Jerry Yang, a 39-year-old psychologist and social worker from southern California, has won the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Yang collects the biggest prize in world poker, $8.25 million in prize money, the coveted gold bracelet and the accolade of being No Limit Hold'em World Champion

Yang began the final table of nine with the second smallest stack, but managed to get a foothold, and then the chip lead and dominated from there.

The victory came at 3.48am local time. Yang bet his heads-up opponent Tuan Lam with pocket Eights, and Lam came all-in over the top holding A-Q suited. A Queen hit on the flop, but Yang completed an improbable runner-runner straight to take the title.

The Main Event winner was born in Laos, and is married with six children. He started playing poker only two years ago. He won a seat into the main event via a satellite held at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. His total investment in the event was $225.

The socially-conscious Yang is determined to give something back to charity. He is pledging 10 percent of his winnings from this tournament to three different charities – the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Feed the Children, and the Ronald McDonald House.

Final results:
1. Jerry Yang, Temecula, CA, $8,250,000
2. Tuan Lam, Mississauga, Ontario (Canada), $4,840,981
3. Raymond Rahme, Johannesburg, South Africa, $3,048,025
4. Alex Kravchenko, Moscow, Russia, $1,852,721
5. Jon Kalmar, Chorley, Lancashire (UK), $1,255,069
6. Hevad "Rain" Khan, Poughkeepsie, NY, $956,243
7. Lee Childs, Reston, VA, $705,229
8. Lee Watkinson, Cheney, WA, $585,699
9. Philip Hilm, Cambridge, (UK), $525,934