Michael Wang earned his third World Series of Poker bracelet. He captured Event #74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship for $1,394,579. Michael Wang defeated 874 entries across four days of competition.
The tournament generated an $8,128,200 prize pool. Players from around the world entered this championship event.
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What was the action on the final table?
Seven players battled for the WSOP bracelet on Day 4. Quan Zhou started with the chip lead at 16,750,000. Sean Rafael held second place with 13,250,000 chips. Then there was a huge gap to the rest of the field.
Alex Foxen eliminated in 7th place
Three-time WSOP bracelet winner Alex Foxen entered as the short stack. He held just 2,725,000 chips (approximately 10 big blinds). Foxen got all-in on an A♣10♠9♥ flop. He held K♠Q♠Q♦J♥ for a broadway wrap. Michael Wang showed A♠9♠9♦3♥ for bottom set.
Foxen had 40% equity after the flop. The 9♣ turn gave Michael Wang quads. Foxen collected $182,983 for seventh place. This marked his 12th final-table finish of the year.
Javier Francort falls short in 6th place
Javier Francort, who lead Day 1 and Day 2. tournament ended on the very next hand. The Dutch player got his stack in with K♠Q♣9♣5♣. Rafael held A♣J♠J♦4♥. The A♠J♣3♥ flop gave Rafael middle set. Francort picked up flush and gutshot straight outs when the 2♣ hit the turn. The K♥ river wasn’t enough. Francort earned $245,194 for sixth place. This became his largest live payday to date.
Melad Marji out in 5th place
Melad Marji committed his final 10 big blinds with Q♥10♠10♥9♥. Zhou called with A♠K♦J♦5♥. The A♦Q♣7♦ flop pushed Zhou into the lead. The J♥ turn gave Marji straight outs. The 3♦ river completed Zhou’s nut flush. Marji collected $334,017 for fifth place.
Sean Rafael misses top 3
Rafael started Day 4 with the second-largest stack. He eliminated Francort earlier but couldn’t reach the final three. Rafael’s aces were cracked by Michael Wang’s flopped set. This hand changed the tournament dynamics completely.
Quan Zhou out in 3rd place
Quan Zhou began as chip leader but slipped during three-handed play. His final hand developed on a 7♣5♥4♣K♥ board. Zhou held Q♦Q♣6♠5♠. Wang showed A♦A♣6♥5♣. The J♠ river kept Michael Wang’s aces in front. Zhou earned $650,567 for third place.
Michael Wang defeats Michael Zulker to win WSOP Event #74
Wang entered heads-up play with a commanding chip lead. He held 33 million chips against Zulker’s 19.5 million. Wang’s path to the final required an incredible comeback. He survived Day 3 with less than one big blind.
Heads-up play featured a crucial hand against Sean Rafael. Wang opened cutoff with A♥K♦4♠4♦ and called Rafael’s three-bet shove. Rafael held A♦A♣K♥10♦ but the board ran J♠9♠4♣J♣Q♣. Wang’s fours full eliminated Rafael.
The final hand decided the championship. Zulker limped button with A♣K♠10♥5♦ for 800,000. Wang raised to 2,400,000 from big blind holding Q♠J♣J♦8♠. The flop came J♥10♠10♦. Wang flopped jacks full. Zulker hit trip tens. Wang bet 1,800,000 and Zulker called. The A♠ turn gave Zulker tens full of aces. Wang bet 6,000,000 and Zulker continued. The 6♦ river completed the board. Wang moved all-in. Zulker called with his full house but Wang’s jacks full won.
Wang captured his third WSOP bracelet and $1,394,579. This topped his recent Wynn Summer Classic win. He earned $555,528 there just 18 days earlier. Zulker’s second place earned $929,688.
Final table payout
Event #74 paid 132 players from 874 entries. The field grew from 811 entries the previous year. This marks PLO’s continued growth at tournament poker’s highest levels.
Final table payouts:
- Michael Wang: $1,394,579
- Michael Zulker: $929,688
- Quan Zhou: $650,567
- Sean Rafael: $462,451
- Melad Marji: $334,017
- Javier Francort: $245,194
- Alex Foxen: $182,983
- Simeon Tsonev: $138,863
What made Event #74 a standout at WSOP 2025
Event #74 set new records at the 2025 World Series of Poker. The tournament drew 874 entries, breaking last year’s mark of 811 participants. Pot Limit Omaha continues gaining popularity at the highest stakes.
Players call Event #74 the “PLO Main Event”. The tournament featured hour-long levels with no re-buys. This structure created four days of high-level competition.
WSOP organizers scheduled three premium PLO events within one week. The $10,000 PLO Championship ran June 28. The $25,000 PLO followed on June 29. The $50,000 PLO concluded July 2. International players could enter all three events during one trip.
Wang’s Career-Defining Victory
Wang now holds three WSOP bracelets. He has earned over $5.6 million in live tournaments. His first bracelet came in 2015. Wang won a $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event. The second bracelet followed in 2021. He captured the $5,000 NLHE 6-Handed championship. This PLO victory shows Wang’s skill across poker variants. PLO requires different strategies than No-Limit Hold’em.
“Winning in PLO feels different,” Wang said. “The four-card format creates more variance and decision points. You need patience and precise hand selection to succeed.” Wang survived with less than one big blind on Day 3. His comeback ranks among recent WSOP history’s most remarkable.
The victory earned Wang 2,280 Player of the Year points. He also collected 1,100 PGT points. This moved him to eighth place on the PokerGO Tour leaderboard. Zulker achieved a breakthrough performance. His previous best cash was $120,358 from 2021. The $929,688 payday represents nearly an eightfold increase.
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FAQs
The prize pool for this event was $8,128,200, generated from a total of 874 entries.
Michael Wang won the event, earning $1,394,579. Michael Zulker finished second, taking home $929,688, and Quan Zhou came in third, winning $650,567.
With this victory, Michael Wang now has three WSOP bracelets to his name.
This event set a new record with 874 entries, surpassing the previous year’s turnout. It also featured a player-friendly schedule as part of a series of high-stakes PLO events.
Wang’s win not only earned him his largest career cash but also boosted his Player of the Year points and moved him to eighth place on the PokerGO Tour leaderboard.
As a PLO enthusiast with nearly 12 years of experience, I’m passionate about breaking down the complexities of Pot Limit Omaha, helping you sharpen your strategy and grow your bankroll – no matter your current level. I also share exclusive bonus and rakeback deals, along with discounts on poker courses and tools, so you can get an extra edge. When I’m not writing, you’ll usually find me online, playing PLO cash games and turbo MTTs.
