Highlights from Day 16 at the 2025 WSOP

Day 16 of the 2025 World Series of Poker produced two spectacular bracelet victories, with Jason Koon banking the series’ largest prize yet and Nick Schulman adding his seventh piece of WSOP hardware in dramatic fashion.

The sixteenth day of the 2025 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas delivered everything poker fans could want: million-dollar paydays, brutal coolers, and championship-level performances that will be remembered long after the final cards are dealt.

Koon Claims Biggest Prize of 2025 WSOP

Jason Koon’s dominance in high-stakes poker reached new heights on Day 16 as the 39-year-old West Virginian captured Event #32: $50,000 High Roller for a staggering $1,968,927 – the largest single prize awarded at this year’s WSOP. More importantly for Koon, this victory represents his second WSOP bracelet and propels him to third place on poker’s all-time money list with nearly $66 million in career earnings.

The PokerStars ambassador has been absolutely scorching hot recently, accumulating over $6.5 million since the start of May alone. This incredible run includes back-to-back victories at Triton Montenegro, where he claimed nearly $3.4 million in the $150,000 event while extending his record as the tour’s all-time title leader.

Koon’s path to victory wasn’t without drama. The final day began with a massive cooler that essentially shaped the entire tournament’s outcome. Facing 11th-place finisher Sean Winter, Koon’s pocket aces held against Winter’s pocket kings in a preflop confrontation that eliminated one of the field’s most dangerous players.

The real fireworks came during three-handed play in perhaps the most brutal cooler of the 2025 WSOP so far. With Andrew Lichtenberger holding a slight chip lead, a seemingly innocent button raise from Ben Tollerene with K♣7♣ triggered a chain reaction that would decide the tournament. Koon three-bet from the small blind with A♠A♥, prompting Lichtenberger to cold four-bet with K♥K♦ from the big blind. After Koon’s five-bet, Lichtenberger moved all-in for over 19 million chips – and Koon snap-called.

The A♦J♥3♣ flop gave Koon top set, and despite a sweat-inducing 10♥ turn that gave Lichtenberger a gutshot straight draw, the 10♦ river secured the massive pot and essentially the championship for Koon. The hand represented more than three-quarters of all chips in play and demonstrated why coolers at this level can be so devastating.

Lichtenberger showed remarkable resilience, doubling back immediately and even taking the chip lead briefly during heads-up play with expertly timed nut flushes. However, Koon’s experience and skill eventually prevailed when his K♦Q♠ held against Lichtenberger’s A♠10♦ on a king-high board to secure the title.

For Koon, this victory represents an evolution in his approach to tournament poker. No longer the WSOP grind-it-out player of his earlier career, he now selectively targets only the highest-value events while maintaining peak performance. “I just play when I want to now,” Koon explained after his victory. “When I play, I’m going to be on my A-game, and skip some tournaments. And whenever I show up, I’m ready to do the thing.”

Schulman Adds Seventh Bracelet in Epic Heads-Up Battle

While Koon was claiming the spotlight with the largest prize, Nick Schulman was busy cementing his legacy as one of the WSOP’s most dominant players. The 40-year-old’s victory in Event #30: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship earned him $497,356 and his seventh career bracelet, making him eligible for Poker Hall of Fame consideration.

Schulman’s path to victory required nearly seven hours of heads-up play against Darren Elias, widely considered the best tournament player without a WSOP bracelet. The marathon heads-up session showcased both players’ mastery of the demanding lowball format, with Schulman ultimately prevailing in what many observers called the toughest of his seven WSOP victories.

The emotional victory was particularly meaningful for Schulman. His last four WSOP victories have come against players seeking their first bracelet, and each time, Schulman has denied them their breakthrough moment. The pattern held true against Elias, who has now finished third in this very event twice before (2017 and 2019) and continues his quest for WSOP gold.

“I think Darren is kind of the best at this game,” Schulman said after the win, visibly emotional on the main stage. “It was really an honor to play with him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins a tournament every summer for the next six years.”

The event drew a record 233 entries, making it the largest 2-7 Single Draw Championship in WSOP history. The increased field size also highlighted the evolving strategic landscape in lowball poker, with tournament specialists like Alex Foxen bringing new theoretical concepts to clash with traditional draw specialists.

Additional Day 16 Champions

The bracelet parade continued with Jason Duong capturing Event #33: $1,500 Limit Hold’em for $130,061. Duong’s victory was particularly sweet as he improved on his seventh-place finish in the same event back in 2023, demonstrating the persistence and growth that defines successful tournament poker.

High-Stakes Drama Still Unfolding

As Day 16 concluded, several marquee events remained in progress with massive prizes and prestigious titles on the line. Belgium’s Thomas Boivin seized the chip lead in Event #38: $100,000 High Roller with 3,840,000 chips, positioning himself for a potential $2.5+ million payday. The field reads like a who’s who of poker royalty, including defending champion Chris Hunichen, Adrian Mateos, David Peters, Isaac Haxton, and Nick Petrangelo all advancing to Day 2.

The $3,000 Freezeout reached its final eight players with Ukraine’s Renat Bohdanov (9,150,000) leading the charge for the $451,600 top prize. Brazil’s Dennys Ramos sits second in chips, promising a raucous rail when play resumes as Brazilian poker fans are legendary for their enthusiastic support.

Sam Soverel topped the chip counts in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Championship, leading 27 survivors with elite competition including Brian Hastings, Shaun Deeb, and Hall of Famer Brian Rast still in contention.

Looking Ahead: Day 17 Promises More Fireworks

Day 17 brings the conclusion of multiple events and the launch of two new tournaments. The $3,000 Freezeout will crown its champion from the final eight, while the $100,000 High Roller continues its quest to determine poker’s next millionaire.

Two fresh events join the schedule: the $5,000 Seniors High Roller at noon and the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship at 2:00 PM. The Seniors event saw Mark Checkwicz capture the inaugural version in 2024, while John Racener will defend his Limit Hold’em title after claiming his third bracelet just two days ago.

With the Monster Stack Day 1b expecting around 2,000 players and the H.O.R.S.E. event featuring former hockey star Greg Mueller among the contenders, Day 17 promises to deliver even more of the high-stakes drama that makes the World Series of Poker the most prestigious tournament series in the world.

The 2025 WSOP continues to exceed expectations, combining record fields, massive prize pools, and world-class competition in a spectacle that reminds us why Las Vegas remains the poker capital of the world.