Jonathan Tamayo Wins Main Event WSOP 2024 ($10M)

In 2009, Jonathan Tamayo placed 21st in the WSOP Main Event ($352K). He believed that the chance to deep run a Main Event comes only once in a lifetime. But 15 years later, fate gave him another chance, and he seized it 100%.

The Five Key Hands of Jonathan Tamayo in the $10K WSOP Main Event

This tournament was not an easy ride for Tamayo. Most of the time, he remained in the middle or lower part of the chip count.

Tamayo’s Rank in the Main Event Day by Day

End of Day	Rank
1	–
2	311 / 2,068
3	121/1,524
4	387/464
5	37/160
6	19/59
7	13/18
8	7/9
9	3/3

Hand #1: Lucky Double up at Day 4 

Tamayo shoved 10 BB with AQ and beat JJ. At first glance, it was a standard coin flip. But everything aligned perfectly: opponents on the blinds folded a jack each, and another player folded AK. If this hand had played out differently, Tamayo would have been eliminated long before the final table.

Hand #2: Double up at 6-max vs Jordan Griff

As the shortest stack, Tamayo went all-in for 12 BB with A9o against Jordan Griff’s AKo. A nine came on the river, and Tamayo moved up to third in the chip count.

Hand #3: Double up at 6-max vs Nicklas Astedt 

A few hands later, Tamayo doubled up again without any trouble. Astedt opened with TT, and Tamayo defended his BB with KQ. Both players hit the flop: AJT – three of a kind for Astedt and a straight for Tamayo. Tamayo check-called three streets (all-in on the river).

Hand #4: The Hand That Changed the Heads-up Dynamics

The heads-up against Jordan Griff lasted about 4 hours. Griff built a three-to-one lead, but Tamayo managed to come back. The key hand was an all-in with KTo against 77 for a 77 BB pot – Tamayo made a straight on the flop.

Hand #5: Final Hand of the Tournament 

Effective stack = 48 BB. Tamayo opened with 83o. Griff called with 96o. The flop was 983. Tamayo bet, got raised, and went all-in. The turn and river were blanks.

2024 WSOP Main Event Final Table Payouts

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Jonathan Tamayo		$10 million
2	Jordan Griff		$6 million
3	Niklas Astedt		$4 million
4	Jason Sagle		$3 million
5	Boris Angelov		$2.5 million
6	Andres Gonzalez		$2 million
7	Brian Kim		$1,5 million
8	Joe Serock		$1.25 million
9	Malo Latinois		$1 million

After the victory, Tamayo thanked Joe McKeehen and Dominik Nitsche for their help and support.

Fun fact: Joe McKeehen won the Main Event in 2015 – Jonathan Tamayo was on the left in the photo after the win. Nine years later, the roles switched.

About Jonathan Tamayo

Jonathan Tamayo learned about poker while studying at Cornell University, where he majored in hotel management. He plays mostly at home in Houston and has been coming to Las Vegas for the WSOP regularly since 2007. However, the last time he reached the final table was in 2011.