It wasn't exactly a day for underdogs in the sporting world, as France put an end to Iceland's improbable run in Euro 2016. However, in our little corner of the internet, the opposite was true as the two least-decorated players at the Sunday Million final table dodged past seven more experienced opponents to finish one-two. Russia's bogurdan ended up heads-up with Australia's Jay-Syl11 and the two were nearly deadlocked in chips, but the man from Down Under turned a flush against two pair at the most opportune time and secured the title, along with a $177k score.

This week's Million drew 5,668 total entries-- 4,788 unique players and 880 re-entries-- resulting in a $1,133,600.00 prize pool. 810 places paid with $177,297.74 up top.

Blinds were 50,000/100,000 on the final table bubble when elAsdespadas opened for 216,000 from the cutoff. Mrvogt reraised to 521,300, elAsdespadas four-bet shoved for 2.16 million and mrvogt called, his pocket tens in a race against [As][Qc]. Fortunately for mrvogt, the [Ks][7s][7h][5d][Th] board made him two pair on the flop and a full house on the river, stamping his ticket to the final table while elAsdespadas had to settle for a tenth-place finish.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: bogurdan (4,997,938 in chips)
Seat 2: VSB.Gimli (4,694,169 in chips)
Seat 3: Deividas K (4,880,364 in chips)
Seat 4: heyalisson (4,457,767 in chips)
Seat 5: Smaxx440 (5,392,527 in chips)
Seat 6: mrvogt (7,270,779 in chips)
Seat 7: Kepalas89 (1,912,859 in chips)
Seat 8: Jay-Syl11 (14,169,884 in chips)
Seat 9: xhiti_b (8,903,713 in chips)

The first significant clash of the final table came between xhiti_b and bogurdan on a [7c][6d][5s] flop. Xhiti_b led out for 360,000 and bogurdan called to see the [3d] turn. Xhiti_b checked, bogurdan made it 360,000 to go and xhiti_b came back with a raise to 960,000. Boggurdan called. The [8h] landed on the river and xhiti_b shoved for 7.28 million with bogurdan making a quick call. Xhiti_b revealed [4s][4d] for an eight-high straight, but bogurdan had him beat with [Ah][9s] for a straight to the nine. Bogurdan doubled to 11.8 million, good for second in chips. Xhiti_b was left with only 2.7 million, but doubled up in short order when his [Ac][Ah] held up against Jay-Syl11's [Js][7s].

Lithuania's Kepalas89 arrived at the final table as the shortest stack and never found any momentum. Down to 1.6 million with the blinds at 60,000/120,000, he three-bet shoved preflop with [6c][6d] and was called by Smaxx440 with [Ac][8c]. However, Smaxx440 hit an eight on the flop, ending Kepalas89's run in ninth place.

Deividas K followed his countryman to the rail midway through the next level. After opening for a min-raise to 320,000, Deividas K bet 387,000 from position on a [Jc][Tc][9s] flop and fired another 880,000 when xhiti_b checked the [4s] turn. Xhiti_b shoved for 5.61 million and Deividas K called all-in for less, revealing [7s][8s] for a jack-high straight. However, xhiti_b turned up [Kh][Qs] for a king-high straight. The river was the [Qd] and xhiti_b doubled to 9.22 million as Deividas K made an agonizing exit in eighth place.

Almost a half hour passed before Smaxx440 opened for 552,500 and mrvogt three-bet shoved for 3.41 million from middle position. Although mrvogt's [As][Td] had the preflop lead over Smaxx440's [Ks][Qs], a queen hit the flop and mrvogt's tourament came to an end with a seventh-place finish. This was mrvogt's second appearance at a Sunday Million final table-- he finished fourth for over $96k back in December 2008.

Super Tuesday champ Alisson "heyalisson" Piekazewicz was the short stack when six-handed play commenced and although the Brazilian doubled to 4.57 million when his pocket threes held against bogurdan's [As][8c], he wouldn't survive the next confrontation. Holding [Ad][Td], heyalisson open-shoved for 1.78 million from UTG and Smaxx440 called with [Ks][Js]. The board ran out [Tc][9s][6c][8h][7h] and for the third time at this final table, the result was straight over straight, Smaxx440's jack-high straight besting heyalisson's ten-high to send him home in sixth place.

Then on the very next deal, xhiti_b picked up [Ad][6s] and open-shoved for 6.56 million from the cutoff, only to run headlong into VSB.Gimli's [Qc][Qd] in the small blind. The queens held up on the [7c][5s][3d][7h][5c] board and xhiti_b departed in fifth place.

When four-handed play got underway, Smaxx440 was the chip leader with 20.1 million... but hanging on to it was another story. Jay-Syl11 doubled through Smaxx440 when his pocket fours held against [As][Qc], taking him up to 8 million. Then VSB.Gimli took away a nice chunk of chips when he rivered two pair, tens and nines, on a [9h][8h][5d][Qc][Tc] board. Both players had checked the turn and VSB.Gimil made it 1.38 million to go on the river. Smaxx440 raised to 3.12 million with only ace high, but VSB.Gimli smelled a rat and looked him up. Smaxx440 fell to 13.9 million, only to double Jay-Syl11 again. This time Smaxx440 had the best of it, pocket nines vs. [As][2s], but Jay-Syl11 flopped an ace and rivered an ace-high flush, increasing his stack to 14.9 million. Smaxx440 was left on the short stack with 6.88 million.

Jay-Syl11's roll continued when he picked up pocket kings and opened for a min-raise to 800,000. VSB.Gimil three-bet to 2.4 million, Jay-Syl11 shoved and VSB.Gimil called... with pocket queens. VSB.Gimil didn't get a miracle on the board to escape this cooler and Jay-Syl11 seized the chip lead with 22 million.

Jay-Syl11 fell back to earth when he lost a flip to bogurdan, his [9h][9c] falling to bogurdan's [As][Kc] when an ace flopped. Bogurdan briefly assumed the chip lead before the very same hand matchup arose between Smaxx440 and Jay-Syl11. Smaxx440 made it 1,105,000 with [Ad][Ks], Jay-Syl11 shoved with [9h][9d] and Smaxx440 called, having Jay-Syl11 covered by only 15,000. The nines held up on the [Qc][7c][2d][8c][2h] and Smaxx440 was crippled, while Jay-Syl11 rocketed to 29 million in chips. Although Smaxx440 managed to triple up on the next hand, he was eliminated in fourth place on the one after.

VSB.Gimil wasn't long for three-handed play and three-bet shoved for 4.84 million from the big blind with [As][5h]. Jay-Syl11 called with [Qd][4d] and hit a queen on the flop to end VSB.Gimli's run in third place.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 1: bogurdan (17,029,892 in chips)
Seat 8: Jay-Syl11 (39,650,108 in chips)

Jay-Syl11 began heads-up play with a comfortable lead, but on the fifth hand, sparks flew on a [Ks][Qs][4h][8d] board. Jay-Syl11 checked, bogurdan bet 2,000,000 and Jay-Syl11 moved all-in for 37.7 million. Bogurdan called with [Qc][8s] for two pair while Jay-Syl11 revealed [Ah][Qd] for a pair of queens with an ace kicker. Jay-Syl11 needed an ace or a king on the river but got the [6c] instead, and bogurdan doubled to 31.55 million.

Moments later, their stacks were nearly even at 29 and 27 million when Jay-Syl11 wrote, "u want split?" Bogurdan hadn't replied yet when they saw a [Qs][8d][7s] flop for 1.2 million apiece. Jay-Syl11 checked to pre-flop raiser bogurdan, who bet 2.4 million. Jay-Syl11 raised to 5.4 million, bogurdan shoved and Jay-Syl11 called all-in.

Jay-Syl11 [Js][8s] (pair of eights, flush draw)
bogurdan [7h][8c] (two pair eights and sevens)

Although bogurdan had the best hand on the flop, Jay-Syl11 was actually a slight favorite to win and he hit the [Ks] on the turn to make a flush. The river was the [4c] and Jay-Syl11 raked in the massive 54.1 million pot, leaving bogurdan on only 2.5 million.

Bogurdan made his last stand a few hands later, open-shoving for 1.14 million with [6c][Tc]. Jay-Syl11 called with [Ac][6d] and his ace-high held up on the [Qc][Qh][5s][9d][8s] board to lock up the Sunday Million title.

Congratulations to Jay-Syl11 on joining the ranks of Sunday Million champions! He banked $177,297.74 for the win, while runner-up bogurdan scored $132,064.40.

PokerStars Sunday Million results for 7-3-2016
Entries: 5,668 (4,788 players, 880 re-entries)
Prizepool: $1,133,600.00
Places paid: 810

1. Jay-Syl11 (Australia) $177,297.74
2. bogurdan (Russia) $132,064.40
3. VSB.Gimli (Czech Republic) $93,351.96
4. Smaxx440 (Germany) $64,048.40
5. xhiti_b (Switzerland) $48,178.00
6. Alisson "heyalisson" Piekazewicz (Brazil) $36,842.00
7. mrvogt (Denmark) $25,506.00
8. Deividas K (Lithuania) $14,170.00
9. Kepalas89 (Lithuania) $9,068.80

Don't throw away your shot at the Sunday Million! Sign up for PokerStars now.