WSOP 2025 Roundup – Scott Bohlman and Michael Lavin Win Second Bracelets

The WSOP 2025 is now in full swing after almost two weeks of action. We have seen the usual mix of elation and tears and there are still five and a half weeks to go!

Benny Glaser is the man who has impressed the most so far, but plenty of other names are having their moments in the sun, too, such as Ryan Hoenig who won Event #18: $10,000 Dealers Choice Championship last night.

Mixed Games Specialist Scott Bohlman Wins Second Bracelet

Scott Bohlman snatched victory in Event #17: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em after outlasting a field of 1,692 players. The American banked a $436,044 slice of the $3,011,760 prize pool while his defeated heads-up opponent, Dusti Smith, took home a respectable $290,588.

Bohlman won his first WSOP bracelet back in 2018 and has made plenty of final tables since then but the second bracelet had eluded him, until now.

Only last week he had a fourth place finish in Event #8: $1,500 Mixed Games: Dealer’s Choice 6-Handed, which is much more his usual environment. Mixed games all the way for the American. In fact, he said he hasn’t won a big NL event for 25 years.

When play got down to three-handed, it was Bohlman and Smith going at it hammer and tongs in one pre-flop battle after another. Utterly fearless they were.

But it was Umesh Babusukumar who fell by the wayside slowly and he was then finished off by Bohlman when he rivered the nuts on a four-flush board.

Heads-up was postponed until the following day but it was a quick job by Scott Bohlman. It was all over when Smith jammed it in with Q♠ 4♠  and Bohlman called it off with 6♦ 6♠.

The board ran out A♥ 2♦ 5♥ 2♠ 6♣ and Bohlman had his second bracelet while Smith was still waiting for her first.

Event #17: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results

Michael Lavin Last Man Standing in $1,500 NL Shootout

Michael Lavin was another two-time winner crowned on Day 11 after seeing off his rivals in a field of 1,299 entrants. The American was awarded his second bracelet after taking down Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em SHOOTOUT.

This event is one of the more interesting formats where players must survive Day 1 and Day 2 by being the last player standing at their table.

Day 3 is played like a regular freezeout and there were 15 players returning to the playing hall to challenge for the coveted gold bracelet.

When the final nine was set, Michael Lavin stepped up a gear and pretty much swept the opposition aside. Out of his eight rivals, he knocked out seven of them.

One of those was Thai superstar Punnat Punsri who made an untimely call with second pair after the queen-high flop saw another queen arrive on the turn and Lavin, of course, had the goods.

Michael Rossitto pushed hard to challenge Lavin in the heads-up fight but he didn’t even hold the lead at any stage. Lavin was simply unstoppable.

Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em SHOOTOUT Final Table Results

Zachary Zaret Wins Maiden WSOP Title

Zachary Zaret took down Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better for a $248,245 payday and to chalk up another bracelet for Canada.

He led the way as the final table lined up but it was far from straightforward to convert his advantage.

Zaret had actually come close to busting once the bubble was passed but the double-ups came just when they were needed to put him right back in contention.

But like we mentioned, it was far from easy with several multiple bracelet winners left in the field. Andres Korn, Bryce Yockey, Christopher Vitch, and Marco Johnson were all still fighting on.

In the end it all came down to only two hands heads-up against five-time bracelet winner Calvin Anderson.

Both players were still deep stacked but Anderson stacked off with a flopped two pair and low draw, with Zaret having a better low draw and flush draw. The flush arrived on the turn and then it was all over.

Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results

Aloisio Dourado Finally Gets the Bracelet He Deserves

Aloisio Dourado has finally won the bracelet he deserved after taking down Event #23: $1,500 Badugi by defeating Dominick Sarle to claim the title.

The Brazilian laid plenty of demons to rest as memories were no doubt flooding back from two years ago when he failed to beat Shaun Deeb in a $1,500 eight-game mix event. He came so close that night but there’s no shame in losing to a player such as Deeb.

Last night he got over the line to bag the bracelet and was understandably emotional as he gave an short interview.

“It means a lot to me. I’m feeling very fortunate to be here, to be able to play and to be able to fly from Brazil three years in a row, trying to win a bracelet. 

“I came second to Shaun Deeb two years ago in the eight-game mix, and was ready to come here and do it again. I made the final table and this time I was able to close it out and win it, so I’m very happy.”

He was also complimentary towards his mixed games colleagues for their general attitude while playing, and even poured a little scorn on the NL Hold’em specialists.

“I think that the atmosphere with No-Limit Hold’em, the bots that play, it’s not nice playing with ten robots who don’t speak, don’t smile, don’t do anything. It’s not inviting to play, for new players and old players. I really like the mixed games, especially the draw games.”

Event #23: $1,500 Badugi Final Table Results

Mark Patrickson

Professional Poker Journalist

Mark Patrickson is a poker journalist with over ten years of experience. He writes for VIP-Grinders.com, sharing his deep knowledge of poker. He creates interesting content about poker strategy, trends, and news for poker fans worldwide. [more]