Andrew Moreno is proving once again that consistency and determination define a great poker career. The 42-year-old Texas-based poker pro captured his first PokerGO Tour (PGT) major title at the Poker Masters 2025 inside ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Moreno outlasted a stacked field of 101 entries in Event #3, the $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, and secured the $252,000 top prize along with the prestigious Poker Masters trophy. This victory marks Moreno’s third title of 2025 and adds to his already impressive run on the live circuit, with 10 final tables reached so far this year.
Career Milestone: $6.2 Million In Earnings
With this win, Moreno’s career tournament earnings now exceed $6.2 million. His biggest score still remains the $1.46 million victory at the 2021 Wynn Millions Main Event, but this Poker Masters triumph represents a breakthrough moment—his first major on the high-stakes PokerGO Tour.
In addition to the money, Moreno earned:
- 600 Card Player POY points – moving him into 27th place in the 2025 standings with 4,500 total points.
- 252 PGT points – giving him 760 total across eight cashes, good for 62nd place on the PGT leaderboard.
Earlier this year, Moreno won the Mission RunGood Million Dollar Main Event in August and took down a $1,000 event at The Lodge Winter Championship in February.
Big Names Exit Before The Final
The $1,010,000 prize pool paid the top 15 finishers. Some well-known players fell just short of the final table, including:
- Kristen Foxen (15th)
- Nguyen Le (14th)
- Brock Wilson (13th)
- Stephen Song (12th)
- Victoria Livschitz (10th)
- Aaron Messmer (9th)
- Nicholas Seward (8th)
Final Table Highlights
Sixth Place – John Riordan ($50,500)
Two-time bracelet winner John Riordan was the first to fall on Day 2 after running second pair into Jeremiah Williams’ top pair.
Fifth Place – Matthew Wantman ($65,600)
Bracelet winner Matthew Wantman was next out when his A♣10♠ couldn’t improve against Moreno’s pocket tens.
Fourth Place – Jeremiah Williams ($90,900)
Williams’ run ended in fourth when his A♦4♣ couldn’t hold against Laskowitz’s A♠10♥.
Third Place – Sam Laskowitz ($116,700)
Despite scoring big knockouts earlier in the event, Sam Laskowitz bowed out in third when his open-ended straight draw couldn’t overcome Moreno’s nut flush draw, which completed on the river.
Heads-Up Battle: Moreno vs. Brian Batt
Moreno entered heads-up play with nearly a 4:1 chip advantage over Brian Batt, holding 9,975,000 to Batt’s 2,650,000. He never looked back, quickly extending his lead.
The final hand saw Moreno shove with J♦8♦, and Batt called with J♥10♦. The board ran out 5♦4♦4♣K♦2♥, giving Moreno a flush and the championship title.
For Batt, the $171,700 runner-up finish marked the largest live tournament score of his career.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Moreno | $252,000 | 600 | 252 |
| 2 | Brian Batt | $171,700 | 500 | 172 |
| 3 | Sam Laskowitz | $116,700 | 400 | 117 |
| 4 | Jeremiah Williams | $90,900 | 300 | 91 |
| 5 | Matthew Wantman | $65,600 | 250 | 66 |
| 6 | John Riordan | $50,500 | 200 | 51 |
| 7 | Myles Mullaly | $40,400 | 150 | 40 |
| 8 | Nicholas Seward | $40,400 | 100 | 40 |
What This Means For Moreno
This victory solidifies Andrew Moreno as a force in both mid-stakes and high-stakes events. Already a proven champion with major wins like the Wynn Millions, Moreno now adds a PokerGO Tour title to his resume—an achievement that elevates his standing among elite professionals.
As the Poker Masters 2025 continues, eyes will be on Moreno to see if he can build momentum and contend for the Purple Jacket, awarded to the festival’s overall champion.
