Darren Elias Wins Borgata Fall Poker Open’s Deuce To Seven Championship

BetMGM Ambassador Darren Elias added to his trophy case by winning the 2025 Borgata Fall Poker Open Mixed Game finale – the $1,100 no-limit Deuce-to-seven Championship. He channeled lessons learned in Bellagio’s famed Bobby’s Room to register his 18th tournament win.

“It’s home court advantage, I guess,” Elias humbly said following the win. “I always run well here, I grew up playing here, so yeah, I guess it’s something in the air.”

The Proof Is In The Pudding

“MGM Resorts properties are great venues across the country – Borgata is my home casino, and I play at ARIA when I’m in Las Vegas. I play a ton of events and I’m lucky enough to have success with those properties.”

That’s not any hyperbole. Elias has cashed for nearly $1.5 million at Borgata and $3 million at sister properties.

While Elias is a feared player in any discipline, it’s only his second Mixed Game win. His other is a no-limit deuce-to-seven event from 2020 in Los Angeles. He finished runner-up to Nick Schulman earlier this year in a heads-up match for the ages in a $10,000 WSOP event.

Deuce-to-seven is a popular form of Lowball poker, where the lowest five-card hand wins the pot. It’s a draw game where single draw is typically no-limit with a limit triple draw variant.

The Freedom Of Expression in ‘Deuce’

“I like the big bet games better than limit games and I have a lot of cash game experience in this format,” said Elias. “It’s a pure game that allows a lot of creativity; it’s definitely my favorite game.”

The variant has grown in popularity over the last few years because it’s an easier transition for Hold ‘em poker players. “For a lot of no-limit Hold ‘em players, it comes naturally to them and they enjoy it,” he said. “There’s a lot of freedom – bet sizing and position are important, so a lot of the same theories and ideas from no-limit Hold ‘em apply.”

Elias was exposed to the game early in his poker home game days. Then he graduated to play at the Commerce Casino in Billy Baxter’s $200/$400 game. He earned some expensive lessons during his first couple of sessions from one of the game’s greatest minds.

“But I loved it and kept playing,” Elias said. “Eventually, I did well enough that I could play in Bobby’s Room. There was one summer that I didn’t play any tournaments because I was playing no-limit deuce cash games.”

Toe To Toe With A First-Ballot Hall Of Famer

Elias had a career-defining moment against Schulman in 2025. They battled for nearly eight hours heads-up, and although Elias didn’t walk away with the win, it’s become a core memory.

“That night was incredible,” he said. “It reminds you why you play poker in the first place – for moments like that. When you get to play an elite player in what is both our best game, it’s what I live for. Hats off to him, he’s an incredible player.”

In his recent win, Elias got heads-up with a player he recognized, but not from on-felt action. Jeremy Geist normally spends his hours at Borgata for PokerOrg covering events like the various Borgata Poker Opens. But his higher-ups granted Geist a rare day off, and he dreamed of getting heads-up with Elias.

“I feel as good as I can feel without actually winning,” said Geist. “It sounds silly, but I told people all week that this was the one event I wanted to play. I made multiple jokes about Darren showing up and getting heads-up with him – and it actually happened.”

“I would have loved to win, but I got to play against one of the best players in the world – and he played like it,” added Geist. “I’m really happy with the result and I’ll be back at work tomorrow.”

Never Stop Learning in the Game of Poker

Elias re-entered the event after a rough start. “This game is swingy,” he said. “I just enjoy playing, I’m here for the love of the game. Anytime I see no limit deuce-to-seven in a tournament, I’m going to be there.”

Elias peeled back the curtain on his strategy. “This game is a lot more player-dependent and exploitive than Omaha or Hold ‘em. It’s tough for opponents to study, get better, and use theory in-game.”

“Whereas I think every situation is unique,” he said. “There’s a lot of room for creativity and the skill gap in this game – the difference between the best players and the next players – is the largest of any game.”

Elias enjoyed squaring off against a different pool of players last Wednesday. He’s inspired by up-and-coming players and they stoked his competitive nature. He said, “I see their love and hunger for the game, which is something I had at that age. To see it in peers and to be challenged by them is beautiful; I love it.”

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