PA Poker Gamers Present Out At Borgata’s Epic ‘Return’ Sequence

Borgata Lodge On line casino & Spa in Atlantic Metropolis, a mainstay amongst high poker venues worldwide, stepped again into the limelight after the flip of the brand new 12 months with its The Return collection (run together with BetMGM Poker), which ran from Jan. 2-8. The collection was effectively acquired and even higher attended, with over $8.5 million in prize swimming pools throughout three major occasions.

The $5,300 Principal Occasion shattered its $3 million assure, amassing a prize pool of larger than $5.5 million, with Pennsylvania poker gamers Bin Weng and Joe McKeehen successful and taking third, respectively.

Earlier than the Principal Occasion, Borgata’s first-ever Thriller Bounty event was simply as large of successful. The $2,200 occasion drew 1,361 entries, creating a complete prize pool above $2.6 million, together with $1 million in thriller bounties.

Weng, McKeehen signify PA at ‘The Return’ Principal Occasion remaining desk

Borgata’s The Return Principal Occasion drew 1,142 runners throughout two beginning flights, producing a prize pool of $5,538,700 paid to the top-110 locations. The cash bubble burst after dinner on day two, and Philadelphia’s Bin Weng led the ultimate 53 on the finish of the day. 

One other full day introduced the sector to the ultimate desk of eight after 2015 WSOP Principal Occasion Champion Joe McKeehen, of North Wales, delivered a cooler to Grant Lang’s pocket kings to remove him in ninth place. The 2 had almost similar stacks earlier than the hand, giving McKeehen a commanding lead going into the ultimate day.

Each gamers caught extra warmth on the remaining desk, with Weng notching the first two knockouts and McKeehen the subsequent two. Weng added a 3rd when he eradicated Jon Borenstein in fourth place and overtook the chip lead from McKeehen after successful an enormous coin flip with ace-king suited to pocket jacks.

Three-handed play continued for 2 extra hours till McKeehen was coolered as soon as extra, his pocket kings shedding all-in preflop to Sundiata Devore’s pocket kings. Moments later, he fell in third. 

Shortly after heads-up play started, Weng and Devore agreed to flatten the top-two prizes earlier than returning to battle. Weng in the end got here out on high in one other all-in preflop situation, together with his ace-king holding towards Devore’s ace-queen to earn the primary seven-figure rating of his profession.

$5,300 ‘The Return’ remaining desk outcomes

*Denotes heads-up deal

The look ahead to reside event poker was value it

Pennsylvanians have been starved for giant poker tournaments within the area since 2020’s coronavirus shutdown.

Though many poker rooms within the area reopened after a months-long break that 12 months, they caught to working money video games and smaller each day tournaments. Parts of event collection, resembling elevated room capacities and touring gamers, created a larger threat for publicity. A number of poker rooms averted this.

Now, we will comfortably look again on that hiatus within the rearview mirror. Even higher, the large turnouts at Borgata exhibit a nonetheless–wholesome poker financial system within the northeast. 

2023 ‘The Return’ collection outcomes

*Denotes prize after deal was made (not together with bounties, if relevant)

Be looking out for extra reside poker tournaments in 2023

The success of The Return offers Borgata grounds to run extra (and even greater) occasions all year long. Nevertheless, the implications stretch additional than that. Different poker site managers undoubtedly watched to see how issues panned out and can comply with swimsuit as 2023 unfolds.

MGM Resorts’ Director of Poker Technique, Sean McCormack, hinted at extra tournaments on Twitter following the conclusion of the collection, saying that it was “only the start” and concluding the tweet with, “#StayTuned.”

When you’re attempting to leap proper again into the motion (and are keen to drive a number of hours), MGM Nationwide Harbor’s Potomac Winter Poker Open runs from Jan. 25 to Feb. 6 in Maryland. The collection has 16 occasions, that includes a $500K GTD Thriller Bounty occasion and one other $500K GTD Principal Occasion.

As for extra Atlantic Metropolis on line casino tournaments, we hope to see different festivals surrounding the World Poker Tour and WSOP Circuit return within the second half of the 12 months. WPT sometimes pronounces tournaments all 12 months lengthy, whereas the WSOP Circuit’s present season wraps up in Might.

Hopefully, AC could have a cease when the 2023-24 schedule arrives.