Event #74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
Day 4 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2025 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$8,128,200
Entries
874
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
The phrase “a chip and a chair” has been commonplace among tournament poker players for decades, referencing Jack Straus' 1982 Main Event victory after being left with a single chip.
Longtime tournament grinder Michael Wang found himself in a similar position yesterday after doubling up Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel in a hand that left Wang with just 65,000. Down to his last five chips, worth two-thirds of a big blind at the time, Wang was all in automatically the next hand just from posting the big blind. His elimination seemed all but guaranteed.
Instead, Wang pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in WSOP history, earning double up after double up until he ended the night with the second-largest stack on the penultimate day. Wang followed that up with a dominant final day performance leading to a victory in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship for his third bracelet and a career-best score of $1,394,579.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Wang | United States | $1,394,579 |
| 2 | Michael Zulker | United States | $929,688 |
| 3 | Quan Zhou | China | $650,567 |
| 4 | Sean Rafael | United States | $462,451 |
| 5 | Melad Marji | United States | $334,017 |
| 6 | Javier Francort | Netherlands | $245,194 |
| 7 | Alex Foxen | United States | $182,983 |
| 8 | Simeon Tsonev | Bulgaria | $138,863 |
Winner’s Reaction
“It still doesn’t feel real” the newly crowned champion commented following his victory. “The first one felt amazing. It was my first year of doing this full time and it happened right away. It felt like I didn’t deserve it. The second one was more validating, and now that it’s number three… It’s that feeling, but even more so. Obviously, I ran amazingly, but it doesn’t feel like a fluke anymore.”
Wang described being left with less than one big blind the day before, and on keeping a level head once he began making a comeback.
“Honestly it felt like a freeroll at that point. I already thought I had busted because when I lost that all-in that left me super short, I didn’t realize that I covered him by a little bit. With two thirds of a big blind there were no expectations, no pressure. The very first hand after I was left short, I was automatically all in from the big blind. I won that to triple up. I thought it would be funny if I somehow won. For that to happen, it’s just so unreal.”
Although the majority of Wang’s biggest cashes come from no-limit hold’em events, he’s no stranger to Omaha and he touched on his experience with the four-card variant.
“I have a bit of a background in PLO cash, more recently PLO tournaments. I’m not going to say I’m the best PLO player in the world. Wait, can I say that after winning this? I feel comfortable, and I’ve done some studying.”
Final Day Action
Just seven players remained going into the final day from a field of 874 entries, all of whom were guaranteed at least $182,983. Start-of-day chip leader Quan Zhou and Sean Rafael exchanged several pots early on for the chip lead but Wang scored the first knockout of the day. Alex Foxen had started the day short-stacked and got his last chips in with a pair of queens and a wrap, but failed to improve against Wang's top pair. Foxen was immediately followed out the door by fellow start-of-day short stack Javier Francort, who lost a preflop race to Rafael immediately after laddering up.
Following Francort's elimination Zhou, Wang and Rafael were close together at the top of the counts while Melad Marji and Michael Zulker were short. Zhou started to extend his lead over the other two players after making the nut-flush to eliminate Marji in another preflop race, but Wang closed the gap between him and Zhou after getting value with trip fives against Zhou's two pair.
Rafael's stack had slowly dwindled over the last few levels, but he found himself in an excellent spot to double holding aces against Wang, who had ace-king and two fours. A miraculous four on the flop left Rafael drawing thin and he became the next final table casualty after failing to improve while Wang pulled nearly even with Zhou going into three-handed play.
For nearly two hours the final three players battled, with Zulker doubling through Wang, and then Zhou to stay in contention. Wang remained near the top of the counts, winning several pots postflop off of Zhou who found himself short-stacked for the first time since play began. Zhou needed to make a move but did so at the wrong time, committing his stack against Wang with pocket queens and an open-ended straight draw on a king-high board. Wang had him crushed with pocket aces and the same straight draw, and held to send the high roller out in third.
Wang entered heads-up play with nearly a 2:1 chip lead over Zulker and it only took a few hands for a massive cooler to develop. Wang flopped top boat in a single-raised pot only for Zulker to turn an inferior full house. Wang bet the flop and turn before asking for all of it on the river. Zulker couldn't get away and called with tens full of aces only for Wang to turn over jacks full of tens. Wang raised his hands in the air in celebration of his third bracelet victory before shaking his opponent's hand and going on to celebrate with his rail.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but stay tuned to our live updates hub for all ongoing coverage of the 2025 WSOP.
Level 36
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Overcoming a field of 874 entries throughout four days of enthralling action, Michael Wang has captured his third World Series of Poker bracelet by wining Event #74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship. Wang made short work of Michael Zulker in heads-up action after a nasty cooler gave both players a full house. Wang will pocket his largest career score, and first of the seven-figure variety, with a cool $1,394,579.
A full recap of the final day, along with the winner's reaction, will be posted shortly. Here is a look at the final table payouts:
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Wang | United States | $1,394,579 |
| 2 | Michael Zulker | United States | $929,688 |
| 3 | Quan Zhou | China | $650,567 |
| 4 | Sean Rafael | United States | $462,451 |
| 5 | Melad Marji | United States | $334,017 |
| 6 | Javier Francort | Netherlands | $245,194 |
| 7 | Alex Foxen | United States | $182,983 |
| 8 | Simeon Tsonev | Bulgaria | $138,863 |
Level 36
: 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Michael Zulker limped in on the button with A♣K♠10♥5♠ and Michael Wang raised it up to 2,400,000 in the big blind with Q♠J♣J♦8♠. Zulker called and the flop of J♥10♠10♦ smacked both players in the face, however Wang was left with a full house.
Wang led out with a bet of 1,800,000 and Zulker just called to see the A♠ on the river. Zulker also picked up a full house but it was no good against that of his opponent. Wang reached back for a bet of 6,000,000 and Zulker still called.
The river was the insignificant 6♦ and Wang asked for it all. Zulker quickly called off his last 7,600,000 both players realized the cooler that was delivered early in the heads-up match. Wang put his hands in the air before shaking the hand of Zulker as a three-time WSOP bracelet winner.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
52,400,000
16,000,000
|
16,000,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 36
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Michael Zulker was allowed to make it 2,100,000 on the button with A♠8♣5♥4♦ and Michael Wang defended from the big blind with A♦K♦J♣8♥. The flop came K♣4♥2♣ and Wang check-called a bet of 1,400,000 from Zulker.
The K♠ landed on the turn and both players checked to the 8♠ on the river. Wang filled up and checked one more time. Zulker made a wise check-back and Wang collected the chips in the middle.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
36,400,000
3,500,000
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
16,000,000
3,500,000
|
3,500,000 |
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Michael Wang limped in on the button with a rainbow 10♠8♥6♦2♣ and Michael Zulker just checked his big blind with A♠10♦4♠3♣. The flop came Q♠7♣2♠ and Zulker check-called a bet of 1,000,000 from Wang.
The turn brought the J♦ and Zulker checked again. Wang checked it back and the 7♥ paired the board on the river. Zulker led out with a bet of 1,800,000 after missing his flush draw and Wang let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
32,900,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
19,500,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Michael Wang opened to 1,800,000 from the button and Quan Zhou defended from the big blind.
The flop came 5♥4♣7♣ and Zhou check-called a 2,200,000 continuation bet from Wang.
Zhou shoved for 3,850,000 on the K♥ turn and Wang snap-called with a covering stack to put him at risk.
Quan Zhou: Q♦Q♣6♠5♠ 
Michael Wang: A♦A♣6♥5♣
Wang had an overpair and the nut-flush draw while Zhou could only catch one of two queens to double up. Wang's aces stayed best on the J♠ river to eliminate Zhou in third place and enter heads-up play against Michael Zulker with a sizable chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,175,000
5,450,000
|
5,450,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
19,550,000
3,000,000
|
3,000,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Michael Zulker limped in from the small blind with A♥K♥10♣4♦ and Quan Zhou raised to 1,800,000 in the big blind with A♣Q♣9♣3♦. Zulker called and the dealer fanned the flop of 8♠5♦3♠.
Both players checked to the J♥ on the turn and Zulker led out with a bet of 1,800,000. Zhou called and neither player had a pair heading to the 4♣ on the river. Zulker sized up a bet of 2,200,000 on the river and Zhou mulled it over for a minute before throwing his hand into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,550,000
6,400,000
|
6,400,000 |
|
|
11,150,000
5,700,000
|
5,700,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 35
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
