and the nut low draw besting the nut flush and nut low draw of Anderson. The chips went in on the flop, and Zaret improved to jacks full on the end, with no low possible, to scoop. Soon after that, Anderson doubled through Vitch, making a straight and the nut low to leave Vitch on fumes. The three-time bracelet winner was eliminated soon after, with Zaret making an ace-high flush to drag the last of Vitch’s stack. He earned $116,672 for his podium showing.

Heads-up play began with Zaret holding 15,400,000 to Anderson’s 14,000,000. It took just two hands for Zaret to close out the win. The final deal saw Zaret raise to 500,000 from the button with J♠J♣5♠3♣. Anderson three-bet to 1,500,000 with A♣7♦5♥2♣ and Zaret called The flop came down A♠6♠2♦ and Anderson bet 1,900,000. Zaret raised to 4,200,000 and made the call when Anderson shoved for 13,000,000. The Q♠ turn gave Zaret a flush to go with his 6-5-3-2-A low. The Q♦ on the end changed nothing and Zaret scooped the pot, sending Anderson to the rail with $165,447.

Final Table Results

Photo credit: PokerGO / Miguel Cortes.