Samuli Sipila, the Finnish professional poker player, saw a remarkable surge in his tournament earnings, with over half of his $1.5 million total being amassed within just the past week. During the 2024 PokerGO Tour Pot-Limit Omaha Series, comprising ten events, Sipila clinched $776,140 across four successful finishes, securing two titles along the way. His dominance in the series earned him 749 points, making him the undeniable winner of the festival-long points race. As the series champion, he received another trophy and a $10,000 PGT Passport.

Not only did Sipila triumph in the series-long points race, but he also ascended to third place in the season-long PGT points standings, trailing only Dylan Weisman (1,047 points) and David Coleman (937 points).

This remarkable performance marked the pinnacle of Sipila’s tournament career, with his three largest cashes all occurring during this run. His winning streak in Pot-Limit Omaha commenced with a victory in the fourth event, where he outlasted 89 entries to claim $240,300 and 240 PGT points.

Following his triumph, Sipila secured a seventh-place finish in another $10,100 buy-in PLO event, adding $34,000 and 34 PGT points to his total. He then went on to clinch the championship in the $15,100 PLO progressive bounty event, seizing $159,840 from the main prize pool and an additional $239,000 in bounty payouts, bringing his overall earnings to $1,015,140.

With two titles and three cashes in seven events, Sipila led the series standings with three events remaining. However, his fellow Finnish player Eelis Parssinen overtook him after securing his second title in event no. 8. Sipila needed a strong finish in the final two events to reclaim his lead.

He exceeded expectations by reaching heads-up play in the $26,000 buy-in championship event, ultimately finishing as the runner-up and earning a career-best $342,000 along with 205 points, securing an 184-point lead over Parssinen in the final standings.

Parssinen accumulated 565 points and $515,850 in earnings to secure second place, while the championship event winner, Seth Davies, amassed 313 points and $522,000 in earnings to claim third.

Sipila now stands alongside Spain’s Lautaro Guerra and America’s Daniel Geeng as one of the three champions of this series, which debuted in 2023. Another PGT PLO Series is anticipated to take place in the fall.

Here is a look at the final top ten in the series-long points race:

At the onset of 2024, Daniel Negreanu made a public pledge to prioritize ‘quality over quantity’ following a $2.2 million setback in the previous year’s poker tournament circuit. The 49-year-old, esteemed member of the Poker Hall of Fame, opted to reduce his tournament participation to ensure adequate rest and concentration—a strategy that seems to be paying dividends. With a focused approach, he has secured eight final-table finishes and clinched two titles this year. His first triumph occurred in the inaugural event of the PGT Last Chance series, mere days into the new year.

Negreanu, boasting six bracelets and two World Poker Tour championships, added another feather to his cap with his recent victory at the 2024 PGT PLO Series $5,100 pot-limit Omaha event. Emerging victorious amidst a field of 118 contenders, he pocketed $147,500, elevating his lifetime earnings to over $51.5 million and securing the seventh spot on the all-time poker money list.

Held over two days at the PokerGO Studio within the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas, only six participants progressed to the second day out of the top 17 finishers who made the money.

Negreanu commenced day 2 with the chip lead, closely followed by Anuj Agarwal, while Lance Patel entered as the short stack. Patel was the first to exit, falling to Curtis Muller’s hand. Subsequently, Negreanu’s pocket aces triumphed over Dylan Weisman’s A-K-9-8 with ace-high spades, securing Weisman’s elimination in fifth place.

Muller’s fortunes reversed when his flush draw failed against Agarwal’s pocket aces, resulting in Muller’s fourth-place finish. Brutno Furth, after losing a significant portion of his stack to Negreanu, ultimately bowed out in third place.

Entering the heads-up play with a commanding chip lead, Negreanu faced a resilient Agarwal. Despite Agarwal’s initial surge, Negreanu staged a remarkable comeback, clinching a crucial double-up and eventually sealing the win with an ace-high flush in the final hand. Agarwal settled for the runner-up position, earning $91,450.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded on the final day:

Over the weekend of March 16-17, Maria Ho emerged victorious in the Celebrity Poker Tour Game Night I, held at the PokerGO Studio within the ARIA, just off the bustling Las Vegas Strip. In this exclusive event, the seasoned poker professional and commentator outshone a diverse and talented field of competitors. With a career tournament earnings exceeding $4.5 million, Ho clinched the $10,000 prize along with the prestigious gold CPT title belt.

This triumph marked the third consecutive win by a woman in a CPT event. Preceding Ho, Princess Love claimed victory in the February event, while Qiyu “Nemo” Zhou secured the inaugural event in 2023.

Despite entering as an alternate, Tommy Unold secured the runner-up position, earning $5,000. NFL star running back Austin Ekeler landed in third place at the final table, followed by prominent poker influencer and vlogger Brad Owen in fourth. Alexander “Wolgang” Selbt, boasting the largest following among poker vloggers, rounded up the top five.

The remaining spots in the final three were occupied by influencers Trent “BookItWithTrent” Attyah (sixth), Bryce Hall (seventh), and Ethan “Rampage” Yau (eighth).

Following their eliminations from the tournament, many participants stayed to enjoy the open bar and complimentary refreshments, contributing to the lively ambiance captured in numerous videos shared on the CPT Twitter/X account, curated by the attending social media influencers.

In the climactic stages of the tournament, former Los Angeles Charger and recent signee with the Washington Commandeers, Ekeler, held the chip lead among the final three players. However, Ho seized control, eliminating Ekeler in a showdown where her superior kicker secured victory. With a significant chip advantage, Ho proceeded to dominate the heads-up final against Unold, culminating in a final hand where her pocket threes formed a winning set against Unold’s Q-9.

Following the event, many invitees, including Ho, transitioned to the poker room at Resorts World Casino to partake in cash games, concluding an exhilarating and enjoyable night for all involved.

The 2024 Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju event in South Korea etched its mark in tournament poker history. At the Landing Casino Jeju, 216 entries flooded the $100,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event, setting a record for the largest field size in a six-figure buy-in tournament. The turnout amassed a staggering $21,600,000 prize pool, with eventual champion Roman Hrabec seizing $4,330,000.

For the 28-year-old Czech poker professional and former hockey player, this victory marked a significant milestone, dwarfing his previous earnings of $915,000 from a third-place finish in the World Series of Poker Online last year. Hrabec’s career earnings now exceed $9.4 million, placing him second among Czech players.

Reflecting on his triumph, Hrabec remarked to Triton reporters, “I will say, it feels quite amazing… Yeah, that feels pretty good.”

This win marked Hrabec’s first title and fourth final table appearance of the year, following a fifth-place finish in a $25,000 buy-in event earlier in the festival. With this victory, he accrued 1,800 Card Player Player of the Year points, boosting his total to 2,955 points and over $5.1 million in year-to-date earnings, propelling him to third place in the 2024 Player of the Year standings by Global Poker.

The event saw notable players cashing in, including Tim Adams (35th), Michael Watson (33rd), and Stephen Chidwick (10th), among others.

Eliminations unfolded with Alex Kulev exiting first, followed by Chris Brewer. Elton Tsang, fresh from a recent victory, clinched a vital hand against Igor Yaroshevskyy, securing a seventh-place finish for the latter. Fahredin Mustafov and Matthias Eibinger followed suit, with Eibinger departing in fifth place after a showdown with Hrabec.

Patrik Antonius’s bid to halt Hrabec’s momentum fell short as he succumbed in fourth place, followed by Tsang in third place after a clash with Jean-Noel Thorel.

In the final showdown, Hrabec held a commanding chip lead over Thorel. A decisive hand sealed the deal as Hrabec flopped a set of kings, clinching victory and the title. Thorel took home a career-best payout of $2,875,000 as the runner-up, adding to his impressive lifetime earnings nearing $18.9 million.

Triton Poker Jeju $100K NLH Main Event Final Table Results

In the 2024 Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju $50,000 bounty turbo event, a total of 108 players participated, contributing to the intense action. Each buy-in included $15,000 allocated for bounties, totaling $60,000 for each player knocked out once only a quarter of the field remained. Additionally, the main prize pool boasted $3,780,000, distributed among the top 17 players.

Emerging victorious from this fast-paced single-day event was Dan Smith, who not only amassed all the chips but also claimed five bounty payouts, including his own. Smith’s earnings comprised $300,000 from bounties and an additional $951,000 as the event champion. This marked Smith’s second Triton title, following his triumph in the $200,000 invitational event in Monte Carlo, where he pocketed nearly $3.9 million. His total Triton earnings now stand close to $19.5 million, a substantial portion of his overall career winnings of $54,242,731.

With this latest win, Smith ascended to fifth place on poker’s all-time money list, surpassing Mikita Badziakouski. As a World Series of Poker bracelet winner and World Poker Tour champion, Smith joins the elite group of seven players who have exceeded $50 million in earnings.

This victory marked Smith’s first title and second final-table finish of the year, having secured seventh place in a $25,000 buy-in event earlier in the same festival. With a total of 1,419 Card Player Player of the Year points from these achievements, Smith climbed to 32nd place in the 2024 POY standings presented by Global Poker.

Smith wasn’t the only player making waves in the POY leaderboard post this event. Punnat Punsri, fresh from his win in the $50,000 seven-max event, claimed sixth place and a $220,000 prize. Having amassed over $2.6 million in POY earnings and securing ten final tables with two titles this year, Punsri leads the POY field with 3,409 points.

Seth Davies’ third-place finish propelled him to 20th in the POY ranks, while Sirzat Hissou’s fifth-place finish bumped him into 11th place. David Coleman, the event’s runner-up, earned $642,900 and 850 POY points, marking his seventh final-table finish of the year and placing him second on the leaderboard after Punsri, having surpassed 3,000 POY points this year.

Tom Dwan, recently announced as an ACR Poker ambassador, made headlines with a fourth-place finish, earning $346,000. Dwan faced a crucial moment against Smith, losing in a flush-over-flush showdown down the stretch.

“Me and Tom were one and two in chips, in small and big blind and we both had flushes. And unless you’re super deep, there’s no getting away from it,” Smith told Triton reporters after closing out the title. Dwan was finished off by Coleman not long after that.

Top five finishers:
1 – Dan Smith, USA – $951,000 (+$300,000 in bounties)
2 – David Coleman, USA – $642,900 (+$300,000 in bounties)
3 – Seth Davies, USA – $418,000
4 – Tom Dwan, USA – $346,000 (+$60,000 in bounties)
5 – Sirzat Hissou, Germany – $279,000 (+$120,000 in bounties)

Max Hoffman emerged victorious as the third-ever champion of the PokerGO Mixed Games Series after securing wins in half of the events on offer. Hailing from Massachusetts, Hoffman amassed a total prize pool of $376,300, edging out defending series champion Dan Zack to claim the trophy along with a $10,000 leaderboard bonus.

Hoffman’s journey commenced a week and a half ago with a fifth-place finish in the $5,000 8-Game event, earning him $31,150. He then followed up with consecutive runner-up positions, pocketing $100,800 in the $10,000 Triple Stud Mix and $103,400 in the $10,000 Triple Draw Mix.

Continuing his streak, Hoffman secured a sixth-place finish in the $10,000 Dealer’s Choice, adding another $28,200 to his winnings. However, his standout performance came in the $25,000 10-Game Championship, where he clinched fourth place, earning a career-best $112,750.

With his recent success, Hoffman’s total earnings now stand at $580,000, with a significant portion stemming from the Mixed Games Series. He also claimed $56,000 for a fourth-place finish in the $10,000 8-Game event last October.

Although Hoffman faced a tense moment during the finale, with Dan Zack, a three-time bracelet winner, in contention, Zack ultimately fell short, finishing third for $153,750. This marked Zack’s second cash of the series, having previously won the $10,000 8-Game mix earlier in the week, securing $195,200.

The 10-Game Championship culminated in a showdown between WSOP main event third-place finisher Alex Livingston and bracelet winner Dylan Weisman. Livingston emerged victorious, seizing the title and $324,465 in prize money, while Weisman added another accolade to his resume, finishing as the runner-up.

In addition to these notable performances, other familiar faces graced the championship event. John Racener, WSOP main event runner-up, showcased his skills by claiming victories in multiple events, accumulating $11.8 million in earnings. Similarly, Walter Chambers, despite not securing a win in the championship, displayed his prowess by cashing in three consecutive events.

As the PokerGO Tour progresses, enthusiasts can anticipate the upcoming PLO Series in March, followed by the U.S. Poker Open in April.

Series Leaderboard

The inaugural event of the 2024 Triton Poker Jeju festival in South Korea drew a remarkable 269 entries at $15,000 each, amassing a total prize pool of $4,035,000. Ultimately, it was Fedor Holz, a 30-year-old professional poker player from Germany, who emerged victorious, clinching the title along with the top prize of $786,000.

This win marked Holz’s 19th recorded title out of 119 in-the-money finishes, propelling his career tournament earnings to over $42.8 million, ranking him 11th on the all-time poker money list and making him the highest-earning German player in the game’s history. He is among an elite group of only 15 players to surpass $40 million in career cashes.

The event at Landing Casino Jeju saw a significant turnout, with the top 47 finishers securing cash prizes. Notable players like Aleksejs Ponakovs, Stephen Chidwick, and Isaac Haxton fell short of the final table. Seth Gottlieb led the final table, while Fedor Holz started in fourth chip position among the remaining nine contenders.

As the final table progressed, Fedor Holz eliminated opponents such as Ken Tong and Dominykas Mikolaitis, securing crucial double-ups along the way. Eventually, he faced off against Gottlieb in heads-up play. Despite an initial lead by Gottlieb, Fedor Holz managed to stage a comeback, ultimately clinching victory with a pair of jacks against Gottlieb’s hand. Gottlieb settled for second place, earning $500,000.

Event #1: $15,000 NLH 8-Handed Final Table Results

The inaugural event of the 2024 PokerGO Tour Mixed Games series commenced this week, marking the beginning of a series of 10 tournaments. A total of 87 participants entered the $5,100 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. kickoff tournament, generating a prize pool of $435,000 distributed among the top 13 players. Among these top finishers, Maksim Pisarenko from Russia emerged victorious, triumphing over five-time bracelet winner Benny Glaser in the heads-up match to claim the trophy and the top prize of $117,450.

For Pisarenko, this win marked his second-largest cash in his poker career, surpassed only by his third-place finish in the 2019 European Poker Tour Sochi main event, where he earned $189,840. With this latest triumph, Pisarenko’s total lifetime earnings now stand at nearly $740,000.

The tournament unfolded over two days at the PokerGO Studio located in the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Notable players like John Monnette, a five-time bracelet winner, exited in seventh place, concluding day 1 of the event. Heading into day 2, Dennis Maschke led the final six, while Daniel Negreanu, a six-time bracelet winner and two-time World Poker Tour champion, held the second chip position.

The action intensified as the final table progressed. Negreanu, despite eliminating opponents earlier, met his own demise after losing a significant portion of his chips in a razz confrontation with Glaser. Ultimately, it was Glaser who sent Negreanu packing in fifth place, with Negreanu earning $30,450. Despite this exit, Negreanu maintains his position as the seventh-ranked player on poker’s all-time money list with lifetime earnings totaling $51.1 million.

Pisarenko’s dominance continued as he eliminated Andrew Kelsall in fourth place, followed by Dennis Maschke in third place. With a commanding chip lead, Pisarenko entered heads-up play against Glaser, holding 7,725,000 chips to Glaser’s 5,475,000. Despite Glaser’s efforts to stage a comeback, Pisarenko maintained control. In the final hand, Pisarenko’s king-high straight trumped Glaser’s six-high straight, securing him the victory. Glaser, the UK poker professional, earned $76,125 as the runner-up, adding to his impressive career earnings which now stand at nearly $7.5 million.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:

The most recent WSOP event at Harrah’s Cherokee attracted a significant turnout, with 1,659 players entering the $1,700 no-limit hold’em main event. Surpassing the $1.5 million guarantee, the event generated a final prize pool of $2,513,385. Tyler Barnes, a resident of North Carolina, emerged victorious after several days of intense play, claiming the top prize of $383,856. Barnes dominated the final table, securing every elimination on his path to victory.

This marked Barnes’ second WSOPC gold ring triumph, representing his largest tournament win to date. Prior to this accomplishment, his most significant cash prize was $39,051, earned from winning a $600 buy-in event at the same venue during a 2022 WSOPC stop, where he claimed his first ring.

In addition to the substantial cash prize and the prestigious title, Barnes also earned 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year points, propelling him into the top 40 in the 2024 POY race standings sponsored by Global Poker.

Reflecting on his victory, Barnes expressed gratitude to Ryan D’Angelo for his coaching and support throughout the tournament. D’Angelo, a decorated bracelet winner, was among the talented field of players who competed alongside Barnes, finishing in 12th place for $31,876.

Numerous notable players reached the final table, including Andrew Moreno, the 2021 Wynn Millions main event champion, who held the chip lead at the outset. Barnes’ strategic prowess became evident as he systematically eliminated opponents, including Rubin Chappell, Christopher Mo, and David Yue.

A pivotal hand against Moreno solidified Barnes’ position, with his pocket kings prevailing over Moreno’s pocket jacks, sending Moreno to a sixth-place finish with an $80,857 payout.

The subsequent eliminations saw Barnes continuing his dominance, culminating in a final showdown against Zak Gilbert. In a dramatic conclusion, Barnes completed a straight on the river to clinch the victory, relegating Gilbert to second place with a payout of $237,256.

WSOPC Cherokee Main Event Final Table Results