The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has thrown out the results of its popular $1,500 “Millionaire Maker” event. This decision came after they finished looking into suspected cheating during the final one-on-one play.
Chip Dumping Claims Lead WSOP to Cancel Millionaire Maker Winner
The WSOP took this step because many people questioned Jesse Yaginuma’s amazing comeback against James Carroll in the final match at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. Yaginuma started the face-off at a big disadvantage — Carroll had nine times more chips. Yet, Yaginuma managed to beat Carroll and won the top prize of over $1.25 million.
The return to the game, though, turned into a hotbed of dispute. Many people watching online doubted the match’s fairness after seeing Carroll put up little fight in important hands, often folding and letting Yaginuma gain ground through unchallenged pots. This sparked claims that Carroll might have “chip dumped,” which WSOP rules define as betting to boost another player’s stack.
On Monday night, WSOP released an official statement confirming they would not recognize a winner for the event. The statement noted that, in order to maintain fairness and adhere to the tournament rules, the event would not have an official champion. WSOP will also hold back the championship bracelet. The two final players will split the remaining prize money.
ClubWPT Honors $1M Bonus for Yaginuma Despite WSOP Disqualification
The event caught more eyes because of a promo ClubWPT Gold was running. They promised a $1 million bonus to any of their ticket holders who won a WSOP event. Yaginuma had one of these tickets, which he got from a ClubWPT contest before. Carroll did not have one. This bonus offer made people wonder if money might have swayed how the match turned out.
Yaginuma, a skilled player with several WSOP online wins and millions in career winnings, said no to any pre-arranged deal or team-up in a talk after the event. Even though the WSOP ruled against it, ClubWPT Gold has decided to give Yaginuma the full $1 million bonus, reports say, despite the tournament being called off.
Carroll, a well-known pro with two World Poker Tour titles and a good record in live games, has not spoken about what happened. This disqualification ended the tournament, which had almost 12,000 players, in a way never seen before. It makes people wonder about how rules are enforced and watched over in high-stakes poker.