Las Vegas, June 29, 2025 — The lights were bright, the air thick with tension, and the poker world watched with bated breath. At the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, Shiina Okamoto sat calmly, her eyes fixed and her mind composed, just as she had been a year ago. But this was not just another final table—this was a shot at history. And she delivered.
In a legendary run that will go down in poker history, Japan’s Shiina Okamoto achieved the extraordinary: winning back-to-back WSOP Ladies Championship titles. With her latest victory in Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship, Okamoto cemented her legacy as one of the greatest female players the game has ever seen.
The Road to Glory
After a runner-up finish in 2023 and a breakout victory in 2024, all eyes were on Okamoto as she returned to the final table in 2025 with a commanding chip lead. The stakes were higher than ever—not just for the $184,094 top prize, but for the rare chance to etch her name into WSOP folklore.
The field was massive, with 1,368 entries in this year’s event, proving once again the growing strength and diversity of the WSOP Ladies Championship. Okamoto didn’t just survive this field—she dominated it.
Final Table Results – Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shiina Okamoto | Japan | $184,094 |
| 2 | Heather Alcorn | United States | $122,654 |
| 3 | Stephani Hagberg | United States | $87,695 |
| 4 | Julie Huynh | United States | $63,517 |
| 5 | Sonia Shashikhina | Russia | $46,614 |
| 6 | Juliet Hegedus | United States | $34,667 |
| 7 | Sumire Uenomachi | Japan | $26,131 |
| 8 | Tanith Rothman | South Africa | $19,969 |
| 9 | Elisa Nakagawa | United States | $15,472 |
A Composed Champion: Shiina Okamoto’s Post-Win Reflections
Following her win, Okamoto spoke through a translator, expressing that her biggest weapon wasn’t aggression or luck—it was composure.
“I really believed I was going to win,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to force anything. I just stayed calm and focused on playing correctly.”
Her strategy? Adapt and outthink.
As the final table narrowed down to three players, Okamoto noted how her opponents adjusted their style. The subtle changes didn’t go unnoticed. “It took me some time to readjust,” she admitted. “But once I figured them out again, I knew I had the edge.”
In a moment that underlined the global respect for her achievement, poker legend Phil Hellmuth personally congratulated her on the rail—a sign of the legacy she is building, not just in Japan but across the international poker scene.
Action-Packed Final Day
The final day began with nine hopefuls, but the momentum quickly turned in Okamoto’s favor.
The first elimination came when Sumire Uenomachi, another Japanese talent, shoved ace-ten into Okamoto’s ace-queen and was promptly knocked out. From there, Okamoto controlled the tempo.
She busted Juliet Hegedus shortly after, winning a flip with ace-six over pocket fours. When Sonia Shashikhina, who began the day in a strong position, lost multiple pots and was left with just five big blinds, she pushed with king-seven only to run into Julie Huynh’s pocket aces.
One of the biggest hands came during four-handed play when Stephani Hagberg, who had kept pace with Okamoto chip-wise for most of the day, ran into trouble. With top pair, Hagberg challenged Okamoto’s two pair—and lost a pot that shifted the entire tournament.
Heather Alcorn, who started the day as a middle-stack, went on a short-lived tear. She doubled up twice, secured the pay jump to second place, and even won the first hand of heads-up play. But her final push with ace-deuce couldn’t overcome Okamoto’s pocket nines. The board ran dry, and the title stayed in Okamoto’s hands.
A Message to Aspiring Women in Poker
With three consecutive podium finishes—runner-up in 2023, champion in 2024 and 2025—Okamoto is now the face of the WSOP Ladies Championship. She acknowledged that the attention has caused players to change how they play against her, often calling lighter or adjusting their ranges.
“Some players tried to catch my bluffs or avoided giving me too much action,” she said. “But that just gave me more opportunities to trap them.”
Her advice to aspiring women poker players?
“Find the right mentor. Most people don’t learn poker alone. And learning from the wrong person can hurt you more than you think.”
This thoughtful insight reflects the maturity and wisdom of a player who not only understands the game but also understands what it takes to thrive in the long run.
Japan’s Rising Star and the Global Poker Community
Okamoto’s success speaks to a broader trend—the growing influence of Japan and Asia in global poker. With players like Masashi Oya, Tamon Nakamura, and now Shiina Okamoto, Asia is no longer just watching—it’s dominating.
As more women around the world enter poker, Okamoto’s back-to-back WSOP victories serve as a powerful symbol of what’s possible. Her name is now etched alongside the all-time greats of poker, and her legacy is only growing.
Final Thoughts: A WSOP Legend in the Making
Winning a WSOP bracelet is hard. Winning two is elite. But winning the same prestigious event back-to-back, against a field of over 1,300 skilled players, is simply historic.
In the world of poker in 2025, where live and online poker continue to blend and evolve, Shiina Okamoto’s story reminds us that discipline, focus, and self-belief still reign supreme.
And as the poker community grows more global and inclusive, the legend of Shiina Okamoto—Queen of the Felt—will inspire many more to take a seat at the table.
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Sources: pokernews