Fifteen-years after making a deep run in the World Series of Poker Main Event, Jonathan Tamayo finished the job and is the last player standing of the largest WSOP tournament in its 55-year history. He wins $10 million and a giant bracelet loaded with gems he could probably wear as a belt.
The four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner secured his first bracelet in the biggest tournament the world has ever seen. The 10,112 entrants broke last year’s attendance record by 69 players. Tamayo made it to the final table on Sunday, and then pushed through to the final three, who returned to the Horseshoe Las Vegas to finish the tournament, yesterday.
With a boisterous a rail that included 2015 Main Event champion, friend and summer roommate Joe Mckeehan at his back, the long-time pro who brought in just over $2 million in lifetimes winnings found himself heads-up against amateur Jordan Griff after Niklas Astedt — an online expert who plays massive volume — was bounced after only nine hands.
“Not real life. My roommate’s picture is right there from 2015. We both have banners now. What in the world just happened,” Tamayo said afterwards. “Leading up to it, Joe was just like, play your game. I realized you’re never going to play perfect poker, and weird things happen, and it’s just unreal.”
Griff wins $6 million for his deep run, while Astedt takes $4 million home to Sweden.
Besides his rail, the poker Gods were on Tamayo’s side and if a flip went the other way, this story would be about Griff’s improbable run to the championship. A supply chain manager, Griff brought less than $50,000 in lifetime tournament winnings to the table.
Griff was one board away from becoming the Main Event champion. Holding pocket sevens, he called an all-in push and both of the players found themselves in the race of their lifetimes. Tamayo, holding KT, flopped a king-high straight to survive and take a small lead that would soon again disappear after he paid off Griff’s made set with a pair a few hands later.
But Tamayo again chipped away at Griff’s lead until the final hand, where he flopped two-pair with 83. Griff hit top-pair holding 96, and couldn’t get away from the massive shove on the flop, and that was the end of the amateur.
Tamayo’s top cash before taking down the Main Event was in the 2009 Main when he made it all the way to 21st, good for $352,832. He also made a deep run in 2015 when he finished 78rd.
Right after winning all the chips, he took a selfie while the media grabbed their own images.
“I’m just kind of taking it in right now. Because this perspective, and actually, let’s take a perspective photo just so I can have one for myself. This is what it looks like from here,” Tamayo said.
Vice-president of the WSOP Jack Effel gave McKeehan the honor of presenting his friend with the bracelet.
“This guy has been on the grind for 20 years now. He’s always been there for me and I’d like to be for him as well,” McKeehan said. “He’s a great friend, a great guy, and now he’s going to share a banner with me up there with all the other Main Event winners and let me tell you, this was incredible being able to watch it from the other side, too. He was there for me when I won and (I thought) I’m going to be here when he wins. And I’m very happy to present him with this 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event champion bracelet,” he said.
And the crowd went wild as Tamayo held the chunky prize up over his head.
| Place | Player | Country | Payout (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Tamayo | United States | $10,000,000 |
| 2 | Jordan Griff | United States | $6,000,000 |
| 3 | Niklas Astedt | Sweden | $4,000,000 |
| 4 | Jason Sagle | Canada | $3,000,000 |
| 5 | Boris Angelov | Bulgaria | $2,500,000 |
| 6 | Andres Gonzalez | Spain | $2,000,000 |
| 7 | Brian Kim | United States | $1,500,000 |
| 8 | Joe Serock | United States | $1,250,000 |
| 9 | Malo Latinois | France | $1,000,000 |
