2025 WSOP Main Event Down To Final 9; Daehyung Lee Holds Torch For Asia
From a turnout of 9,735 players and a grueling Day 8, the 2025 World Series of Poker $10,000 World Championship, aka WSOP Main Event, is down to the final 9 players! The finalists are now guaranteed a seven-figure payout and are another step closer to the ultimate top prize of USD 10,000,000.
WSOP Main Event – Final 9 Players
| Name | Hometown/Nationality | Age | Chip Count | Big Blinds | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Wasnock | North Bend, Washington, USA | 50 | 108,100,000 | 68 | Over $143k live earnings, biggest career run |
| Michael Mizrachi | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | 44 | 93,000,000 | 58 | Seven-time WSOP bracelet winner, $19M+ earnings, Second WSOP Main Event Final table (First 2010) |
| Braxton Dunaway | Midland, Texas, USA | 42 | 91,900,000 | 57 | Won 2023 $1,500 Monster Stack, $1.5M+ earnings |
| Kenny Hallaert | London, England (Belgium native) | 43 | 80,500,000 | 50 | $5.9M winnings, Second WSOP Main Event Final table (First 2016) |
| Leonore Margets | Barcelona, Spain | 41 | 53,400,000 | 33 | First woman at the final table since 1995, WSOP bracelet |
| Luka Bojovic | Vienna, Austria (Serbian native) | 37 | 51,000,000 | 32 | Doctor, Pokercode collective, $700k+ winnings |
| Adam Hendrix | Arlington, Virginia, USA | 32 | 48,000,000 | 30 | $8M+ winnings, six WSOP final tables, still seeking bracelet |
| Daehyung Lee | Seoul, South Korea | 46 | 34,900,000 | 22 | First Korean with a shot at the title, $148k+ winnings |
| Jarod Minghini | Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA | 37 | 23,600,000 | 15 | Five-time Circuit ring winner, $900k+ live earnings |
Final 9 Payouts
| Place | Payout In USD |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10,000,000 |
| 2 | 6,000,000 |
| 3 | 4,000,000 |
| 4 | 3,000,000 |
| 5 | 2,400,000 |
| 6 | 1,900,000 |
| 7 | 1,500,000 |
| 8 | 1,250,000 |
| 9 | 1,000,000 |
Be sure to read up on the action via the in-depth Live Reporting by Pokernews.
Asian Fallouts Leading Up To The Final 9
The largest annual congregation of poker players lit up the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas starting late May, culminating in the crown jewel of the series: the 2025 WSOP Main Event. Coming from every part of the world, a large contingent of Asian and Pacific players bravely coughed up the $10,000 buy-in, each one with dreams of poker immortality.
While many survived the perilous waters of Day 1, the next three days proved merciless, steadily whittling down their ranks. By the time the bubble burst on Day 4, of the 940 players who fell in the money that day, 75 of them were APAC players. Among them were Lok Ming Chan, Lester Edoc, Masato Yokosawa, Kartik Ved, Daniel Neilson, James Obst, Meng Ling Lin, Linglin Zeng, Thomas Ward, and Gary Benson, to mention a few.
This was followed by another four days of eliminations, which were even more unforgiving for the region’s representatives. Taiwan’s final hope, Chih Wei Fan, ultimately bowed out in 86th place for a respectable $100,000 payout. India’s Zarvan Tumboli endured until 119th place, earning $70,000. Malaysia’s Manokharan Murly exited in 88th place for $100,000, Australia’s Octavian Voegele delivered an impressive run to 36th place for $240,000, and Japan’s Kohei Arai, who had been among the chip leaders throughout, fell in 25th place for a hard-fought $360,000, becoming his nation’s last standing player.
In a dramatic near-miss, Joey Padron, born in Ilocos Norte, Philippines, but naturalized American since the age of 13, narrowly missed the final table, departing in 10th place for $750,000.
Getting To Know The Final 9 Players
Daehyung Lee – Last Asian Contender At WSOP Main Event
With the final 9 players set, that leaves only one Asian player in contention, Daehyung Lee from South Korea. Though Lee is rarely seen in the live circuit, last April, he reached 12th place at the Asian Poker Tour – APT Taipei Main Event for a career high NTD 1,114,000 (~USD 34,240). That figure is pretty much in the dust as Lee is now guaranteed a minimum $1,000,000. Lee enters the final table with 22 big blinds.
“The Grinder” Michael Mizrachi Is Back
Extraordinary comeback for poker legend and seven-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi aka The Grinder. On the first hand of Day 8, Mizrachi was reduced to a mere 3 big blinds and the end looked near, however, as The Grinder does, he grinded back to claim one of the coveted seats at the Final 9.
Among all the contenders, Mizrachi is the most decorated with seven WSOP bracelets to his name. He captured one of those gold merchs early this summer in the prestigious $50K Poker Players Championship, an event widely regarded as the true Main Event, the ultimate test of a player’s all-around poker skill. This is Mizrachi’s second WSOP Main Event final table appearance having finished 5th back in 2010.
There is a high likelihood that no matter where The Grinder places, he will earn his place in the Poker Hall of Fame. Mizrachi enters the final table with 58 big blinds.
Leo Margets – Lone Female Contender
It has been 29 years since a woman has reached the final table of the grandest poker event and Leo Margets has now reset it. Already a bracelet holder for her victory at The Closer in 2021, Margets is the last remaining player carrying the flag for Spain. To help her secure the seat was a lucky one-card flush with pocket Jacks to dust Sergio Veloso’s top pair in 16th place. No matter where Margets lands, she will be locking up her biggest career cash.
In a few words with media onsite coverage Pokernews, Margets was ecstatic, “It’s amazing. I’m living the dream that any poker player wants to live. I’m super celebrating, but since we made it so far, you know, let’s keep focus.” She enters the final table with 33 big blinds.
Braxton Dunaway – Poker Millionaire Again
The only other bracelet holder at the final table is Texan oiler Braxton Dunaway who won his first WSOP gold back in 2023 at the Monster Stack event. This turned him to an instant poker millionaire, and now just two years after, he is secured minimum seven digits once again. He enters the final table with 57 big blinds.
John Wasnock Brings In The Chip Lead
John Wasnock entered Day 7 near the bottom of the standings, ranked 23rd out of 24 players with 19 big blinds. Yet by the close of Day 8, he had catapulted to the top, finishing as chip leader with a commanding 68 big blinds.
His ascent began almost immediately when he doubled up on the very first hand against The Grinder, holding Ace-Queen against Ace-Jack. As the field narrowed to two tables, Wasnock eliminated Ruben Correia in 14th place and Joseph Ozimok in 12th, and at the unofficial final table with ten players left, he delivered the knockout blow to Joey Padron, firmly sealing his place as top dog among the final nine.
Kenny Hallaert Maintains Course
One of Belgium’s most highly decorated players, Kenny Hallaert, is also back at the final table having placed 6th at the Main Event in 2016. Hallaert has been cashing at the WSOP since 2009 – with well over 100 cashes not including online and WSOPE – but has yet to clasp one of the coveted golds. This may be his moment as he has been on fire, bagging the largest stack at the end of Day 7 and closed with 50 big blinds at the end of Day 8.
Luka Bojovic: From Europe To Las Vegas Final Table
One of Serbia’s rising stars, Luka Bojovic, has secured another shot at WSOP glory, and this time, it’s on poker’s grandest stage. Last year, Bojovic cracked the final table at the WSOP Europe Main Event, ultimately bowing out in 8th place for a career-best €122,000 (~USD 134,600). No matter where he finishes, Bojovic is guaranteed his largest payday yet. He enters with 32 big blinds.
High Roller Adam Hendrix
High roller Adam Hendrix has been a familiar face in WSOP fields since 2017, racking up an impressive list of cashes, and over $8.2M in live tournament career earnings, but still searching for his first bracelet. Armed with 30 big blinds as he enters the final table, this could finally be his golden moment. While most of Hendrix’s earnings have come on American soil, he’s no stranger to the international stage. Earlier this year, he battled it out among the elite at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju.
Underdog Jarod Minghini
The shortest stack at just 15 big blinds, Jarod Minghini steps onto the biggest stage of his career. Back in 2022, Minghini came close to WSOP glory with a 7th-place finish in the Mixed PLO event, but this moment dwarfs that run by miles. By making the final table of the 2025 WSOP Main Event, Minghini has already locked up a payout that surpasses all of his previous live earnings combined.
*Photos by Pokernews
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