$10m World Series of Poker Main Event Goes to Texan Tamayo

by Roy Brindley, 19 July 2024

Jonathan Tamayo is the new World Series of Poker Main Event champion. The 38-year-old from Texas beat countryman Jordan Griff in an epic heads-up battle. Griff had started the final table with a commanding chip lead; Tamayo’s stack was less than a fifth of his rival. The duo shared $16 million in prize money, with the winner taking a $10 million lion’s share.

Stacks of cash and the WSOP Main Event’s winner’s bracelet are traditionally placed on the table before the start of heads-up play. ©WSOP

Despite his chip lead, many experts and the few live betting sites that priced up the final table predicted Sweden’s Niklas Astedt would take the coveted title. With almost $50 million in recorded online tournament winnings, Astedt, is considered by many to be the world’s best online tournament player. He began the final table in third place and finished in the same position.

Astedt momentarily held the chip lead when three players remained. However, in a decisive pot clutching a set of 9s, Griff moved all in (for 159 million chips) on the turn against the 33-year-old Scandinavian. After an extended dwell, Astedt called with a top pair of jacks and a straight draw. His hand did not develop further, meaning Griff led Tamayo 432,500,000 to 174,500,000 at the start of heads-up play.

Tamayo Loved Eight-Three on Hand 64

Sixty-four hands of flip-flopping play followed. Griff had the chance to secure the title when he had Tamayo all in (for the Texan’s 155,000,000 stack) pre-flop holding pocket 7s. However, Tamayo, clutching king-ten, flopped a straight. Later, Griff’s tournament was on the line when he was all-in with pocket 6s against ace-eight. Flopping a set, he reassumed the chip lead.

Ultimately, a 9-8-3 flop – where Tamayo held eight-three and Griff had top-pair – decided the destiny of the winner’s gold bracelet. Griff needed help from the turn or river cards after he called his rival’s all-in bet. It never arrived, and Tamayo, a close friend of 2015 champion Joe McKeehen, was declared the winner. In a nice touch, McKeehan presented Tamayo with his gold bracelet.

World Series of Poker Main Event in Numbers

5 Nations represented at the final table

9 Players that won $1 million-plus

10 Days of play to decide the winner

65 Hands of heads-up poker were played

125 Players won $100,000-plus

235 Hands played at the final table

287 Players won $50,000-plus

358 Female players entered the tournament

1,517 Players received a cash prize

1,948 Round diamonds are in the winner’s gold bracelet

10,112 Individuals played the WSOP Main Event

7,078,400 Organisers $ cut of entry fees (7% registration fee)

90,041,600 Prize-pool in $’s

607,000.000 Chips in front of Jonathan Tamayo at the tournament’s end

Record-Breaking WSOP Numbers and Winners

Attracting 10,112 entries, surpassing 2023’s field by 69 players, 2024’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was the biggest in history. On July 6th, a remarkable 5,014 players took their chances on Day 1D of the tournament. It, too, was a record. Fifteen percent of the entries eventually collected a cash prize of at least $15 million.

In addition to Astedt, four other non-American players reached the World Series Main Event final table this year. Canadian Jason Sagle finished fourth to win $3 million. Bulgaria’s Boris Angelov was behind in fifth, collecting $2.5 million. Spain’s Andres Gonzalez took sixth ($2 million), and Frenchman Malo Latinois was the first eliminated ($1 million).

Canadian players had a particularly strong Main Event, with three players finishing in the top-16. France had two finishers in the top-11 and three in the top-23. Heading into the sixth day, seven Spaniards were in contention, albeit most dropped away, leaving just two to finish amongst the final 16.

One of the biggest stories of the Main Event was the outstanding performance of Kristen Foxen. Her deep run to 13th (for $450,000) meant the Canadian was the most successful female Main Event player since France’s Gaelle Baumann finished 10th in 2012. Only once in World Series history has a female player reached the final table. That was Barbara Enright in 1995.

WSOP Main Event Champions

*COVID-19 affected online/land-based hybrid tournament.