WSOP Milly Maker Scandal: No Bracelet, Payouts Honored — Did WSOP Ban ‘Bad Actors’?

A number of days after the biggest scandal we noticed on the 2025 World Collection of Poker, WSOP officers have come out with the official decision, saying that no bracelet might be awarded within the Millionaire Maker occasion, whereas the prize cash might be awarded, break up evenly between Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll.

For the context, Yaginuma and Carroll have been accused of collusion and chip dumping of their heads-up skirmish, as a consequence of the truth that Yaginuma stood to get an additional $1,000,000 for a win from a separate ClubWPT Gold promo.

We coated all the main points within the earlier article printed shortly after the event was over, however briefly, Yaginuma did find yourself profitable, getting back from an enormous chip deficit, and doing it in a method that raised many eyebrows and led to WSOP placing a cease on the payouts pending an investigation.

No Bracelet for the Winner

Opposite to some predictions, the investigation didn’t take very lengthy, and the outcomes didn’t come as a lot of a shock.

WSOP determined that no bracelet might be awarded in Occasion #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker. As a substitute, each Yaginuma and Carroll have been formally awarded second place, with the prize cash break up evenly between the 2. So, each gamers get simply over $1.1 million every.

Nevertheless, there’s a chance that the 2 may be banned from the World Collection of Poker. Whereas the ban was not talked about within the unique tweet, fairly a couple of individuals commented on X/Twitter that Carroll and Yaginuma have the truth is been banned.

At this second in time, there is no such thing as a official affirmation both method, whereas the poker neighborhood stays break up on whether or not the duo ought to face a harsher punishment or if denying a bracelet is sufficient.

As for the $1,000,000 bonus, ClubWPT Gold confirmed shortly after the scandal broke out that they are going to be paying the winner, so regardless of not formally profitable the bracelet, Jesse Yaginuma nonetheless received to choose up the additional million, which, presumably, was the entire cause behind maybe the weirdest heads-up in poker historical past.

Did WSOP Do the Proper Factor & Classes Discovered?

The second the WSOP introduced they have been doing an investigation, it was clear that, it doesn’t matter what the choice was, there’d be part of the neighborhood not pleased with the result.

It was a somewhat unprecedented state of affairs, as no matter Carroll and Yaginuma did or didn’t do, it had no affect on different gamers within the event. So, it was a secure wager that they’d receives a commission it doesn’t matter what.

On the identical time, the optics of the heads-up match did no favor to the WSOP model, the power of which is intently tied to the worth of bracelets. To have a participant seemingly throw away a shot at profitable one with out a care on this planet is just not nice, to say the least.

In mild of all of the details, the decision appears pretty balanced and affordable, though the query of whether or not gamers have been banned or not nonetheless hangs within the steadiness. If the ban is issued, it in all probability gained’t be for all times, they usually’ll finally be allowed again.

What’s completed is finished, as there is no such thing as a method to return in time and alter issues. Nevertheless, the entire scandal, which is able to seemingly be dubbed Milly Maker-gate or one thing alongside these traces, may usher in some modifications on the WSOP concerning deal-making guidelines and outdoors promotions.

In the long run, the entire thing may find yourself being a internet constructive, serving to form the Collection’ future in order that it maintains the attraction it’s had for many years whereas additionally adapting to the modern-day poker surroundings and adjusting sure guidelines in order that they cowl a wider vary of conditions and circumstances.