On Wednesday (17th), the penultimate day of WSOP Paradise, the Bahamas tables hosted the conclusion of Event 15 (US$ 2,500 The Closer Turbo Bounty). Everything seemed to be heading towards a third bracelet for Slovenia’s Blaz Zerjav, but American Imari Love halted the European’s momentum and took the title.
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Played over two days, WSOP Paradise Event 15 attracted 509 entries, and Imari Love pocketed US$ 145,725 by overcoming all opponents, in addition to the first gold bracelet of his career. Runner-up this time, Blaz Zerjav took home US$ 95,400, while Spain’s Sergi Reixach completed the podium for US$ 65,800.
Check the final standings of Event 15:
- Imari Love (USA) – US$ 145,725
- Blaz Zerjav (Slovenia) – US$ 95,400
- Sergi Reixach (Spain) – US$ 65,800
- Robert Pollmeier (Germany) – US$ 46,200
- Daniel Neilson (Australia) – US$ 33,100
- Theodore Doukas (Canada) – US$ 24,100
- Agustin Naranja (Argentina) – US$ 18,000
- David Orlando (USA) – US$ 13,700
With a turbo structure, Event 15 returned to Day Final with 86 players, and as the field narrowed, Zerjav grew. The Slovenian reached the FT as chip leader and maintained the lead throughout the competition until heads-up. Meanwhile, Imari Love reached the final table with an intermediate stack, but after eliminating David Orlando, he quickly jumped to second in chips.
When the competition reached the one-on-one stage, Zerjav had five times more chips than Imari Love, but the American quickly closed the gap. Shortly after turning the tables, he had no difficulty confirming the title.
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This would have been the crowning achievement of an incredible year for Zerjav. The Slovenian started 2025 with no WSOP bracelets on his resume, and almost ended up with three. His two wins in the world series came in the mid-year edition in Las Vegas, where he won the 25K High Roller and a 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo.
WSOP Paradise Event 15 awarded prizes to the top 77 finishers, and among them were Brazilian representatives. In total, nine players from the country cashed, with Lucas Arouck being the best among them, finishing in 15th place for US$ 5,600. Halisson Mussoline (19th) and Bárbara Akemi (24th) collected US$ 4,800 each.
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