In the ever-unpredictable world of poker, there are flips, there are heartbreaks—and then there’s a Daniel Negreanu final table. On the final day of Event #73: $2,500 Big Bet Mix at the 2025 World Series of Poker, poker fans witnessed all three. The tournament, known for its volatile structure and a carousel of big-bet poker variants, concluded with Florida’s Aaron Kupin capturing his maiden WSOP bracelet and a career-best $206,982 payday. Yet, it was Negreanu’s massive flip for his tournament life that set the crowd buzzing and ultimately tilted the narrative of the event.
Big Bets, Bigger Drama: The Nature of the Mix
The Big Bet Mix isn’t your average tournament. It fuses no-limit and pot-limit formats, creating a volatile mix of No-Limit Hold’em, 5-Card Draw, 2-7 Lowball Single Draw, Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), PLO8, Big O, and Triple Draw. Every hand demands concentration, and any lapse could send even elite pros to the rail.
That didn’t stop a field of 458 entries from taking their shot. And among them were some of poker’s biggest sharks: Brian Rast, Shaun Deeb, and Jordan Griff, all of whom failed to reach the final stretch.
Kupin’s Wire-to-Wire Domination
Aaron Kupin began the final day as chip leader and never looked back. He led 11 players into battle and, through a mix of sharp play and key hands, rode that momentum all the way to the title. As the final table began to take shape, some fan favorites and legends fell short — Hiroyuki Noda, Christopher Vitch, and Steve Billirakis all bowed out just before the official final seven.
Once the table was set, Kupin faced off against three bracelet winners — Jeff Madsen, Marco Johnson, and of course, Daniel Negreanu — each of whom had plans of their own.
Bariscan Betil’s Brutal Exit
Six-handed play came to a dramatic halt when Kupin and Bariscan Betil collided in a huge PLO hand. Betil made sixes full of kings on the turn, only to be outdrawn by Kupin’s jacks full of kings on the river. The brutal cooler sent Betil packing in sixth place for $30,369.
Madsen & Negreanu Bow Out
With the field shrinking, Jeff Madsen fell next, his pocket fours losing the classic race against Marco Johnson’s A-7. An ace on the flop ended Madsen’s run, and he collected $42,426 for fifth place.
Then came Daniel Negreanu’s moment—the one the rail had been waiting for.
Negreanu found himself all-in during a PLO hand against Kupin, who held top two pair on a J♦ 6♦ 4♠ Q♠ board. Negreanu’s draw was massive: a pair, wrap straight draw, and a flush draw with 9♦ 7♦ 5♠ 4♣. The river? A complete brick — the 2♣ — ending “Kid Poker’s” run in fourth place for $60,792. The sigh from the crowd was audible, and many of them left shortly after.
Kupin later described the hand as “pivotal.” “Everyone was there to support Negreanu,” he told PokerOrg. “We got it in basically flipping for a ton of money… and the deuce fell.”
Heads-Up: Marco Johnson vs Aaron Kupin
Following Ofir Mor’s third-place elimination at the hands of Kupin in a Triple Draw round, the final showdown was set. Kupin, still holding the chip lead, faced Marco Johnson—a seasoned pro with two WSOP bracelets and multiple deep runs at this year’s Series.
Despite Johnson’s experience, Kupin applied relentless pressure, gradually widening the chip gap. In the final hand, a round of No-Limit Single Draw, both players drew two cards. Johnson showed 9-8-6-5-3, but Kupin’s 9-6-5-4-2 sealed the deal.
Kupin spun around to embrace his rail, stunned but composed. “In my head I actually thought it would be more emotional,” he said. “But I’m just really happy to have a good support system here.”
Final Table Results – Event #73: $2,500 Big Bet Mix
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Kupin | $206,982 |
| 2 | Marco Johnson | $134,345 |
| 3 | Ofir Mor | $89,289 |
| 4 | Daniel Negreanu | $60,792 |
| 5 | Jeff Madsen | $42,426 |
| 6 | Bariscan Betil | $30,369 |
Kupin’s Future Plans
After such a dominant display, Kupin isn’t done yet. He’s already eyeing the $10K Eight-Game Mixed Championship next. But one thing’s certain: he will never miss the WSOP Main Event.
“I’ll play the Main every year til I die,” he said with a smile.
With an elite field, huge swings, and one of the most dramatic final tables of the Series, Event #73 delivered classic WSOP drama. While Kupin earned the bracelet, Negreanu’s big flip remains the talking point — a hand that once again proves how thrilling and cruel the game of poker can be.
About BetterPokerNews
At BetterPokerNews, we bring you real, timely, and engaging updates from the heart of the global poker world. Whether it’s WSOP drama, online poker breakthroughs, or profiles of rising stars, BPN is your trusted destination for news that matters to players and fans alike. We focus on the international scene, with deep dives, human stories, and pro-level analysis — because poker deserves better news.
Source poker.org
Images courtesy poker.org