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Millionaire Maker Finale: Nine Players Chase $1.25 Million and WSOP Gold
After four full days of play, the massive 11,769‑entry field has been carved down to the final nine contenders, each now within touching distance of the $1,250,000 top prize and a WSOP gold bracelet in Event #50: $1,500 Millionaire Maker at the World Series of Poker in the Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas.
The finalists bagged up with a wide spread in the counts, with Michael Monroig (73,900,000) set to return as the chip leader. He locked up the podium position after seeing to the elimination of Jed Friedman in the last hand of the night, setting the official final table line up. Monroig has already surpassed his previous best live cash of $32,800, and with total live earnings of $150,214, this marks the biggest spot of his career. He has cashed the WSOP Main Event twice, with his second deepest run earning him $32,500, and he is now guaranteed at least double his lifetime score.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garry Gurevich | United States | 13,000,000 | 9 |
| 2 | Bradley Gafford | United States | 25,500,000 | 17 |
| 3 | Alex Kim | United States | 32,700,000 | 22 |
| 4 | Michael Monroig | United States | 73,900,000 | 49 |
| 5 | Joseph Baghdalian | United States | 52,300,000 | 35 |
| 6 | Joseph Liberta | United States | 46,400,000 | 31 |
| 7 | Yifu He | United States | 15,100,000 | 10 |
| 8 | Halford Fairchild | United States | 24,700,000 | 16 |
| 9 | Jacob Gagnon | United States | 10,600,000 | 7 |
Joseph Baghdalian returns second in chips with 52,300,000 to his name and sits at a similar career earnings mark to Monroig. He built up his stack steadily throughout the day and wasn't afraid to take risks, successfully getting bluffs through to steal pots from his opponents. This event will go down as Baghdalian fifth WSOP cash and one of his most memorable. In 2022 he min‑cashed the WSOP Main Event and typically plays only local events in and around Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
One of the most seasoned players remaining is Joseph Liberta (46,400,000), who will return third in the counts with just over 30 big blinds. Liberta has been a regular on the poker circuit since 2011 and has played the WSOP for more than a decade. He is no stranger to the Millionaire Maker event as this will mark his fourth cash in the event, but this will be by far his largest. He has set himself up with a healthy stack, putting him in a good position to be able to surpass his biggest lifetime score.
The only bracelet holder still in contention is Bradley Gafford, who won the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Mini Main Event in 2023. Gafford’s presence was steady throughout Day 4, and he survived a critical moment late in the night when he peeled a flush on the river to double up and secure his seat at the final table. He is the last player hunting for a second bracelet after fellow champion Ryan Eriquezzo fell in 13th place, shortly after being knocked down by Alex Kim.
Short stacks Jacob Gagnon and Garry Gurevich return with ten big blinds apiece and will need to find early spots to climb. Gagnon enters as one of the underdogs but has already shown resilience. His stack took a hit late in the evening after he doubled up two opponents in quick succession. This event will mean a lot to Gagnon, as it marks his third ever live final table, with his best cash to date sitting at $7,849. With the next pay out set at $150,068 and the jumps steepening quickly, and the average stack size sitting at just over 20 big blinds, every pot now carries real weight.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,250,000 |
| 2 | $1,000,000 |
| 3 | $750,000 |
| 4 | $530,000 |
| 5 | $410,000 |
| 6 | $315,000 |
| 7 | $245,000 |
| 8 | $190,000 |
| 9 | $150,068 |
Play resumes at 3:30 p.m. local time today, with updates aligned to the stream (approximately 6 p.m.). Action restarts at Level 40 with blinds at 1,000,000/1,500,000 and a 1,500,000 big blind ante. There will be 15 minute breaks every two levels, and play will continue until a champion is crowned.
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Stay with PokerNews as we capture every key swing, elimination, and dramatic moment here at the 2026 WSOP in Las Vegas.