Triton Poker Series Jeju 2025: Sean Winter Captures Long-Awaited Triton Crown After Besting Mikita Badziakouski in Event #7: $40K NLH Mystery Bounty ($1.075 Million)

The Landing Casino in Jeju, South Korea, became the stage for a poker story of grit and eventual victory. Sean Winter (cover image), a seasoned 34-year-old American pro, finally grabbed that elusive Triton win he’d been chasing. He beat out a 223-entry field (149 unique players) in Event #7: $40K NLH Mystery Bounty at the Triton Super High Roller Series, stopping Mikita Badziakouski‘s run for a sixth Triton title.

The win was a breakthrough after 12 previous times in the money on the Triton Series, a sweet release after many close calls. With a gigantic $8.92 Million prize pool, the tournament wrapped up its main action late Tuesday night. The bounty drawing ceremony, a real spectacle of luck and fortune, was held the next day, adding another level of thrills.

Winter, after masterfully navigating a dangerous final table, pocketed a whopping $935,000 for taking first place. He also scooped up an additional $140,000 from three bounties, bringing his total take to a magnificent $1.075 Million.

❄️ Winter has officially arrived! 🏆

🇺🇸 Sean Winter has claimed his first Triton title, taking down Event #7 $40K Mystery Bounty at 🔱 Triton Poker SHRS Jeju 2025. It’s been a long time coming, and now Winter stands victorious.

Not only did he secure the $935K top prize, but he… pic.twitter.com/cgPnnb7x18

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 4, 2025

Beyond the cash, Winter’s achievement had a deeper meaning. He outlasted an incredibly tough final table and a tense, short-stacked heads-up battle against the five-time Triton champion Badziakouski that went into the early morning hours. The Belarusian runner-up, though missing out on another title, still walked away with a hefty $630,000, plus an extra $420,000 from a remarkable seven bounties, for a total haul exceeding $1 Million ($1.050 Million).

“The whole vibe, the atmosphere—it’s the best place to play,” Winter exclaimed, the joy of finally winning a Triton title clear in his voice.

The Florida native, and a Triton regular since 2023, had felt the sting of nine previous final table appearances without getting to the top spot. He carried the weight of those near misses, but finally, that spell was broken. “This feels particularly good because it’s three times as long as it’s been since I won a poker tournament,” Winter admitted to Triton reporters. “It’s been bothering me. I’ve had a lot of seconds and thirds. It’s a monkey off my back.”

His last live tournament win had faded into the distance, a January 2023 win at the PokerGO Cup Kickoff event. This victory, however, boosted his total live earnings to an astounding $34.80 Million, keeping him firmly in the top 15 of the US all-time money list.

A key moment against Badziakouski during the final table action kept his championship hopes on track. “Mikita is a great player,” Winter acknowledged, showing respect for the formidable opponent. “I had to get lucky in a few key spots, but I played my best.”

The final table was packed with big poker names. Jeremy Ausmus, Ben Tollerene, and Matthias Eibinger all fell before the combined force of Winter and Badziakouski. Eibinger, although finishing fourth, enjoyed a considerable payday. He collected an incredible 11 bounties, adding a remarkable $750,000 to his prize money, resulting in a total haul worth $1.113 Million.

However, the real bounty king, the player who struck it rich in the most unexpected way, was Lithuania’s Matas Cimbolas. His six bounties yielded an astonishing $1.08 Million. His partner, Greta, acting as his good-luck charm in the bounty-pulling ceremony, managed to dig up the single largest prize of $500,000, two $200,000 bounties, and a $100,000 bounty. It was an almost unbelievable run of luck, giving Cimbolas $1.151 Million from a tournament where he finished 12th, making him the biggest overall winner.

The Road to Glory: A Dramatic Story

The $40,000 Mystery Bounty event, with its unique format featuring two “bubble” periods, created layers of suspense and strategy, playing out dramatically over two days.

The $8.92 Million prize pool was split evenly between the main payouts and the mystery bounty prize pool, with each elimination earning a random bounty reward. Players who scored knockouts received sealed envelopes, which were opened in a special bounty-drawing ceremony a day after the event.

The first big moment arrived when the field was cut down to 56 players, kicking off the bounty phase. Yang Chongxian‘s elimination brought Day 1 to a close.

The second bubble, the more traditional money bubble, popped with Punnat Punsri‘s exit in 35th place. Punsri, a two-time Triton champion, tried a clever pre-flop limp with pocket aces, looking to bait his opponents. Matas Cimbolas, holding pocket nines, raised from the small blind. Punsri, sensing his chance, went all in. Cimbolas, with the bigger stack, made the call. Punsri’s aces were cracked, sending him packing in brutal fashion.

As time rolled on, the final table got closer. Cimbolas, however, saw his chip stack shrink. In a three-way all-in battle, his pocket kings were crushed by an Ace on the flop, leading to his and Rokas Asipauskas‘s elimination, thanks to Mikita Badziakouski.

Famous players like Phil Ivey (17th for $56,000), Chris Brewer (20th for $49,000), Patrik Antonius (28th for $35,000), Adrian Mateos (32nd for $35,000), and Masashi Oya (34th for $35,000) had already been knocked out.

Matthias Eibinger sent Eelis Parssinen out in ninth place, setting up the eight-handed final table. Badziakouski held the chip lead heading into the final stretch, a familiar spot for the experienced pro.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Mikita Badziakouski – 9,925,000 (66 BBs)
2. Ding Biao – 7,625,000 (51 BBs)
3. Klemens Roiter – 5,875,000 (39 BBs)
4. Jeremy Ausmus – 5,575,000 (37 BBs)
5. Sean Winter – 5,150,000 (34 BBs)
6. Ben Tollerene – 4,050,000 (27 BBs)
7. Matthias Eibinger – 3,650,000 (24 BBs)
8. Kahle Burns – 2,725,000 (18 BBs)

Jeremy Ausmus was looking for a second win in a week, riding a wave of success. Badziakouski, a Triton legend, was gunning for another title seven years after his first.

Kahle Burns, a former Triton champion, was the first to go at the final table, finishing eighth for $115,000, plus a solid $220,000 in bounties.

A huge clash between Jeremy Ausmus and Badziakouski saw Ausmus’s pocket jacks destroyed by Badziakouski’s that flopped top pair and straight draw, which filled into a full house on the river. Ausmus was out in seventh, taking home $157,000 and $40,000 in bounties.

Badziakouski’s dominance grew stronger. Ding Biao managed a short-lived double-up, but Winter scored a major one, bringing him nearly even with Badziakouski. Winter then landed the final blow on Ding, his two pair holding up against Ding’s open-ended straight draw. Ding left with $218,000 plus $260,000 in bounties.

Klemens Roiter’s ability to survive with a short stack kept him in the game, while Ben Tollerene‘s tournament ended in heartbreaking fashion, his made flush losing to Roiter’s. Tollerene earned $287,000.

At the break, Winter held a slim lead with 42 big blinds, closely followed by Badziakouski (28), Roiter (27), and Eibinger (14).

Eibinger, despite his chip disadvantage, had already piled up a mountain of bounties. He doubled up, but Roiter also doubled through Badziakouski, keeping up the relentless pressure.

The fierce competition continued a late-night, short-stack battle of wills. Matthias Eibinger, a master of this high-stakes format, eventually lost a crucial race to Roiter, finishing fourth for $363,000. His bounty earnings boosted his total winnings considerably, bringing his total to an incredible $1.113 Million.

Badziakouski got back on his feet with a double-up through Winter, followed by another through Roiter. The lead switched back to Badziakouski.

Winter edged ahead once more, but Badziakouski then took out Klemens Roiter, his Ace-Queen standing strong against Roiter’s Ace-Jack. Roiter’s impressive run ended in third place, earning him $441,000, plus $280,000 in bounties.

Heads-up play started with 56 big blinds in play. Mikita Badziakouski had 31 blinds to Sean Winter’s 25. The two rivals traded blows for nearly an hour, the blinds reaching extreme heights. Then, with stacks almost identical, Winter’s trips held up against a huge river bet from Badziakouski, leaving the Belarusian badly hurt.

The final hand was quick and decisive. Badziakouski shoved pre-flop with , and Winter made the call with . Badziakouski prayed for diamonds, but the board offered no succour. Sean Winter was, at last, a Triton champion.

The moment he’s been waiting for… In his tenth final table appearance, @Nolez7 IS a Triton Champion! 🔱🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/gmVGp8p6xg

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 5, 2025

Final Table Results (USD) (Including Bounties)

1. Sean Winter – $1,075,000
2. Mikita Badziakouski – $1,050,000
3. Klemens Roiter – $721,000
4. Matthias Eibinger – $1,113,000
5. Ben Tollerene – $287,000
6. Ding Biao – $478,000
7. Jeremy Ausmus – $197,000
8. Kahle Burns – $335,000

Content & Images Courtesy: Triton Poker

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