Unknown poker player Jerry Yang has won the largest and most prestigious prize of the year- the $8.25m first prize at the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas. Betfair punters made him the least likely player to win, offering odds of 19-1 before the final table of nine players started yesterday.
Yang’s aggressive style meant that he built the second smallest chip stack at the table into the largest and became the favourite in the in-running betting market on Betfair at 5-2 with three players remaining.
After seeing off South African player Raymond Rahme – who hit a betting low of 2-1 in-running – Yang was backable at odds of 1-10 with a 5-1 chip lead. His pocket eights beat Tuan Lam’s Ace Queen by making a straight on the river to take down the biggest prize in poker.
Danish player Philip Hilm was the chip leader and favourite at 9-2 going into the final table but he was the first to be dismissed in ninth place.
Jerry Yang announced that ten per cent of his $8.25m prize will go to three charities– The Make a Wish Foundation, Feed the Children and Ronald McDonald House.
Against the odds winner Yang became a US citizen after fleeing Laos and Thailand. He has never before participated in the World Series of Poker.
The World Series of Poker will come to London in September. For more information of the World Series of Poker Europe presented by BetfairPoker.com
World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Chip Count
1
$ 8,250,000
Jerry Yang
Betting high: 19-1
2
$ 4,840,981
Tuan Lam
Betting low: evens
3
$ 3,048,025
Raymond Rahme
Betting low: 2-1
4
$ 1,852,721
Alex Kravchenko
Betting low: 2-1
5
$ 1,255,069
Jon Kalmar
Betting low: 9-2
6
$ 956,243
Hevad "Rain" Khan
Betting low: 13-2
7
$ 705,229
Lee Childs
Betting low: 6-1
8
$ 585,699
Lee Watkinson
Betting low: 6-1
9
$ 525,934
Philip Hilm
Betting low: 3-1