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2024 WSOP Paradise: Yinan Zhou Outlasts 1,978 Entries To Claim $25K Super Main Event and $6 Million

Yinan Zhou
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  • Attreyee Khasnabis December 20, 2024

  • 5 minutes Read

It’s not every day you see a young player step onto one of poker’s biggest stages and take everyone by surprise, but that’s exactly what happened at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise. Twenty-four-year-old Yinan Zhou (cover image) from China ended up with the gold bracelet and a life-changing $6,000,000 payday after overcoming a massive field of 1,978 entries in the inaugural $25,000 Super Main Event. From December 12 to 19, the Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas was buzzing with anticipation as players chased their share of the largest guarantee in tournament poker history—$50,000,000. And after all the cards fell, Zhou’s name was the one everyone was talking about.

Zhou’s journey was not an easy stroll. He had to face down some of the most respected and feared players in the game, including a nail-biting hand against Michael Addamo, the player once nominated as the toughest opponent in the world. Zhou’s willingness to pull off a bluff against Addamo was an early signal that he wasn’t about to bow down to reputations. It was a bold gamble, especially for someone who, up until then, had never sniffed a live score anywhere near the seven-figure mark.

Perhaps the most meaningful moment for Zhou was squaring off against his childhood idol, Justin Bonomo, at the final table. Zhou had grown up studying every detail he could find on Bonomo, even mimicking how the poker legend held himself at the table. On this night, the student found himself blocking the master’s path toward catching up to all-time money leader Bryn Kenney. It was a surreal feeling, watching a player who once seemed like a distant inspiration now sitting directly across the table. By the end, Bonomo’s chips slid over to Zhou’s side, proving that dreams can take shape in the most unlikely ways.

To claim the top prize and his first-ever WSOP bracelet, Zhou had to close it out heads-up against Brazil’s Marcelo Aziz, who put up an impressive fight before settling for the $4,600,000 runner-up finish.

Before this, Zhou’s top live score was a far cry from these heights—just $72,200 for finishing 28th in last year’s inaugural WSOP Paradise $5,000 Main Event. He’d managed one six-figure result with a runner-up finish in a $1,000 WSOP Online event, but nothing that suggested he’d soon be raising a gold bracelet overhead. Now, with $6 Million in his pocket, Zhou finds himself on a completely different level.

“I have no plan for the money… it is big money,” Zhou said afterward on the WSOP’s streaming broadcast. “Now I feel good. I decide to play more, practice more, study more to become better and better, to fight against the best and become the best.”

 

Unforgettable Moments from the WSOP Super Main Event

The $25,000 Super Main Event wasn’t just about the winner. It was a tournament filled with dramatic moments, controversial decisions, and inspiring comebacks that will be talked about for years to come.

 

Hellmuth’s Heartbreak on the Bubble

Phil Hellmuth, the “Poker Brat” himself, found himself in a familiar position: short-stacked and on the bubble of the largest guaranteed tournament in poker history. With only a few players to go before the money, Hellmuth folded ace-high, hoping to survive. But after a few eliminations, he was forced to gamble with his remaining chips. Holding ace-king, he went all-in against Alex Keating, who had ironically advised Hellmuth to fold aces earlier. Keating ended up making a pair of sevens, sending Hellmuth to the rail and denying him a chance at a minimum cash. The irony? Three other players doubled up in simultaneous all-in hands, meaning Hellmuth could have chopped the min-cash if just one had gone differently.

Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth

 

Liv Boeree’s Triumphant Return

Liv Boeree, a former poker pro who had stepped away from the game to focus on her Win-Win Podcast, made a stunning comeback in the Super Main Event. Starting the final table in fourth place, she managed to maintain her position, ultimately taking home a massive $2.80 Million. This incredible score not only propelled her to fourth place on the women’s all-time money list, surpassing Maria Ho, but also set a new record for the largest single cash by a female poker player. Talk about a return to glory!

 

Bonomo’s Scarf and a Clash of Politics

A controversy erupted when tournament officials informed Justin Bonomo that he would be disqualified if he continued to wear his keffiyeh scarf at the televised final table. The keffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress, has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, and Bonomo, who is Jewish, has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights.

WSOP officials claimed the issue was related to broadcast regulations, stating that their distribution platforms prohibited “controversial or political” attire. Facing disqualification and the potential loss of a $6 Million payday, Bonomo reluctantly removed the scarf. However, he expressed his frustration, pointing out the hypocrisy of the WSOP hosting a fundraiser for Israeli Defense Force widows and orphans just a week earlier.

Justin Bonomo
Justin Bonomo

 

India Shines at the WSOP Super Main Event

While the 2024 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event saw a Chinese champion crowned, Indian poker fans had plenty to celebrate as well. Two of their own navigated the massive field and earned a place in the money, further proving that India’s poker scene is brimming with talent ready to compete on the world stage.

Santhosh Suvarna, a name synonymous with Indian poker and the country’s all-time money leader, secured his first cash of the series in the Super Main Event, finishing in 240th place for a $50,000 (~₹42.46 Lakhs) payday. Suvarna’s journey ended in a dramatic three-way all-in where his pocket eights were no match for pocket kings and pocket queens.

Santhosh Suvarna
Santhosh Suvarna

Adesh Tiwari also flew the flag for India, demonstrating incredible resilience and strategy to navigate the challenging field. He ultimately finished in 294th place, also earning $50,000 (~₹42.46 Lakhs).

 

WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Highlights

They say “go big or go home,” and the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event certainly took that to heart. With an unheard-of $50 million guarantee, the organizers set the bar incredibly high. Whispers filled the poker world – could they actually pull it off? Could they attract enough players to meet that massive guarantee?

Well, they almost did. Between the 1,378 players who battled it out in the live starting flights and Day 2, and the 600 who joined the fray online, the total field reached a staggering 1,978 entries. Just 22 shy of the 2,000 needed to cover the guarantee. So there was a slight $550,000 overlay, but this was still a tournament of epic proportions! With a prize pool that could make your head spin, only the top 299 finishers would walk away with a share of the riches.

After Phil Hellmuth busted on the money bubble, the excitement didn’t end there. The Super Main Event was a proving ground for some of the biggest names in the game. Super High Roller Bowl champions Christoph Vogelsang and Rainer Kempe went deep, finishing 32nd and 31st for $180,300 each. Two-time bracelet winner Chris Klodnicki wasn’t far behind in 26th place, also for $180,300. Bracelet winners Roland Rokita and Nick Maimone showed their grit, finishing 22nd ($230,600) and 18th ($230,600) respectively. Sorel Mizzi and Ren Lin made impressive runs, ultimately finishing in 16th ($295,000) and 11th place ($370,150).

And then there was the final table bubble. Chris Moneymaker, the man who sparked the poker boom with his legendary 2003 WSOP Main Event win, found himself all-in with pocket nines. Standing in his way was Liv Boeree, who had been playing lights-out poker throughout the tournament. She flipped over pocket jacks, and the room held its breath. Moneymaker couldn’t find a miracle card, and his incredible run ended in 10th place for a still-impressive $500,000.

 

Final Table Chip Counts

  1. Michael Addamo – 196,800,000
  2. Christopher Nguyen – 143,100,000
  3. Mustapha Kanit – 141,200,000
  4. Liv Boeree – 111,400,000
  5. Marcelo Aziz – 105,500,000
  6. Yinan Zhou – 88,000,000
  7. Vadzim Lipauka – 66,300,000
  8. Justin Bonomo – 63,400,000
  9. Georg Lehmann – 48,400,000

 

 

You can watch the complete final table livestream right here.

$50M GTD | $25K WSOP SUPER MAIN EVENT - FINAL TABLE

 

Final Table Recap

The final day of the WSOP Super Main Event began with Michael Addamo sitting at the top of the chip counts, looking like the one everyone would have to chase down. Meanwhile, Yinan Zhou found himself in sixth, quietly waiting for the right moment to change his fortunes.

The first to go was Georg Lehmann. Short on chips and out of options, he found himself all-in with against Addamo’s . The board offered no rescue, and Lehmann had to settle for ninth place. His exit set the stage for a final eight who now each knew they’d be leaving with at least a seven-figure payout. At this point, Addamo only tightened his grip on the chip lead, leaving everyone else to wonder how they would catch up.

The next to fall was Belarus’ Vadzim Lipauka, who moved in with , hoping to hold off Mustapha Kanit’s c12]. After the community cards came down , Lipauka’s hopes were gone. Eighth place brought him his first million-dollar score, but it also ended his run.

Justin Bonomo, a three-time bracelet winner with a habit of making deep runs, could almost taste another piece of WSOP gold. This time, though, he found his pocket threes up against Zhou’s pocket jacks. He picked up a gutshot and had outs to a set, but the cards didn’t cooperate. Bonomo was left shaking his head as he collected his payout slip for seventh place. For Zhou, this was a sign that he could take on one of the game’s greats and walk away stronger.

Michael Addamo started the day as the one to beat. But poker can turn on a dime, and he soon found himself up against Zhou’s turned straight while holding two pair. That single clash changed everything, dragging Addamo off his high perch and leaving him struggling to regain ground. Eventually, he put his last chips in the middle with and had to stare down Liv Boeree’s . The final board——offered no help. Addamo’s fall to sixth place surprised everyone watching, a reminder that even the strongest start can fade in the face of tough play and a bit of bad luck.

Christopher Nguyen tried to make a stand but first lost a big chunk of his stack when his Ace-Seven suited couldn’t outlast Boeree’s Ace-Ten. Not long after, he was forced all-in with against Kanit’s pocket Queens. Nguyen picked up a chance at a straight on the flop, but nothing else came through. He exited in fifth, knowing he’d given it his best shot against world-class opponents.

Liv Boeree had already made waves in this event, riding her skill and a touch of courage all the way down to the final handful of players. But poker’s not known for mercy. On her last hand, she shoved her last six big blinds with , only to run headfirst into Marcelo Aziz’s . The board——was no friend to Boeree, and her third-place exit put a close to a remarkable run.

Before Boeree’s departure, Mustapha Kanit had also been fighting tooth and nail, but fate seemed against him. He tried a bold bluff with just seven high against Zhou’s full house—a risk that did more harm than good. After that, Kanit watched his stack dwindle. He got all-in against Aziz holding against Aziz’s . Though both ended up with flush draws by the turn, it was Aziz who improved to a pair of eights on a board. Kanit’s run ended in third, leaving just two players to fight over the bracelet.

Marcelo Aziz, who had earned his seat through an online satellite, started heads-up play with a slight lead: 578 million to Yinan Zhou’s 412 million. Zhou found a way to pull ahead, but Aziz grabbed a double-up with Ace-Seven beating Zhou’s Ace-Eight, reminding everyone that this was still anyone’s game. After a break, both returned to the table, determined to write their names into poker’s history.

Zhou regained control until he had more than twice Aziz’s stack. The final hand saw Zhou limp in with and Aziz move all-in with . Zhou called, looking at a decent spot. The final board——left both with trip sixes, but Zhou’s Ace kicker made all the difference.

With that last card, a new champion emerged, one who started the day in sixth place and ended it by holding the bracelet high.

Yinan Zhou
Yinan Zhou

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Yinan Zhou – $6,000,000
  2. Marcelo Aziz – $4,600,000
  3. Mustapha Kanit – $3,600,000
  4. Liv Boeree – $2,800,000
  5. Christopher Nguyen – $2,100,000
  6. Michael Addamo – $1,650,000
  7. Justin Bonomo – $1,300,000
  8. Vadzim Lipauka – $1,000,000
  9. Georg Lehmann – $750,000

 

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP & PokerNews

Keep following PokerGuru for all the latest updates from the 2024 WSOP Paradise!

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