Brazilian poker players put on a clinic at the latest PokerStars Sunday Million, storming the final table and locking up a huge chunk of the $1 million prize pool. Five of the final nine hailed from Brazil, but in the end, it was Yuri “tecaoo” Martins Gama who emerged victorious, denying fellow countryman Thiago “KKremate” Crema the title in a heads-up showdown. The two players walked away with a combined $140,246, with Gama taking the lion’s share.
Sunday Million Draws 9,749 Entries, Falls Just Short of Guarantee
The $109 buy-in Sunday Million was played in a progressive knockout (PKO) format this week, drawing an impressive 9,749 entries. However, that still left a $25,100 overlay, with PokerStars making up the difference to meet the $1 million guarantee.
A total of 1,615 players cashed in the event, including Team PokerStars pros Kenny “SpaceyFCB” Hallaert and Benjamin “Spraggy” Spragg, who picked up a regular payout before bowing out short of the final table.
After a grueling Day 1, only 115 hopefuls remained, each with dreams of claiming the $54,596 top prize plus any knockout bounties they could rack up on Day 2.
Final Table Results: Brazilians Dominate the Top Spots
Here’s how the final nine players finished, with Gama taking home the biggest payday after collecting a massive $27,121 in bounties:
| Rank | Player | Country | Bounties | Prize | Total Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuri “tecaoo” Martins Gama | Brazil | $27,121 | $54,596 | $81,717 |
| 2 | Thiago “KKremate” Crema | Brazil | $3,943 | $54,586 | $58,529 |
| 3 | nakil301 | Canada | $11,042 | $40,298 | $51,340 |
| 4 | 22Turk22 | United Kingdom | $4,677 | $28,073 | $32,750 |
| 5 | YureRML | Brazil | $2,810 | $19,540 | $22,350 |
| 6 | tuiliodutra96 | Brazil | $4,370 | $13,345 | $17,715 |
| 7 | m.o_4515 | Ukraine | $4,712 | $9,404 | $14,116 |
| 8 | bpauldo11 | Brazil | $3,085 | $6,674 | $9,759 |
| 9 | gregory709 | Vietnam | $4,256 | $4,750 | $9,006 |
Early Action: Gama Wastes No Time Making His Move
The final table started with a bang as Gama delivered a double knockout, quickly establishing himself as the man to beat.
“gregory709” moved all-in for less than an ante with ace-five of diamonds. “bpauludo11” followed, shoving for 5.5 big blinds with ace-eight of spades. Gama, sensing an opportunity, squeezed all-in from the cutoff with king-ten of clubs. The board ran out favorably for him, as he turned an ace-high flush to send both players packing and added $3,720 in bounty winnings to his growing stack.
Bad Beats and Coinflips Shape the Final Table
It didn’t take long for another player to fall. Ukraine’s “m.o_4515” lost a classic race, holding pocket tens against “nakil301’s” ace-king of clubs. A brutal flop of ace-king-trey left “m.o_4515” drawing thin, and the board offered no salvation.
Another major cooler came when “tuliodutra96” shoved all-in for 10 big blinds with king-queen of hearts. “nakil301” woke up with five-four of hearts in the small blind and decided to call. A dramatic runout delivered a straight for “nakil301,” eliminating “tuliodutra96” in sixth place.
Heads-Up Showdown: Gama Closes It Out Against Crema
By the time the tournament reached heads-up play, it was an all-Brazilian affair between Gama and Crema. The two had already locked up more than $54,000 each, but the bounty payouts ensured there was still plenty on the line.
Gama, who had been relentless throughout the final table, continued to apply pressure. The final hand saw Crema commit his chips with a dominated hand, and Gama sealed the deal to capture the prestigious title and an $81,717 payday.
With another Sunday Million in the books, the Brazilian poker scene once again proved its strength on the global stage. The question now is—who’s next?
