PokerNews Podcast

In the 934th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow talk about the two players who made it all the way to heads-up play and then agreed to play winner take all for the prize money. It was a wild story that saw one player walk away with a five-figure payday and the other leave empty-handed. The trio then discusses WPT Global's controversial signing of Ren Lin as an ambassador, which led to a discussion about ClubWPT Gold's social media strategy and how those two brands are related to the main World Poker Tour (WPT) brand. In between, former WPT Global Ambassador Xuan Liu called out the site for continuing to use her image in the Asia market. Chad then shares highlights from his adventure with Phil Hellmuth and his son Phillip Hellmuth III playing in a Wisconsin home game, Alex Foxen winning PokerGO Tour (PGT) Player of the Year, and winners from the PokerGO Tour Last Chance Series. Then there was Daniel Negreanu at the final table of the PGT Championship, which was won by Chad Eveslage. Other stories include GPI Player of the Year results, Maine becoming the ninth state to legalize online poker, and a look at Lost in the Shuffle, a documentary that explores the history of playing cards through the lens of magic. See the trailer and enter for your chance to win a limited edition deck of cards. Speaking of giveaways, learn who won a copy of Jonathan Little's new book The Complete Poker Workout. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the Show 01:25 | Two players agree to "Winner Take All" 03:26 | WPT Global signs Ren Lin 08:15 | Is WPT Global different than WPT & ClubWPT Gold? 10:40 | Former Ambassador Xuan Liu calls out WPT Global 12:40 | Chad's adventure with Phil Hellmuth 20:02 | Alex Foxen wins PGT Player of the Year 22:29 | PokerGO Tour Last Chance Series winners 24:30 | Daniel Negreanu final tables PGT Championship 26:20 | Chad Eveslage wins PGT Championship 27:31 | GPI Player of the Year results 31:40 | Maine becomes 9th state to legalize online poker 36:55 | Lost in the Shuffle documentary 40:34 | PN Pod giveaways

In the 933rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow kick off Season 17 with some poker predictions for 2026. Will the Big Beautiful Bill's gambling tax situation be resolved or lead to big ramifications in the industry? Will Phil Hellmuth win his 18th gold bracelet? Would the World Series of Poker (WSOP) ever raise the buy-in for the Main Event? The triumvirate also covers recent stories, including poker players Galen Hall and Jason Somerville winning big in the Circa Survivor content, arbitration ending between Maurice Hawkins and Denise Pratt, and Lex Veldhuis returning to the streaming streets, albeit not as a PokerStars Ambassador. Similarly, Caitlin Comeskey's ambassadorship with PokerStars US came to an end, and got the crew asking, "Is there still value in poker ambassadors?" You'll also see a short interview of Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel chatting with Rep. Dina Titus about the aforementioned tax bill, hear about Jeremy Becker and Matthew Wantman winning titles at the Venetian, and another book giveaway for a copy of Jonathan Little's The Complete Poker Workout. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:40 | Poker players win big in Circa's Survivor contest 08:20 | Maurice Hawkins arbitration ends 21:56 | Lex Veldhuis is back! 26:07 | What are the value of "Poker Ambassadors" nowadays? 30:00 | Poker predictions for 2026 30:42 | Video: Erik Seidel chats w/ Rep. Dina Titus 38:29 | Trivia – Venezuela's all-time money list 40:03 | Is late reg and unlimited reentries a problem? 47:45 | Could WSOP Main Event be $15,000? 49:50 | Hellmuth will win bracelet No. 16 in 2026 50:30 | Recent Tournament Winners presented by 888poker 51:18 | Jeremy Becker claims title at Venetian 51:35 | Matthew Wantman kicks off New Year with win 51:46 | Preston Dean wins RoughRider Poker Tour title 52:10 | Jonathan Little book giveaway 54:13 | Disc golf with TJ Reid

In the 932nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz recap the top 10 stories of 2025 according to PokerNews. They include: - Cheating Technology Fears Rise - Trump's Tax Bill Detrimental to Poker Industry - Benny Glaser's Summer for the Ages  - Twelve Months That Might Change Women's Poker Forever   - Attorney Tom Goldstein Indicted Over Million-Dollar Poker Games  - Ossi Ketola's Record-Shattering Heads-Up Poker Matches - Return of Poker Villains - Millionaire Maker Controversy at 2025 WSOP - Poker Game Arrests Involving Basketball Stars Rock the NBA - Michael Mizrachi Historic WSOP Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 01:12 | Cheating Technology Fears Rise 05:26 | Trump's Tax Bill Detrimental to Poker Industry 10:40 | Benny Glaser's Summer for the Ages  12:50 | Twelve Months That Might Change Women's Poker Forever   15:16 | Attorney Tom Goldstein Indicted Over Million-Dollar Poker Games  16:56 | Ossi Ketola's Record-Shattering Heads-Up Poker Matches 18:37 | Return of Poker Villains 22:26 | Millionaire Maker Controversy at 2025 WSOP 27:10 | Poker Game Arrests Involving Basketball Stars Rock the NBA 29:26 | Michael Mizrachi Historic WSOP

In the 931st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz bring Christmas cheer to the poker world! The duo discusses the brutal slowroll from Eric Wasserson against Benny Glaser deep in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Super Main Event, bracelet winners from the Bahamas, and their thoughts on Ren Lin being allowed back to play without even missing a single stop during his "indefinite" suspension. From there, it's over to Las Vegas to recap the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship, including an interview with winner Schuyler Thornton, and other events like Aaron Johnson winning WPT Prime, Darren Elias taking down the $25K High Roller, and Kharlin Sued emerging victorious in the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star. You'll also hear about Joao Simao besting Jason Koon in the Super High Roller Bowl X and Paul Tedeschi winning the €1,100 PokerStars Open Cannes. Finally, Jonathan Little is coming out with a new book, so we thought it'd be a good time for another giveaway. It's your chance to win a copy of Jonathan Little's new book, which you can also order by visiting dandbpoker.com. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:09 | EWass slowrolls Glaser 01:52 | Video of the slowroll 06:55 | TJ Reid makes a deep run 09:33 | Bernhard Binder wins WSOP Paradise 10:50 | Video: Final hand + winner interview 13:11 | Ren Lin no longer banned 15:38 | Schuyler Thornton wins 2025 WPT World Championship 18:39 | Video: Schuyler Thornton winner interview 19:54 | Super High Roller Bowl X 22:16 | Imari Love victorious in The Closer Turbo Bounty 23:24 | Johan Guilbert claims first WSOP bracelet  24:56 | Aaron Johnson wins WPT Prime Championship 27:03 | Darren Elias wins $25k High Roller at Wynn  27:33 | Kharlin Sued wins WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star 28:44 | Video: Kharlin Sued winner interview 31:05 | Paul Tedeschi wins €1,100 PokerStars Open Cannes 31:63 | Jonathan Little book giveaway

In the 930th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) World Champion Scott Stewart at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas.  The trio offers an update regarding the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and aggressor Eugene Castaneda, namely a warrant out for the latter. They then dissect the controversial hand played by Ryan Depaulo, Andre Moreira, and James Caputo in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise $25K Super Main Event. Who was in the right? Who was in the wrong?  Speaking of that tournament, Jesse Lonis made a big fold that sparked a heated rivalry with Shaun Deeb. Even Daniel Negreanu weighed in with his thoughts about the play. Speaking of Kid Poker, he fired away in the Super Main Event, which shed light on so many poker pros firing multiple bullets into the uniquely-structured tournament. Some players fired 11, 12, and even 14 bullets throughout the various flights. Is it good or bad for poker? How might recreational players interpret it?  Down in the Bahamas, Charlie Hook, Koray Aldemir, Joao Simao, David Coleman, and Aleksejs Ponakovs have all captured gold bracelets, while Matan Krakow took down the EPT Prague Main Event. From there, it's over to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, where the WPT Prime final table is set, Lily Lofty took down the WPT Ladies Championship, and a new WPT Ambassador was named in the special Mystery Quest event. Finally, Jonathan Little is coming out with a new book, so we thought it'd be a good time for another giveaway. It's your chance to win a copy of Little's book 100 Essential Tips. Visit dandbpoker.com to preorder Jonathan Little's new book. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show  01:16 | Maurice Hawkins pressing charges 05:20 | Ryan Depaulo's controversial hand 12:48 | Jesse Lonis big fold 21:00 | WSOP Paradise hits $60M GTD; Lots of Re-Entries 27:24 | Atlantis isn't that bad 30:45 | Recent tournament winners from WSOP Paradise 36:05 | Schedule released for WSOP Europe 39:10 | Lily Lofty wins WPT Ladies Championship 41:53 | WPT Prime final table 42:30 | Spencer Gore becomes WPT Ambassador 45:33 | Matan Krakow wins EPT Prague 46:00 | Book giveaway winner 47:20 | Irish Poker Open 48:10 | Chad's drinking contest against Viktor Blom

In the 929th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna and Steven Jones, the latter having recently finished third place in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. He talks about that experience and what it's been like to become a reality TV show star. The crew then discusses recent developments in the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and the aggressor Eugene Castaneda. That includes surveillance footage that shows both men going to their respective cars, where Eugene admitted that he retrieved a firearm. From there, it's a recap of Hustler Casino Live's Million Dollar Marathon that included a $2.1 million cooler, backlash over the WSOP+ App's new ICM feature and a chop at the WSOP Paradise, and Sam Soverel's nude pic. Finally, learn about recent winners from the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship, and the PokerStars EPT Prague, where Yulian Bogdanov has already claimed two titles! Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:12 | More details regarding Maurice Hawkins' fight 05:23 | Steven Jones talks Squid Game: The Challenge 16:14 | Hustler Casino Live's Million Dollar Marathon 17:39 | $2.1 Million Cooler 21:20 | Backlash over WSOP+ App's new ICM feature 27:40 | Matthias Eibinger & Mike Watson chop a WSOP event 31:58 | Winners from the WSOP Paradise 33:10 | Sam Soverel's nude pic 35:03 | Yulian Bogdanov wins two titles at EPT Prague 37:03 | Justin Arnwine, Boris Kolev & Eric Baldwin among WPT WC winners 39:28 | Hayley likes to crop dust rude customers 43:18 | Jonathan Little book giveaway

In the 928th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk about the SWAT team raid of a low-stakes poker game in Sweden. Find out what caused armed authorities, supported by drones and even a helicopter, to raise the $100 buy-in poker tournament.  The trio then discusses the physical altercation between Maurice Hawkins and a player known as "Eugene" in a Florida home game. Was Maurice running his mouth? Was it an unprovoked attack? Not only do you get to hear about what happened, but you can see some video clips of the scuffle itself. Other topics covered are Daniel Negreanu's post on players that learn via solvers versus those who do their "own thing," where Michael Addamo falls in that conversation, and PokerNews being named the official live reporting partner for the 2026 Aussie Millions. Plus, a look ahead to the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship & EPT Prague underway, and given that Jonathan Little is coming out with a new book, we thought it'd be a good time for another giveaway. It's your chance to win a copy of Little's book 100 Essential Tips. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast!  A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:03 | Authorities raid poker game in Sweden 05:23 | Maurice Hawkins's home game scuffle 08:53 | Maurice hates Chad 15:48 | Daniel Negreanu on Solvers vs "Own Thing" 19:38 | What about Michael Addamo? 24:40 | PokerNews official live reporting partner for 2026 Aussie Millions 26:01 | WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship & EPT Prague underway 27:46 | Jonathan Little coming out with a new book

In the 927th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Connor Richards at Level 9 Studios to talk about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) when it comes to poker content. The discussion stems from the recent controversy involving the World Series of Poker (WSOP) documentary No Limit, in which showrunner Dustin Iannotti admittedly used AI in edits involving Alan Keating's quotes. The show was pulled from YouTube by the WSOP as a result, and opened up a whole can of worms. PokerNews also pissed off Shaun Deeb with an AI oopsie of our own, while ClubWPT Gold's tweet stirred up a heated debate about marketing, women in poker, and more. It was a debate that Abby Merk jumped into headfirst while at the Asian Poker Tour (APT), where she booked a tournament win! From there, you can see highlights from the 2nd Annual Big Deal for One Drop Charity Event during F1 Las Vegas, which involved Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Tilly, and Antonio Esfandiari, just to name a few. Oh, and the title came down to Deeb and Squid Games: The Challenge star Steven Jones. Watch to find out who won! Chad and Connor then recap recent tournament wins by Aaron Johnson and Jake Long at MSPT Ameristar East Chicago, Felipe Boianovsky taking down the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) $50K Super High Roller, and Ted Jackson-Spivack claiming three CMSOP titles before they share what they're thankful for on this Thanksgiving holiday. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:25 | WSOP documentary pulled amid AI controversy 14:00 | ClubWPT Gold's tweet stirs up heated debate 18:26 | Abby Merk wins Pineapple tournament 22:27 | Steven Jones wins Big Deal for One Drop Charity Event 28:40 | PokerNews pisses off Shaun Deeb 37:30 | Aaron Johnson wins MSPT Ameristar East Chicago 38:00 | Jake Long claims four side event titles 39:02 | Felipe Boianovsky wins BSOP $50K Super High Roller Title 40:53 | Ted Jackson-Spivack wins third CMSOP title 43:20 | What are you thankful for on Thanksgiving?

In the 926th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Connor Richards at Level 9 Studios to talk the latest stories in the poker world. That includes former WSOP Main Event runner-up Steven Jones making the top five in the finale of Netflix's popular Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. Find out if the poker pro was able to win the $4.56 million top prize. They also dive into the debate fueled by Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth on how many World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets there should be each year, who won the WPT bestbet Jacksonville Bounty Scramble, and why the Global Poker Awards are no more. Plus, the crew remembers Ulvis Alberts, the original WSOP photographer who recently passed away, while Connor shares details on the time he played poker on the North Korean border and his feature article on Lynard Skynard and the poker game they played on their ill-fated flight that led to a deadly plane crash. Oh, and did we mention that Sam Soverel shared a full-frontal selfie on social media? No? Well, he did. Finally, this week's recent tournament winners include Terelle Tavares winning the 888poker UKPL Coventry, Martin Kabrhel taking down BSOP High Roller, Edward Jackson-Spivack nabbing a Chainsaw Mixed Series trophy, Albert Croteau victorious in BPO Atlantic City Championship, Carl Masters winning RGPS Grand Prix Tunica II, Gal Yifrach defeating Thomas Boivin to claim the PokerStars 2025 NAPT title. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:52 | How did Steven Jones do on Squid Game? 06:30 | How many WSOP bracelets should there be each year? 12:54 | WPT bestbet Jacksonville Bounty Scramble 15:25 | Global Poker Awards come to an end 18:00 | Lynard Skynard & North Korean Poker Game 20:05 | WSOP photograph Ulvis Alberts passes away 23:27 | Terelle Tavares wins 888poker UKPL Coventry 23:47 | Martin Kabrhel's takes down BSOP High Roller  26:05 | Sam Soverel goes full frontal 26:53 | Edward Jackson-Spivack wins Chainsaw Mixed Series trophy 28:27 | Albert Croteau Victorious in BPO Atlantic City Championship 29:05 | Carl Masters wins RGPS Grand Prix Tunica II 30:18 | Gal Yifrach wins PokerStars 2025 NAPT 33:10 | What's coming up?

In the 925th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk the latest stories in the poker world. That includes the massive $1.3 million pot from a special episode of High Stakes Poker, one that saw Alan Keating try and execute a huge bluff. Was it a valiant effort or an ill-timed move?  The trio also offers their thoughts on the topic of "Should poker tournaments start earlier?", which was being discussed on social media by Seth Davies and Jason Koon. Speaking of the latter, you'll get to see highlights from 'All In with Jason Koon' from the 2025 PokerStars NAPT, as well as a look at Comedy Night with Joe "Stapes" Stapleton and RunGood Trivia Night with Boston Rob Mariano and Tyson Apostol of Survivor fame. Chad actually caught up with the two reality TV legends for a poker trivia game of his own. In other NAPT news, Jeremy Ausmus beat quad aces with a Royal Flush, Nikolai Mamut defeated TJ Reid to win the NAPT PokerStars Open, and Stephen Chidwick, Cherish Andrews, and Raena Janes all took down titles. Finally, get a preview of upcoming stops, including the next Hendon Mob Championship in Cape Town and the RGPS Grand Prix San Diego. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:53 | Alan Keating bluffs it off in $1.3M pot 03:00 | Señor Tilt's big pot on PokerGO 07:00 | Alan Keating on HSP 11:09 | Tournament start time debate 23:35 | Royal Flush cooler for Jeremy Ausmus 27:00 | All in with Jason Koon highlights 30:38 | Comedy Night with Joe Stapleton 32:47 | Highlights from Comedy Night 33:47 | Trivia Night w/ Boston Rob & Tyson 39:00 | Nikolai Mamut wins NAPT Las Vegas PS Open 42:34 | Stephen Chidwick takes down NAPT $50k Super High Roller Win 45:30 | Cherish Andrews wins NAPT Mystery Bounty 47:20 | Raena Janes wins NAPT Ladies Event 47:45 | Elaine Rawn wins NAPT Ladies High Roller 48:18 | Hendon Mob Championship  49:07 | RGPS Grand Prix San Diego 50:55 | Shoutout to Kim

In the 924th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk about the latest stories in the poker world. That includes a double murder that took place at a home game in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and poker pro Steven Jones, who finished runner-up to Daniel Wienman in the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, being a contestant on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. From there, Chad reveals the charity fundraiser record he set with the help of the poker world, Elon Musk weighing in on the AI poker bot battle, and John Riordan winning the $100,000 PLO Super High Roller Bowl. Speaking of winners, Justin Arnwine scored big at RGPS Grand Prix Maryland. The crew then talks about the upcoming December war between the WSOP Paradise and WPT World Championship, and the new poker documentary No Limit about the former stop.  A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:14 | Double murder at Wisconsin poker game 05:30 | Steven Jones on Season 2 of Squid Game: The Challenge 09:17 | Poker world helps Chad sets charity record 12:10 | Elon Musk and the AI poker battle 17:52 | John Riordan wins PLO Super High Roller Bowl  21:04 | Justin Arnwine scores big at RGPS Grand Prix Maryland 27:47 | WSOP initiatives & Paradise 30:12 | WSOP vs. WPT 34:42 | No Limit documentary on YouTube 36:24 | Bar Poker Open returning to Borgata 38:14 | Allen Kessler's Mixed Game Series at Planet Hollywood 39:54 | Robbie Strazynski's Mixed Game Festival XII 40:24 | The PokerStars NAPT is here 42:00 | Run Good Trivia Night

In the 923rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to discuss the latest stories from the poker world. That includes the wild, mainstream poker cheating story involving NBA players and coach Chauncey Billups, the mafia, and more.  As if that wasn't controversial enough, well-known poker pro Ren Lin was disqualified from a live poker tournament for helping a friend in an online one. As a result, he was indefinitely banned from GGPoker and the WSOP. Find out what happened in this episode. Other stories include a "High-Rated Poker Player's" Las Vegas brothel, highlights from the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS), and recent tournament winners, including Charles Furey, Nick Burris, and Chino Rheem at the PGT PLO Series II. Finally, find out who the lucky winner was in the $10,000 NAPT Gold Pass giveaway! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:15 | Welcome to the show 01:30 | Poker cheating scandal involving NBA coach & players 07:33 | Mafia involvement 10:09 | Matt Berkey called it out two years ago 17:02 | Ren Lin's disqualification and indefinite ban 27:30 | Daniel Negreanu defends Ren Lin 31:19 | "High-Rated Poker Player's" Las Vegas brothel 35:50 | Highlights from the World Tournament of Slots 39:00 | NAPT Gold Pass giveaway winner 41:00 | Interview w/ Tom Pierce 45:50 | WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star final table set 49:50 | Charles Furey takes down PokerStars Open Maryland  50:33 | Nicholas Burris wins RGPS Tulsa for $65,435 51:30 | Chino Rheem Dominates PGT PLO Series II 53:00 | NAPT is upon us!

In the 922nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is down at the Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas for the 2nd Annual World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). Reigning World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi is also there and agreed to serve as a special cohost for this episode. Mizrachi talks about life after his unprecedented summer, his son getting into poker, hobbies outside of the game, and his thoughts on the Poker Hall of Fame. The two hosts then welcome special guest "Mama Grinder," who is down in the Bahamas with her son so she can participate in the WTOS! Find out what she thinks of her son's success, how she's passed down her competitive spirit, and her favorite slot machine. You'll also see highlights from Mizrachi's Mixed Games Match-Up "Drama in the Bahamas" against defending WTOS champ Stephanie "Win-It-All" Hall, and an interview with poker pro Eddie Blumenthal, who just happened to be down in the Bahamas. Blumenthal talks about getting sober at the beginning of the year and how it's had a positive impact on his life. Finally, it is the last episode in our $10,000 NAPT Gold Pass giveaway, meaning the final code word drops, and you now have until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, October 26 to get in the correct code phrase to be entered to win. Click here for details on the PokerNews Podcast NAPT Gold Pass Giveaway! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time    Topic* 00:20 | Welcome Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi 01:03 | Back at the Atlantis Paradise Island for WTOS 01:44 | Life after winning the World Series of Poker 03:19 | New GGPoker sponsorship 05:13 | Are there any poker players that you're afraid of? 05:55 | Grinder's son taking up the game 07:14 | World Tournament of Slots 08:20 | Hobbies outside of poker 10:20 | What's coming up for the Grinder? 12:00 | Thoughts on the Poker Hall of Fame 13:08 | Mama Grinder joins the show 18:08 | Drama in the Bahamas highlights 23:00 | Interview w/ Stephanie "Win It All" Hall 28:45 | Eddie Blumenthal's sobriety journey

In the 921st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas with high-stakes poker player Brian Okin for a special episode devoted to Okin's Game on Venetian Poker Live.  The live-streamed cash game has produced some wildly entertaining hands and offers lineups that regularly include poker stars like Jean-Robert Bellande, Eric Wasserson, Matt Berkey, Martin Kabrhel, and regining WSOP Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi; as well as, relative newcomers, at least to the poker spotlight, such as Royski and Dr. Phil.  If you're not familiar with Brian Okin, this is your chance to learn about his poker origins in Manhattan, which included playing in the famed Molly's Game, to his transition to Las Vegas. Learn the ins and outs of what it takes to put together a regular high-stakes poker cash game, what exactly is 'Squid Game' in poker, and a look at some of the most famous hands played by Okin including bluffing into the nuts and winning a monster pot worth $320,000! Click here for details on the PokerNews Podcast NAPT Gold Pass Giveaway! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps Time Topic 0:00 Welcome to the show 0:39 Who is Brian Okin? 5:33 Moving to Las Vegas 7:50 Molly's Game 11:33 Starting Okin's Game 14:46 What is Squid Game in poker? 16:50 Players from Okin's Game 22:39 Constructing a non-pro poker game 26:26 Mariano vs. Royski 32:03 An unbelievable fold 39:08 A $320K Pot! 41:45 Bluffing Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi 44:33 The Bobblehead 46:52 Bluffing into the nuts 50:55 Okin's brand of tilt  

In the 920th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas to talk a little but about WSOP champ and the most recent member of the Poker Hall of Fame Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, who actually sat down with Chad at the Venetian to talk about his new "Grinder's Game" cash game and the upcoming World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). They then discuss David Coleman winning the Poker Masters purple jacket, Jason Koon's bad beat, Shaun Deeb capturing his WSOP bracelet, and other winners from the WSOP Europe. Speaking of winners, Jeremy Gaubert took down the RGPS Grand Prix New Orleans, Josh Arieh and Nick Palma both won online bracelets, and Bridget Johnson was victorious in the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship. Finally, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000, and goes one-on-one with Chris Bilinsky, a Gold Pass winner who's already booked his ticket to Las Vegas. There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:53 | What are your thoughts on the Grinder? 03:34 | Grinder's Bounty & Grinder's Game at the Venetian 07:21 | Interview with Michael Mizrachi 10:00 | World Tournament of Slots (WTOS) coming Oct. 22-26 10:41 | David Coleman wins Poker Masters purple jacket 12:29 | Winners from the 2025 Poker Masters 14:25 | Bad beat for Jason Koon 17:50 | Shaun Deeb captures 8th WSOP bracelet 20:00 | WSOP Europe in need of a change? 26:58 | Jeremy Gaubert wins RGPS Grand Prix New Orleans 27:30 | Josh Arieh wins online event for 7th bracelet 30:30 | Nick Palma wins 1st bracelet in online event   34:00 | Bridget Johnson takes down RPT Tri-State Poker Championship 37:10 | Interview w/ Gold Pass winner Chris Bilinsky

In the 919th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Connor Richards to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion about the current poker content landscape on YouTube. If Brad Owen's recent experience is any indication, things don't look good. The trio then discusses Martin Kabrhel's gold bracelet win at the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe, Michael Mizrachi's "Grinder's Game" coming to Venetian Poker Live, and All In with Jason Koon slated to take place during November's NAPT. Speaking of which, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. You will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the recent Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) St. Jude, learn about winners from the 2025 Poker Masters and WSOPE, a new poker room coming to Las Vegas, and Chad's personal adventures involving the Miami Dolphins and Mötley Crüe. It's a fun episode that you won't want to miss, so tune in now! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 01:15 Brad Owen's YouTube channel taken down 06:55 Martin Kabrhel wins 5th WSOP bracelet 10:10 Grinder's Game coming to Venetian Poker Live 12:43 All In with Jason Koon during 2025 NAPT 16:55 NAPT Hotel Room Rate 17:32 CSOP St. Jude 19:34 Highlight video from the CSOP 21:05 2025 Poker Masters winners 24:19 Jared Passanante wins at the Reserve 25:38 WSOP Europe winners 27:00 Poker room coming to Green Valley Ranch 30:30 Allen Kessler's Chainsaw Series of Poker 32:20 New episode of Life Outside Poker 35:36 Chad's Miami Dolphins & Mötley Crüe adventure

In the 918th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, the 100th of the revamped in-studio show, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion about GGPoker's Olive Branch Initiative. Do banned players and poker cheaters deserve a second chance? The trio then discusses Monarch's recent seven-figure heads-up matches that saw $11 million and $12.7 million pots, recent tournament winners from the latest Triton Poker stop, including Isaac Haxton and Christoph Vogelsang, and Kristen Foxen taking over the top spot from Vanessa Selbst on the Women's All-Time Money List on The Hendon Mob.  Plus, Chadd Beatty wins RGPS Grand Prix Pennsylvania Main Event, and it's your last chance to qualify for a FREE seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). Finally, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 02:32 | GGPoker's Olive Branch Initiative 10:40 | Monarch's heater 11:40 | Does it count as a cash game pot? 12:32 | $11 million pot vs Alex Foxen 14:54 | $12.7 million pot vs Bjorn Li 20:23 | Is it the largest "cash" pot in history? 25:00 | Clyde "Snack Attack" Gaskins big winner 28:25 | Ike Haxton breaks Triton curse to win first title 31:15 | Nacho Barbero defeats Phil Ivey heads up 32:10 | Christoph Vogelsang wins Main Event 33:55 | Kristen Foxen becomes No. 1 on Women's All-Time List  38:15 | Chadd Beatty wins RGPS Grand Prix Pennsylvania Main Event  40:55 | Last Chance to qualify for a FREE Seat in the World Tournament of Slots

In the 917th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion on the future of poker following the failure of a provision that would've mitigated the concerning gambling tax implications of the Big Beautiful Bill. Is there still time to turn things around? The trio then discusses some of Monarch's recent seven-figure heads-up matches, Phil Hellmuth issuing a $1,000,000 challenge, and recent tournament winners from the 888poker LIVE London, including Gang Wang, Aaron Barone, and Vivian Saliba. Chad then sits down with the winner of PokerNews' World Tournament of Slots (WTOS) giveaway. Find out who will be headed to the Bahamas in October, where they'll have a shot at a million bucks and the opportunity to meet reigning World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi. Finally, Chad reveals the latest code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:48 | The future of poker amid Big Beautiful Bill provision failure 12:25 | Monarch takes on Limitless & Foxen 15:43 | Video: Foxen puts Monarch to the test 20:08 | Hellmuth offers $1 million poker cash game challenge 22:40 | Hellmuth's cash game statistics 26:10 | World Tournament of Slots giveaway winner 35:00 | Win a Silver Pass to 2025 NAPT Las Vegas 36:20 | Gang Wang wins 888poker LIVE London Main Event 37:52 | Aaron Barone wins 888poker LIVE London Ambassador Event  38:10 | Vivian Saliba takes down £550 Big Shot  39:20 | What nationalities are crushing poker nowadays? 42:00 | Japan Open Poker Tour (JOPT) 43:40 | 888poker XL Autumn Series runs Sept. 21-29

In the 916th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Jesse Fullen to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including Martin Kabrhel and his website selling merchandise bearing his trademark catchphrases such as "Not like that" and "Casino Royale." From there, they recap the highly-publicized heads-up match between Barstool Nate and Dave Portnoy where the former made what some call the worst fold in poker history; take a look at the unique wedding photos from the Burning Man ceremony of Liv Boeree and Igor Kurganov; and take a look at PokerNews' new The Rundown. Among the tournament winners highlighted in this week's episode are Jeremy Becker, Chino Rheem, Joshua Gebissa, Liam Gannon, and Kathy Liebert. Other stories include a look at the WPT World Championship schedule, a fresh edition of New Vlogs on the Block, and how Joey from Love is Blind and his protein company FLŸTE made their way into Chad's life. Finally, Chad reveals the details surrounding this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 04:12 | Martin Kabrhel's merchandise shop 08:21 | Barstool Nate vs. Dave Portnoy 13:58 | Worst fold in poker history? 19:01 | Barstool Nate reacts to result of heads-up match 21:35 | Igor Nurganov & Liv Boeree tie the knot at Burning Man 25:25 | Introducing PokerNews' The Rundown 27:37 | Giveaway for a NAPT Gold Pass 30:09 | Winners from the PGT Bounty Blitz Series; Jeremy Becker crushes 31:06  | Chino Rheem claims a title 31:47 | Landon Tice binks Event #3 32:20 | Other winners include Sergio Aido, Jason Hickey & Sam Laskowitz   32:50 | Former Footballer Joshua Gebissa wins first-ever Triton ONE Main Event for $975,225 35:56 | Professional bass fisherman reels in RGPS Tunica Main Event title 38:09 | Liam Gannon ships first WSOP Circuit ring 40:49 | Kathy Liebert wins Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza event 42:37 | FLŸTE Clear Whey Protein 43:19 | Joey from Love is Blind 45:55 | New Vlogs on the Block – Papa Poker 48:50 | World Poker Tour Championship schedule

In the 915th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are once again joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories and highlights from the poker world. That includes back-to-back WSOP Ladies Event champ Shiina Okamoto, who was back to her winning ways after taking down the Women's Event at the recently-completed EPT Barcelona. Is it time to start mentioning her name when talking about the G.O.A.T.s of the game? Speaking of the EPT Barcelona, David Coleman had four runner-up finishes there, while Thomas Eychenne took down the EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,217,175. It was actually in that tournament that PokerNews spotted Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll, the two friends who caused quite the controversy over the summer in the WSOP Millionaire Maker, seated next to each other. Strange coincidence, that.  From there, Chad offers highlights from his Wisconsin hangout with Phil Hellmuth, who then went ot New Hampshire for a "Beat the Champ" weekend that saw Brandon Cantu emerge victorious. Hellmuth also remembered the late, great Poker Hall of Fame tournament director Jack McClelland. Speaking of winners, Grant Hinkle, Nick Rigby, and Maurice Hawkins all took down titles, which are recapped in this episode, and inspired Mike to share a Rigby story of his own. Also, a preview of the upcoming PokerGO Tour (PGT) Venetian Las Vegas Classic. Finally, remember PokerNews is giving away a seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). You could have an approximate one in 500 chance at a $1,000,000 top prize. Click here to learn more about the WTOS. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:10 | Ben Ludlow joins the show 01:00 | Shiina Okamoto wins EPT Barcelona Ladies Event 05:00 | Shiina Okamoto's winning hand 05:50 | David Coleman four runner-up finishes 09:00 | What's your favorite cheese? 10:33 | World Tournament of Slots giveaway 13:20 | Chad hangs out with Hellmuth in Wisconsin 16:16 | Hellmuth's 'Beat the Champ' weekend in New Hampshire 19:07 | Highlight videos from Hellmuth's 'Beat the Champ' 22:31 | Phil Hellmuth remembers Jack McClelland 25:36 | James Anderson wins MSPT JACK Cleveland 27:20 | Thomas Eychenne wins EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,217,175  31:36 | Jesse Yaginuma & James Carroll get sat by each other   35:00 | Grant Hinkle wins Oklahoma State Championship; First Winner in Six Years  35:53 | Nick Rigby wins RunGood Grand Prix Caesars Southern Indiana  36:20 | Mike's Nick Rigby story 38:51 | Maurice Hawkins wins two rings at WSOP Circuit New Orleans 42:57 | PGT Venetian Classic features $1M Guaranteed Main Event