Alan Pham won the WPT Australia and surpassed $1 million in prize money

Alan Pham became the champion of WPT Australia 2025, winning $364,958 and surpassing $1 million in career earnings. The tournament attracted 600 entrants in Sydney.

At the end of September 2025, the prestigious World Poker Tour Australia festival concluded at The Star Sydney casino. The festival ran from September 18 to October 1. The main event of the series was the WPT Australia Championship with a $5,500 AUD buy-in, attracting 600 participants and a prize pool of $1,961,000 USD. The winner was Australian Alan Pham, who not only took home the top prize of $364,958 USD, but also surpassed the $1 million mark in live tournament winnings according to Hendon Mob, and his name is now forever engraved on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup. Final Table: All Australians and Intense Competition The final table, which was broadcast live on YouTube, was made up entirely of Australian players. Six players battled for the title: Alan Pham Jordan Bautista Jiaxu Chen Corey Kempson Luo Ming Liu Jarrod Thatcher Jordan Bautista finished in second place, earning $243,013 USD, but was unable to claim his first major title. Also competing at the final table were Jiaxu Chen, Corey Kempson, Luo Ming Liu, and Jarrod Thatcher, each of whom demonstrated a high level of play. Detailed Breakdown of the Final Table Action According to official WPT updates, it took 145 hands to determine the champion. Alan Pham started the final table with the second largest stack, holding over 100 big blinds, second only to Jordan Bautista, who had nearly twice as many chips. The game began with Bautista dominating: he knocked out Jiaxu Chen when his pocket sevens made a set against his opponent’s king-jack. Shortly after, Bautista eliminated Corey Kempson. Then Pham took the initiative, knocking out Luo Ming Liu when his jacks beat Liu’s queen-eight. The next player to bust was Jarrod Thatcher, who lost to Bautista: his king-jack couldn’t beat his opponent’s ace-king. Thatcher received $179,094 USD for third place. In heads-up play, Pham gradually closed the gap and then took the lead after making a full house. In the decisive hand, Bautista three-bet all-in with ace-high, but ran into Pham’s two pair, and after the turn card, his chances of winning were gone. That’s how the tournament champion was decided. Final Table Results of the WPT Australia Championship 2025 Place Player Prize (USD) 1 Alan Pham $364,958 2 Jordan Bautista $243,013 3 Jarrod Thatcher $179,094 4 Luo Ming Liu — 5 Corey Kempson — 6 Jiaxu Chen — The prizes for 4th–6th places were not specified in the source. Alan Pham: The Road to a Million in Winnings and a Historic Victory This victory was the biggest of Alan Pham’s career. Previously, his best result was first place at the Asian Poker Tour Vietnam 2023, where he won $84,606 USD. That same year, he also became the WPT Prime Gold Coast High Roller champion, earning $47,710 USD. Now, Pham has added the WPT Main Event champion title to his achievements, and his total live tournament winnings have surpassed $1 million. After his win, Pham admitted in an interview with WPT host Lynn Gilmartin that he couldn’t believe what had happened and felt like he was dreaming. Context: The WPT Australia Series and Other Festival Events The WPT Australia Championship is one of the key events on the region’s poker calendar. Last year, the title and $398,512 USD were won by well-known pro and former tennis player James Obst. In addition to the main event, the 2025 festival schedule included: $20,000 AUD Super High Roller — a tournament for players with the biggest bankrolls; $5,000 AUD Mad Max 8-Handed — an event with an unusual eight-handed table format; $1,500 AUD Australian Poker Cup — an affordable tournament for a wide audience. The final table of the championship can be watched in full on the official WPT YouTube channel. Poker Formats and Terms: Explanations for Readers Buy-in — the amount a player pays to enter a tournament. In this case, the buy-in was $5,500 AUD. Final table — the last stage of a tournament, where the remaining six players gather at one table to play for the main prizes. Big blind — a mandatory bet made by one of the players at the table to stimulate action. Set — a hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, for example, three sevens. Full house — a hand made up of three cards of one rank and two of another (for example, three jacks and two eights). Three-bet all-in — a re-raise to put all your chips in after a previous raise. Heads-up — the final stage of a tournament when only two players remain at the table. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Alan Pham’s victory in the WPT Australia Championship shows that even players who aren’t world-famous can achieve major success on the international stage. For PPPoker club members, this is an inspiring example: regular play and skill development in online clubs can be excellent preparation for high-level live tournaments. The strategies that bring success in major live events are often applicable to online tournaments on PPPoker as well. It’s important to focus on stack management, study your opponents’ play, and not be afraid to make tough decisions in key hands. Additionally, participating in club tournaments with different formats (such as 8-max or heads-up) helps broaden your poker horizons and prepares you for any situation at the table. Follow major events, learn from the best — and maybe the next big win will be yours!