FireKeepers Casino Hotel's Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Spade Poker Championship drew 2,442 entries and built a $2,367,240 prize pool, with MSPT Hall of Famer Umut Ozturk winning the tournament and earning $280,290.
The six-day poker series was held Oct. 13-18 at FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, according to a community announcement. The $1,110 buy-in Main Event exceeded its $1 million guaranteed prize pool by more than $1.36 million.
Ozturk claimed his third Major Series of Poker: The Tour title after advancing through one of the largest fields on the MSPT schedule. The championship payout represented the largest tournament score of his career. Ozturk and runner-up Greg Wiggins each received $280,290 after agreeing to an even chop during heads-up play.
With three players remaining, Ozturk eliminated Gian Bencivenga when his suited ace held against Bencivenga's suited king-queen. Bencivenga finished third and earned $164,811.
Tournament attracts more than 2,400 entries
The Main Event featured three starting flights from Oct. 15-17 before Day 2 play on Oct. 18. Players began with 30,000 chips and competed in 40-minute blind levels. The tournament awarded 1.5 times the standard Player of the Year points.
Play resumed on the final day with 266 players remaining, all already guaranteed a payout. The field eventually narrowed to the final nine competitors.
Final table results were:
- 1st: Umut Ozturk, $280,290
- 2nd: Greg Wiggins, $280,290
- 3rd: Gian Bencivenga, $164,811
- 4th: Dan Sepiol, $123,028
- 5th: Derek Gregory, $96,798
- 6th: Scott Bohlman, $74,235
- 7th: Frank Lagodich, $58,032
- 8th: Jake Long, $45,265
- 9th: Randy Froehlich, $35,980
Ozturk's victory marked his 19th MSPT final-table appearance and his 75th cash on the tour. According to the announcement, the champion said that the victory carried special meaning because he dedicated the win to his late mother.
FireKeepers plans more poker events
"The MSPT Spade Poker Championship continues to demonstrate the strong demand for major tournament poker at FireKeepers," Steven Senk, vice president of Gaming Operations at FireKeepers Casino Hotel, said in the announcement. "Our poker team, especially our dealers, brings the professionalism and skill needed to deliver a first-class experience for players. We're proud of the team behind these events and the level of poker action FireKeepers continues to offer."
According to the announcement, FireKeepers will continue offering cash games, promotions and tournaments throughout the fall. Planned events include High Hands promotions, the Flames of Fortune Multi-Bag Tournament and Ladies-Only No-Limit Hold'em tournaments.
The venue is also scheduled to host the MSPT Michigan Poker State Championship from May 11-16, 2027, featuring a $1 million guaranteed Main Event. The MSPT Spade Poker Championship is scheduled to return Oct. 12-17, 2027.
More information is available at FireKeepersCasino.com.
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This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: FireKeepers poker championship tops $2.3M prize pool