Zoe has covered major poker series across Asia, including APT and the Players Series. With solid experience as a live reporter, she now joins SoMuchPoker to deliver in-depth coverage and share her insights from the tables.

Updated: 2025.12.18

Shota Masuda is a Japanese professional poker player who has become a rising figure in the Asian tournament circuit. Known for his high-volume play and technical proficiency, Masuda has recorded deep runs in major festivals across South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

According to The Hendon Mob, Shota Masuda has accumulated $40,588 in total live earnings. He currently ranks 558th on the Japan All Time Money List.

His career-best live cash of TWD 345,620 (~$11,170) was achieved in November 2025 at the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Championship Taipei . This milestone score came from a dominant first-place finish in a high-stakes Hyper Turbo event. Other major highlights of his career include a 9th-place finish in the 2018 APT Seoul Main Event for $3,527 and a 13th-place finish in a 2025 APT Incheon Mystery Bounty High Roller for $2,854.

Shota Masuda has enjoyed a spectacular run of form throughout late 2025, solidifying his reputation as a “closer” in fast-paced tournament formats. In November 2025, at the APT Championship Taipei, he secured a landmark victory by taking 1st place in the NTD 30,000 Hyper Turbo High Roller (Event #21), outlasting a competitive international field to claim his largest career prize. During the same series, he recorded another top-ten finish, placing 10th in the NTD 8,000 Super Hyper Turbo (Event #33). Earlier in August 2025, he showcased his consistency in South Korea, finishing 13th in the APT Incheon Single Day High Roller Mystery Bounty.

Shota Masuda (photo courtesy of Asian Poker Tour)

Biography & Poker Background

Originally from Japan, Shota Masuda has transitioned from a local competitor to a mainstay of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) circuit. Since his first recorded cashes in 2018, he has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to diverse tournament structures, ranging from prestigious Main Events to technical Short Deck and Short-Handed variants. Masuda is a frequent traveler to major regional hubs, with his most significant successes occurring at the Asia Poker Arena in Taipei and the Paradise City casino in Incheon.

Play Style & Strategy

Masuda is noted for an aggressive and highly adaptive play style that excels in high-pressure, fast-paced environments. His exceptional results in Hyper Turbo and Super Hyper Turbo formats demonstrate a keen mastery of short-stack strategy and high-level tactical awareness. While he is a specialist in No Limit Hold’em, his deep runs in Short Deck (Six Plus Hold’em) suggest a comprehensive understanding of diverse poker disciplines and an ability to exploit edges in non-traditional formats.

Recent Attendances