Some players thought it was a bit risky. Borgata and BetMGM wanted to host a series of poker tournaments with big buy-ins in the first half of September, complete with more than $6,500,000 in guarantees for just nine events. And the main event of the series would be a $5,300 buy-in Championship, an amount that doesn’t happen as much in live tournament series anymore. And that tournament would also guarantee $3,000,000 for its own prize pool.

When we say it like that, sure, it does sound a little ambitious. But Borgata and BetMGM have both been booming. And there needed to be a series to celebrate the official grand opening of the BetMGM Poker Tournament Room at Borgata, of course. Enter the Big, Big Buy-In poker tournament series.

It paid off. The players were pleased, the prize pools were massive, and Borgata was buzzing. Let’s see how it all went down!

Big, Big Kick-Off Set the Tone

Oftentimes, Borgata hosts a Kick-Off tournament with a low buy-in to get players to the tables and excited about the series. This time, the Big, Big Kick-Off had a $2,200 buy-in with two starting days and a $1,000,000 guarantee. And it worked.

• Total entries:  572
• Total prize pool:  $1,114,000

The top 72 players made the money, and among those who collected were Daniel Buzgon, Matt Glantz, and Frank Funaro. At the final table, each of the final nine was guaranteed at least $19,000, and Joe McKeehen was one who surpassed that amount. But in the end, there were three remaining in action when they agreed to a chop. Tony Sinishtaj took home $130,745 for third place, Nicholas Verderamo grabbed $139,125 for second, and Grant Wang took the trophies and $171,075 for the win.

ETay Brings Excitement to Mixed Poker Games

One of the exciting parts of the Big, Big Buy-in poker tournament event was an outreach to mixed game players. Borgata and BetMGM partnered with Borgata regular and mixed game aficionado Esther “ETay” Taylor to help boost the offerings for mixed games, and she was able to attract players from across the country who were excited about the action.

Not only was there a $2,500 buy-in 9-Game Mix set with a $250,000 on the schedule, ETay convinced the staff to host an $1,100 HORSE event prior to that, along with a wide range of cash games with various stakes, catering to new and experienced mixed game players alike. 

None other than poker pro Chance Kornuth won that HORSE tournament. Out of 32 entries, Kornuth took down the title and $14,400.

That led to the $2,500 buy-in 9-Game Mix, which ended up with a slight overlay:

• Total entries:  90
• Total prize pool:  $250,000

The second day of the tournament led the final 13 players into the money. Players like Dan Zack and Kornuth collected payouts, but the final table held the lion’s share of the prize pool. Those last seven competitors included Glantz, who was second in chips going into the official final table, but he proceeded to run it over. He ousted Luigi Santoro in seventh place, David Dicarlo in sixth, followed by Michael Gagliano in fifth. Jaimmy Hager stepped in to bust Ross Hoffman in fourth, but Glantz ousted Matt Beinner in third to get heads-up with Hager. She held her ground for about two hours, but she ended up in second for $43,658, while Glantz won it for $67,661.

Considering Glantz hadn’t played at Borgata since before the pandemic, he had no trouble settling in and feeling at home. It helped that his longtime friendship with ETay prompted him to make the trip. And the turnout for the event overall wasn’t lost on ETay, who was grateful for the support and is looking toward the future of East Coast mixed games.

Winners All Around

The Big, Big Buy-In action progressed as the week turned into the weekend, and there was no shortage of big names and big money at the tables.

• $2,200 Big, Big PKO Bounty:  Zach Fischer defeated Bin Weng (third place) and Kornuth (second place) to win $51,490, the title, and the trophies.
• $10,000 Big, Big Baller (with entry fees paid by BetMGM Poker):  Ian O’Hara survived the 76-player field to win $224,685.
• $2,200 Big, Big PLO:  Beinner potted his way to the winner’s circle for $61,410, a Borgata title, and two trophies.
• $1,500 Big, Big Bye Finale:  Jason Pardy stopped players like Beinner (who sought a second series win) by taking this down and winning $43,825.

Most of the tournaments in this series exceeded their guarantees. The Big, Big Baller event, for example, had a $500,000 guarantee but created an actual prize pool of $752,400. And the Big, Big Bye Finale brought in 123 entries to far exceed the $100,000 guarantee with an actual prize pool of $172,200.

Legendary Numbers for Big, Big Championship

In most poker tournament series, there is a main event, a championship, a “big dance,” a central event with a sizable buy-in and substantial guarantee. As with the entire Big, Big Buy-In Event, Borgata and BetMGM wanted to reach for the stars and give players something to talk about. They set up this Big, Big BetMGM Poker Millionaire Championship with a $5,300 buy-in (eek) and $3,000,000 guarantee (ooh), with $1,000,000 of it set aside for the winner (wow). There may have been some nail biting and nervous twitching during some of the initial three flights of play, but joy took over when the numbers were finalized.

• Total entries:  670
• Total prize pool:  $3,350,000

On Day 2 of the tournament, players fought for their share of that massive prize pool, which was available to the last 67 survivors. 

One of the players who cashed was Mark Rash, who finished in 48th place for $11,725. For some players, that appears to be close to a min-cash and not particularly worthy of a headline. But for every cash, there is a story, and Rash’s story started with a $5 online satellite on BetMGM Poker, which he spun up into a $50 qualifier, a $500 qualifier, and then a seat into the Championship at Borgata. Turning $5 into $11,725 is, indeed, worthy of a headline.

Day 3 brought 31 players back to the tables, to play for the win. Some of the competitors who headed to the cashier early that day were Greg Merson, Robert Hwang, Grant Wang, Matt Higgins, and Buzgon. Myles Mullaly busted in 10th place to just miss the final table but still collect $40,705 for his work. That day’s initial chip leader Soheb Porbandarwala and 9-Game champion Glantz were tied for the chip lead, but they would have to fade powerhouses like Mike Leah and Kornuth to take it down. 

Ardit Kurshumi was up to the task. He ousted Frayser Flores in ninth place and Edward Leonard in eighth before the dinner break. Kurshumi had the lead when they returned, but Kornuth was second in chips and started the action by eliminating Leah in seventh place and George Rakitzis in sixth. A big hand then developed that saw Kornuth busting Glantz and Andrew Porter in a single hand, while Kurshumi took the reins to send Porbandarwala home in third. 

Kurshumi was the massive chipleader going into heads-up, but both players agreed to a deal based on their chip counts and the money in play. They left an extra $60,000 aside for the winner, and they continued to play. But Kurshumi was unstoppable. He won it just before midnight, just in time to win it on his father’s 75th birthday.

The results of the final table were as follows:

• 1st place:  Ardit Kurshumi ($772,280 + trophies)
• 2nd place:  Chance Kornuth ($634,720)
• 3rd place:  Soheb Porbandarwala ($247,900)
• 4th place:  Andrew Porter ($206,025)
• 5th place:  Matt Glantz ($167,175)
• 6th place:  George Rakitzis ($130,650)
• 7th place:  Mike Leah ($102,175)
• 8th place:  Edward Leonard ($75,400)
• 9th place:  Frayser Flores ($51,925)

What’s Next?

With a giant thank you to Poker.org for the live updates from Borgata, the Big, Big Buy-In series comes to a close. What a flurry of poker goodness to hold us over until the next thing…

Speaking of the next thing, it’s online starting this weekend! The 2025 BetMGM Poker Online Championships start on Sunday, September 21, and satellites are all over the place for online players in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. There’s about $3,000,000 in guarantees on the line across 70 events, so it’s a must-play for online poker fans!

Meanwhile, Borgata and MGM National Harbor are gearing up for the inaugural Lions of the Atlantic live cross-property poker series, which will run October 8-19. Online qualifiers are already available at BetMGM Poker. And after that, the Borgata Fall Poker Open is set for November 3-17. Looks like it’ll be an East Coast fall poker season.

Stay tuned for more information on these upcoming live series.

Play Online Today at BetMGM

If you’re inspired by the story of Rash turning $5 into $11,725 in the Big, Big Buy-In Championship or are excited about the Online Championships starting this weekend, or simply interested in tossing some chips around the online poker tables in your spare time, BetMGM is your spot. Legal online poker at BetMGM is the best bet, especially with the poker bonus available for new players and ongoing promotions for returning players.