Masashi Oya Wins WSOP Paradise $100,000 Ultra High Roller Championship for $2,940,000; Koon Finishes Second
The biggest buy-in of the 2023 World Series of Poker Paradise here at Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas has come to a close as Masashi Oya takes down Event #9: $100,000 Ultra High Roller Championship, taking home the bracelet and the first-place prize money of $2,940,000! Finishing in the runner-up spot just shy of the ultimate goal was Jason Koon who will take home $1,817,000 for the second-place finish.
The tournament ran over the course of three days and brought in 111 total entries helping the prize-pool grow to a staggering $11,100,000. When the third and final day began, 10 players remained and after starting the final day with the chip lead and never letting it go, Oya stands alone atop what was an absolutely stacked field of high roller regulars.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Masashi Oya | Japan | $2,940,000 |
| 2nd | Jason Koon | United States | $1,817,000 |
| 3rd | Leon Sturm | Germany | $1,322,000 |
| 4th | Quan Zhou | China | $976,000 |
| 5th | Nick Schulman | United States | $731,000 |
| 6th | Ivan Luca | Argentina | $555,000 |
| 7th | Ben Heath | United Kingdom | $430,000 |
| 8th | Danny Tang | Hong Kong | $336,000 |
Winner's Reaction
Oya expressed through a translator that he was absolutely elated to take down his first bracelet in such a huge tournament. The accomplishment was made even more special by the fact that the victory doubles his lifetime career live earnings and that it will be only the ninth bracelet to ever head home with a player from Japan. Oya isn't done in The Bahamas yet, though, as he plans to finish out the WSOP Paradise before heading to Las Vegas for the WPT World Championship where he'll look to put himself in position to chase down another seven-figure score.
Action of the Day
The unofficial final table of nine was reached when Leonard Maue lost to the ace-high of Koon before exiting in 10th. Lucas Greenwood was soon to follow after finding the exit in a sick three-handed preflop all in situation that saw aces cracked by queens. Danny Tang followed shortly thereafter when he called off from the big blind only to be out-flopped and sent home in eighth. Ben Heath became the seventh-place finisher after a the runout gave Oya a runner-runner straight to crack the aces of Heath and send him out the door.
Ivan Luca found the rail in sixth place during the same level as Heath after getting his remaining chips all-in with king-high and remaining unimproved after five cards.
The final table lost it's most decorated member when four-time WSOP bracelet winner Nick Schulman lost a preflop all-in from a dominating position when Koon spiked a king on the turn to close the door on bracelet number five for Schulman. Quan Zhou got in less than ten blinds against the eventual champion and couldn't stave off elimination when Oya turned a straight to send Zhou out the door.
Leon Sturm was pushed close to the door in what became a massive pot where Sturm bet huge on the river with two pair only to lose to the small flush of Oya and be left with only one big blind. He would bust at the hands of Koon the following deal, setting up the heads up battle to follow.
Unfortunately for Koon, that battle was short-lived as only a few hands into the heads up play, Koon would call off his remaining chips to a river jam from Oya. When the cards were on their backs, Koon showed a straight to the nine only to have his suspicions confirmed when Oya turned over a straight to the ten to end the high stakes crusher's run at a second bracelet.
That concludes coverage of the biggest buy-in The Bahamas has to offer, but keep it pinned to PokerNews as we provide live coverage of all remaining events here at the 2023 WSOP Paradise from Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas!