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Masato Yokosawa: The Poker Pro Who Brought the Game to Japan's Screens

By George · November 2, 2026 · 4 min read
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Quick answer: Masato Yokosawa is a poker pro and YouTuber based in Tokyo. He won the WPT Korea Main Event in December 2013 and has more than $4.29 million in recorded live tournament earnings (Hendon Mob, Nov 2026). His biggest live cash is $447,613, for 5th place in a 2025 WSOP $25,000 High Roller. He has not won a WSOP bracelet. His YouTube channel, @yokosawa, has about one million subscribers (per PokerNews), and he won the 2022 Global Poker Award for Poker Personality of the Year.

Who Is Masato Yokosawa?

Masato Yokosawa is a Japanese tournament player who lives in Tokyo. On YouTube he goes by Masato "World Wide" Yokosawa. Outside Japan, many fans first saw him at the tables. Inside Japan, many first met him through his videos. Few players have built both reputations at the same time, and that mix is what makes his story worth telling.

PokerNews describes him as "a Japanese poker player and vlogger." That's a fair summary. He has spent more than a decade cashing in events around the world, and he brings his audience along with him.

Open aluminum poker case with blue, red, black, white and green poker chips, two decks of playing cards and red dice
Poker chips, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Career Highlights and Results

Yokosawa's first big title came in December 2013, when he won the World Poker Tour Korea Main Event. That win made him a member of the WPT Champions Club. Since then, he has cashed at the Aussie Millions, the Asian Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour and the WPT.

His results have climbed in recent years, especially in high-roller events. Here are some highlights from the Hendon Mob database:

  • 5th, WSOP 2025 $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller: $447,613, his biggest live cash
  • 15th, Triton Main Event at WSOP Paradise 2025 (Bahamas): $327,000
  • 2nd, ARIA High Roller #8 (July 2025): $270,000
  • 3rd, EPT Barcelona 2025 €25,000 event: €181,000
  • 3rd, EPT Paris 2026 €10,200 event: €62,640
  • 124th, WSOP 2026 Main Event: $65,000
  • 45th, WSOP 2023 Main Event: $188,400 (per PokerNews)

Hendon Mob lists 112 recorded cashes and more than $4.29 million in live earnings. That puts him 4th on Japan's all-time money list (as reported by VIP-Grinders, citing Hendon Mob).

Is there a WSOP bracelet? No, not yet. Both WSOP.com and Hendon Mob show zero bracelets and zero Circuit rings. His deepest WSOP run is still that 5th-place finish in the 2025 High Roller. Note that WSOP.com's own earnings total differs from Hendon Mob's, because the two sites count results differently.

YouTube and Media Influence in Japan

Yokosawa's channel is where his influence really shows. PokerNews credits him with about one million subscribers. That's a very large audience for poker content in a country where the game is still finding mainstream footing. His videos follow his trips to tour stops, his sessions and life on the road, and they make high-level tournament poker feel approachable for Japanese viewers.

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That reach earned him outside recognition too. In 2022 he won the Global Poker Award for Poker Personality of the Year. That's an industry-wide honor, not just a regional one. He is also active on X (@MasatoYokosawa) and Instagram (@masatoyokosawa).

How He Approaches the Game

We could not find a reliable source that breaks down a specific Yokosawa "system," so we won't invent one. What his public record does show is a steady move toward tougher fields: EPT high rollers, PokerGO Tour events, ARIA high rollers and Triton. A player only lasts in those fields through study and constant adjustment. His videos also show how much he values reviewing hands and talking through decisions openly. That habit helps any player improve, at any level. For another pro's path from small stakes to big buy-ins, read our post on Adrian Mateos.

Why He Matters to Poker's Growth in Japan

Japan has a passionate and fast-growing poker scene that mostly plays for points and prizes rather than cash. Players there need visible role models. Yokosawa fills that role twice over. He is a proven international competitor, and he is a creator who explains the game in Japanese to a mass audience. When a Japanese player runs deep at a WSOP or EPT event, his channel can turn that moment into a story millions of people see.

For new players, the takeaway is simple. Strong players are built through repetition, review and honest feedback.

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FAQ

Has Masato Yokosawa won a WSOP bracelet?
No. As of November 2026, WSOP.com and Hendon Mob both list zero bracelets. His best WSOP finish is 5th in the 2025 $25,000 High Roller.

What is Masato Yokosawa's biggest tournament title?
The WPT Korea Main Event in December 2013, which made him a WPT champion.

How much has Masato Yokosawa won in live tournaments?
Hendon Mob lists more than $4.29 million in live earnings across 112 cashes (as of November 2026).

What is Masato Yokosawa's YouTube channel?
It's @yokosawa ("Masato 'World Wide' Yokosawa"). PokerNews reports it has about one million subscribers.

Sources

1. Hendon Mob, Masato Yokosawa: https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=316114
2. WSOP.com player page: https://www.wsop.com/players/939851877/masato-yokosawa/
3. PokerNews player profile: https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/masato-yokosawa/
4. YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yokosawa
5. VIP-Grinders profile (secondary, used only for the Japan money-list rank and the WSOP 2025 event detail): https://www.vip-grinders.com/poker-players/masato-yokosawa/

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#Masato Yokosawa#Japan poker#WPT Korea#WSOP#poker YouTuber#tournaments

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