Okamoto finished as the 2023 Ladies Championship runner-up and has come back stronger than ever
Shiina Okamoto of Japan has etched her name into World Series of Poker (WSOP) history, becoming one of the rare players to successfully defend a title in back-to-back years—and doing so in one of the WSOP’s largest No-Limit Hold’em fields.
After finishing runner-up in the 2023 Ladies Championship, Okamoto returned in 2024 to claim her first bracelet. Now, just a year later, she’s repeated that victory by winning the 2025 WSOP Ladies Championship, making it two consecutive titles and three straight final table appearances.
This year’s tournament drew a record 1,368 entrants, topping the 1,245 players from 2024 and the 1,295 from 2023. Despite the traditionally smaller field sizes in women-only events, the Ladies Championship continues to grow, offering deep competition and substantial prize pools. Okamoto’s latest win earned her $184,094 after she bested Heather Alcorn in a tough heads-up battle.
What makes Okamoto’s achievement stand out even more is that back-to-back bracelet wins are incredibly rare in No-Limit Hold’em events, particularly in fields of this size. It’s more common to see repeat champions in niche formats or smaller, mixed-game tournaments. Okamoto, however, has now gone one better than her 2023 runner-up finish—twice.
Her path to victory this year was no fluke. She took the chip lead with roughly 70 players remaining and held onto it through the final table. Her steady play and experience under the spotlight proved crucial as the field narrowed, and the pressure intensified.
With three remarkable years at the WSOP Ladies Championship and two titles to her name, Okamoto is quickly becoming a standout figure in the international poker community. Her composure, consistency, and ability to perform in high-stakes moments have set a new standard for tournament success in this event.
