Jason Koon
United States of America1
10
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Few names resonate as powerfully as Jason Koon in the world of high-stakes poker. Known for his work ethic, razor-sharp skills, and integrity, Koon has solidified his status as one of the most respected poker players in the world.
In his poker career, he has amassed over $55 million in live tournament earnings, and he’s currently sitting in third place on the all-time money list, according to The Hendon Mob.
His breakthrough came in 2016 when he took down the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open for $1,000,000.
Among his many accomplishments, Jason Koon’s proudest moments include securing one WSOP bracelet and an impressive collection of 10 Triton Poker titles.
Early Life
Jason Koon’s journey began in 1985 in the small town of Weston, West Virginia, far from the glamorous world of high-stakes poker. His upbringing was challenging, mainly after his father left the family when Jason was just eight or nine.
From a young age, Koon showed an interest in competitive sports. He initially started with baseball and later excelled in track and field, earning him a scholarship at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he graduated with a Business Administration and Finance degree. It was during his college years that Koon was introduced to poker.
A severe hip injury ended his track career, but Koon’s competitive spirit and strategic mind found a new challenge in poker.
World Series of Poker
For quite some time, Jason Koon was regarded as the best player yet to win a World Series of Poker bracelet. His long-awaited dream finally came true at the 2021 WSOP, where he triumphed in the prestigious $25,000 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up Championship, winning his first-ever bracelet and $243,981 money prize.
Reflecting on his milestone, Koon shared with WSOP.com: “It’s one of those things when you’re on an airplane and a person is like, ‘Do you have a bracelet?’ I’m just like, ‘Nope.’ At least I can finally say yes to that.” He added: “I think I’ll play poker forever, and when it’s all said and done, I think it’s inevitable I’ll have several of them.”
Since his first cash back in 2009, Koon has finished in the money 57 times at WSOP events, amassing $3,231,758 in earnings.
Jason Koon’s Top 10 WSOP Results
| Year | Event | Place | Prize |
| 2021 | Event #85: $50,000 HIGH ROLLER No-Limit Hold’em | 4th | $489,585 |
| 2018 | Event #5: $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller | 7th | $372,894 |
| 2018 | Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller | 5th | $295,606 |
| 2020 | Event #70: $25,000 NLH POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP | 7th | $285,808 |
| 2021 | Event #11: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship | 1st | $243,981 |
| 2013 | Event #47: $111,111 One Drop High Roller No-Limit Hold’em | 21st | $173,723 |
| 2013 | Event #27: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Mixed Max | 4th | $132,748 |
| 2012 | Event #3: $3,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em / Pot-Limit Omaha | 2nd | $128,660 |
| 2018 | Event #77: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller (Big Blind Antes) | 11th | $115,102 |
| 2023 | Event #84: $50,000 HIGH ROLLER No-Limit Hold’em | 15th | $101,149 |
Triton Poker Super High Roller Series
Koon made his Triton Poker debut in 2018 when the series first touched down in Europe in Montenegro, and he has been an indomitable force ever since. Making a mark in his first year already, Koon made four final tables at events in Montenegro and Jeju, including the victory in the HKD 1,000,000 Short-Deck event, pocketing $3,579,836, which remains his largest career win to date.
Since then, Koon has continued to dominate the Triton Series, amassing a total of 10 titles and 41 cashes that have earned him the second spot on the all-time Triton Poker money list. With $26,217,985 in winnings, he is only trailing Bryn Kenney with $37,796,705 in Triton winnings.
Jason Koon’s 10 Triton Poker Titles
| Year | Venue | Event | Prize (USD/EUR) |
| 2018 | Montenegro | HK$ 1 million Shord Deck | $3,579,836 |
| 2019 | Jeju, South Korea | HK$ 1 million Short Deck | $2,899,000 |
| 2019 | Jeju, South Korea | HK$ 1 million NLH Refresh | $993,221 |
| 2022 | Madrid | €150,000 Short Deck One Bullet | €1,750,000 |
| 2023 | Vietnam | 50,000 NLH Turbo | $574,000 |
| 2023 | North Cyprus | $20,000 NLH 7-Handed | $663,000 |
| 2023 | North Cyprus | $100,000 NLH Main Event | $2,451,082 |
| 2023 | London | $60,000 NLH 7-Handed | $1,570,000 |
| 2023 | London | $60,000 Short Deck Main Event | $828,000 |
| 2023 | Monte Carlo | $25,000 PLO | $365,000 |
PokerGO Tour
Since the launch of PokerGO’s events and tournaments in 2017, Jason Koon has been a formidable presence on the tour. The most notable cash under PokerGO’s umbrella is a third-place finish and a $2.1 million prize at the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl.
Another highlight was being crowned the champion of High Stakes Duel III after beating Phil Hellmuth in Round 5. With no other challengers stepping up, Koon walked away with $1.6 million and a championship belt.
The official PokerGO Tour (PGT) was inaugurated in 2021, which seemed tailor-made for Koon as it encompassed all high-roller events globally, with buy-ins starting at $5,000. Since then, Koon clinched three significant victories: he won the 2021 PokerGO Cup #6 for $324,000, the 2022 Poker Masters $50,000 Finale for $666,000, and concluded the season by winning the PGT championship for $500,000.
European Poker Tour
A significant part of Koon’s career was also involved with the European Poker Tour (EPT) and other PokerStars events, most notably, he was a frequent flyer to the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).
One of his early career highlights was a fourth-place finish in the $25,500 8-Max High Roller at the 2012 PCA, which earned him $271,950. The following year, he earned an additional $167,165 from the $10,300 6-Max event, crossing $1,000,000 in live tournament earnings.
Koon’s biggest win at that time came in 2017 at the $100,000 PokerStars Championship Super High Roller, where he pocketed $1,650,300. His third and last win came a year later, winning the $25,000 event and adding $421,080 to his poker resume.
Jason Koon’s 3 PokerStars Titles
| Year | Venue | Event | Prize |
| 2015 | EPT Monte Carlo | €5,200 8-Game – Turbo 6 Handed | €21,830 |
| 2017 | PCA | $100,000 PokerStars Championship Super High Roller | $1,650,300 |
| 2018 | PCA | $25,000 No Limit Hold’em | $421,080 |
World Poker Tour
Jason Koon has also left a mark on the World Poker Tour (WPT). Despite amassing 19 cashes and making it to three final tables, a main tour event title has eluded him thus far. His most notable near-miss came during the WPT World Online Championship $25,500 Super High Roller on partypoker, where he finished second, falling short of the title against Ole Schemion in heads-up.
However, he has been no slouch in other WPT-affiliated events. In 2018, he won the ARIA $100,000 High Roller, pocketing $1,039,940. Half a year later, he secured a second-place finish in the Bellagio $100,000 event, adding $888,000 to his earnings.
Koon also has two final tables at WPT Alpha8 events, with a runner-up finish at Wynn Las Vegas in 2023 for $669,300 and a fourth-place finish at the WPT Alpha8 St. Kitts a decade earlier, earning $298,760.
Sponsorships
Jason Koon’s influence in the poker community extends the achievements at the tables. Since his breakout in 2016, he has held several roles as a sponsored ambassador and a key man in integrity teams as one of the most respected and trustworthy players.
In 2017, Koon entered his first major sponsorship deal, becoming an ambassador for partypoker and a member of partypoker’s new advisory panel. He parted ways with the company in July 2021.
In 2019, Koon was appointed as a Triton Poker Brand Ambassador, a position he holds to this day. His role is to promote the brand and series globally and raise awareness of poker in Asia through the high-stakes community.
The new phase of Koon’s online poker journey began in October 2021, when he joined GGPoker as a global ambassador to an already illustrious team including Daniel Negreanu, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, and Fedor Holz, among others. In 2022, GGPoker launched the Poker Integrity Council (PIC), with Koon stepping up as Integrity Ambassador.
In February 2024, Koon announced his departure from GGPoker, stating on Twitter: “GGPoker and I have gone our separate ways. I wish them continued success.” While he did not disclose the reasons for the separation, it occurred in the aftermath of the Moneytaker69 scandal.
Just days after he departed from GGPoker, Koon signed with Poker Royalty, a management agency specializing in representing professional poker players with a roster of Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Brian Rast, Patrik Antonius, Antonio Esfandiari, and Daniel Weinman, among others.
Other Achievements
During the 2018 Triton Series in Montenegro, Jason Koon was involved in a hand against Elton Tsang, which was the biggest pot in TV history at that time, reaching €2,090,000.
