Ongoing WSOP controversy leads to suspensions of two involved individuals
In the recent 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Millionaire Maker event, a $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, a controversy unfolded between professional poker players Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll.
Yaginuma, who started the heads-up match with a commanding 9-to-1 chip deficit, managed to stage a remarkable comeback, ultimately winning the event and pocketing $1.26 million. Carroll, despite his initial lead, finished as runner-up with $1 million[1][4].
The controversy revolves around accusations of chip dumping, where Carroll allegedly lost chips intentionally to Yaginuma to help him win. Suspicious plays included Carroll making unusual large bets with weak hands and then folding to Yaginuma’s aggression, and Carroll not contesting many pots, which allowed Yaginuma's chip stack to grow quickly[1][2].
These behaviors led viewers and commentators to speculate that there was a prearranged agreement or collusion between the two, especially since Yaginuma stood to gain an additional $1 million bonus from ClubWPT Gold for winning first place in the Millionaire Maker event[2].
Following the allegations, the WSOP launched an official investigation and withheld confirming the final results, prize money, and awarding of the bracelet associated with the event[1]. Ultimately, both Yaginuma and Carroll were banned for life from Caesars properties, including future WSOP events in Las Vegas[2].
However, it's important to note that the WSOP Millionaire Maker tournament has no official winner, and the first and second place prize money will be split[1]. Neither Yaginuma nor Carroll has made a public statement about the controversy.
The poker community and media have been abuzz with discussions about this scandal, which has been described as one of the biggest in the 2025 WSOP summer series[3].
Interestingly, ClubWPT Gold, the company offering the bonus, confirmed it would pay out the $1 million prize despite the lack of an official winner[1]. In an interview with ClubWPT Gold, Yaginuma expressed excitement about winning the tournament[5].
Meanwhile, ClubWPT Gold leaned into the scandal rather than distancing itself from it, even joking about Yaginuma only getting to spend half of the $1 million prize[6]. GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu discussed the bans on his daily vlog[7].
It's still unclear if the players are banned from other WSOP events outside of Las Vegas. PokerOrg has not confirmed if the players are banned from other WSOP events[8]. The WSOP in Vegas is set to run at Caesars properties for another 19 years[9].
References:
- PokerNews
- PokerGuru
- PokerListings
- PokerStars Blog
- ClubWPT Gold Interview with Jesse Yaginuma
- ClubWPT Gold Joke about Yaginuma's Winnings
- Daniel Negreanu's Daily Vlog Discussion
- PokerOrg Confirmation of Bans
- WSOP Extends Agreement with Caesars
Despite the controversy surrounding the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Millionaire Maker event, ClubWPT Gold, the company offering a $1 million bonus, plans to honor the prize to the winner, Jesse Yaginuma. Meanwhile, Yaginuma's sports betting habits might have been diverted from the casino-and-gambling scene, with sports betting possibly becoming his new interest, given the ongoing attention towards sports, such as sports-betting scandals, in the poker community.
