Bernhard Binder Wins 2025 Super Main Event for $10m at WSOP Paradise

Bernhard Binder had never won a fraction of the amount he did this week in The Bahamas. Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island became his playground in the WSOP Super Main Event as he swept all before him aside, winning the $10m top prize and beating French poker legend Jean-Noel Thorel heads-up. Others to cash for millions at the final table included the long-time player and industry man Terrance Reid, along with experienced tournament player Natasha Mercier.

Mercier Unable to Provide a Miracle

While the narrative of the last event to finish at the 2025 WSOP Paradise festival was, to some extent, controlled by Jean-Noel Thorel, it was a final table with many powerful stories. Chief amongst those was the presence of Natasha Mercier, the wife of multiple WSOP bracelet winner Jason Mercier and a notoriously dedicated player in her own right.

Mercier started the final table well, but one player who couldn’t ape that behavior was the Argentinian Franco Spitale. All-in and at-risk with ace-jack, Spitale couldn’t win as Eric Wasserson woke up with pocket queens. Unlike yesterday against Benny Glaser, there was no slowroll this time, as ‘E-Was’ turned over the cards quickly and held with ease through the ten-high board to eliminate a dangerous opponent, Spitale cashing for $1.1m in eighth place.

Next to go was Peter Chien, who lucked out in seventh for $1.4m when his ace-king was usurped by Binder’s ace-queen when four diamonds fell to give the Austrian a nut flush to send the Canadian home. Soon, the field was down to five when Mercier made her bow. Moving all-in from the small blind with ace-queen, she was unable to hold against Thorel’s king-eight of diamonds as while a queen hit the turn, a king came on the river to break Mercier’s heart.

Wasserson Won’t Win

Down to five players, Thorel had the whip hand and used it like the Grim Reaper’s scythe. Crushing smaller stacks, it seemed only Binder could live with his betting power and Eric Wasserson soon left Terrance Reid as the only American at the felt. Wasserson three-bet shoved with ace-jack, but Binder called with king-queen and got lucky on the board as once again a diamond four-flush sent a player to the rail, Wasserson making $2.35m in fifth place.

Terrance Reid was the longest-lasting American at the table but he lasted very little more time. All-in with eight-seven of hearts on a flop of T-7-2 in spades, Reid got bad news when Binder turned over jack-six of spades for a flopped flush. No help came to save Reid and he won the biggest score of poker career in fourth place for $3m.

Missing out on heads-up was the Brazilian player Belarmino De Souza, who still had one of the best results possible, coming from being one of the shortest stacks to finishing third for $4m. On a board showing T-5-4-4-4, Jean-Noel Thorel moved all-in and De Souza called with ten-six showing a full house. It was no good, as the Frenchman showed eight-four for rivered runner-runner quads and took 542m chips into the final duel, with Binder holding 905 million.

Binder Soars to Victory

Down to two players, Thorel came back to lead in a topsy-turvy final showdown. In the end, the player five decades younger than him won the battle. All-in with king-queen, Thorel needed help against the ace-eight call from the young Austrian. But Binder’s hand held, unnecessarily pairing his eight on the river to become the WSOP Super Main Event champion and celebrate a win worth $10m, almost his entire live earnings.

Predominantly an online player, Binder was supported on his rail by some of the best in the business, including another GGMillion$ champ in his fellow Austrian Samuel Mullur.

“That is the best of all. If I was here alone and won this, it wouldn’t mean a fragment of what it means right now to celebrate with so many people. And to also have an impact for them, because a lot of them also had a share. [Mullur is] my best friend for forever, basically. When he wins something big, I think I’m [happier] for him than he is for himself, and when I win something big, I think he’s happier for me than I am – it’s amazing to have such good friends.”

After an incredible run, Bernhard Binder’s signature score may well end up the biggest he ever wins in poker. He is one of many who will never forget the 2025 WSOP Paradise festival in The Bahamas.