Main Event Caps 37-Event Winter Series in Atlantic City
Blake Vogdes closed out the 2026 Borgata Winter Poker Open by winning the $3,500 Winter Poker Open Championship, earning $457,980 for first place. The series ran from January 2 to January 18 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City and featured 37 events with more than $8 million in total guarantees.
The Winter Poker Open once again delivered heavy traffic across a wide range of buy-ins, highlighted by the Championship event, the Almighty Stack, and several Deepstack and mixed-game tournaments. Thousands of entries were recorded across the schedule, reinforcing the festival’s status as a key winter stop on the East Coast.
Championship Event Breaks $3 Million Guarantee
The $3,500 Championship attracted 895 entries, pushing the prize pool beyond its $3 million guarantee and making it the largest of the series. After several days of play, Vogdes worked his way through the field to capture the title and the biggest live tournament cash of his career.
Vogdes entered the final table among the shorter stacks and was the low man in chips once the field reached five-handed play. He managed to stay afloat as others fell and gradually rebuilt his stack, eventually reaching heads-up play against Jack Kwon. The two players agreed to a deal before continuing for the trophy, with Vogdes going on to finish the job and officially claim the Championship.
Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Vogdes | $457,980 |
| 2 | Jack Kwon | $407,110 |
| 3 | Zachary Fischer | $243,245 |
| 4 | Duane Mitchell | $159,570 |
| 5 | Benjamin Morgan | $109,925 |
| 6 | Olivier Busquet | $85,300 |
| 7 | Kyle Grupp | $67,655 |
| 8 | Greg Himmelbrand | $54,995 |
| 9 | Thomas Cannuli | $42,970 |
Deepstack Main Event Draws 4,280 Entries
The $600 Deepstack Main Event produced the second-largest field of the festival, drawing 4,280 entries. Akash Hotwani navigated the massive turnout to win the title and $323,775, earning his first BetMGM trophy and the largest cash of his career.
After experiencing early exits in several events earlier in the series, Hotwani regrouped and put together a steady run through the Deepstack Main Event, outlasting one of the biggest fields of the winter.
Almighty Stack Delivers Another Huge Field
The $400 Almighty Stack once again proved to be one of the most popular events on the schedule. The tournament attracted 4,082 entries and generated a $1,306,240 prize pool across multiple starting flights before combining into a single field.
Michael Renna emerged as the winner, earning $190,740 for first place, also the biggest score of his career. Thomas Cullis finished runner-up for $129,145, with Jonathan Kim taking third place and $87,900.
Notable Side Event Winners
Several side events added to the depth of the series. Aubrey Williams captured Event #4, the $1,000 BetMGM Hybrid Championship, earning $52,540 for the win and her first BetMGM and Borgata trophy. Michael McGuinness claimed the $380 Seniors Championship for $19,970, while Christopher Basile won the $550 Super Deep 6-Max for $56,900. Ronald Cleaver topped the $450 Saturday Series for $30,675, and Lee Ilagan secured the Ladies Championship.
With strong participation across all buy-in levels and multiple events drawing fields in the thousands, the 2026 Borgata Winter Poker Open once again delivered a busy, competitive winter festival anchored by a marquee Championship victory for Blake Vogdes.
