Online poker player and Circuit ring winner Dan Sewnig passed away earlier this week at the age of 33. Sewnig, who played under the handles “mj23style" and “RedsoxNets5”, amassed over a million in online earnings and was recognized as one of the best online poker players in New Jersey. Reports of Sewnig’s death made their way on social media on Saturday, including an obituary stating that he passed on Aug. 13.

Poker fans, get ready! The World Poker Tour is gearing up for the fourth WPT Australia at The Star Gold Coast is just around the corner, shuffling and dealing from September 12-25. This year’s festival is shaping up to be the biggest yet, with the schedule expanding from 16 to 23 events, making it the largest poker festival in Australia for 2024. WPT Australia Full Schedule Date Time Buy-in Event Thu 12 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Thu 12 Sep 14:30 A$ 1,325 + 175 No Limit Hold’em - Opening Event Day 1A Thu 12 Sep 18:30 A$ 540 + 60 No Limit Hold’em - Flat Out Freeze Out Thu 12 Sep 19:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Thu 12 Sep 20:30 A$ 300 + 40 Milestone Satellite to Opening Event Fri 13 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Fri 13 Sep 11:30 A$ 500 + 75 Pot Limit Omaha - Turbo Fri 13 Sep 14:30 A$ 1,325 + 175 No Limit Hold’em - Opening Event Day 1B Fri 13 Sep 18:30 A$ 600 + 75 No Limit Hold’em - Shark Bait One Day Event Fri 13 Sep 19:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Fri 13 Sep 20:30 A$ 275 + 40 Milestone Satellite to Mystery Bounty Sat 14 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Sat 14 Sep 11:30 Opening Event Day 2 Sat 14 Sep 14:30 A$ 1,000 + 150 + 500 No Limit Hold’em - Mystery Bounty Day 1A Sat 14 Sep 18:30 A$ 800 + 80 No Limit Hold’em - Ultra Turbo One Day Event Sat 14 Sep 19:30 A$ 275 + 40 Milestone Satellite to Mystery Bounty Sat 14 Sep 20:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Sun 15 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Sun 15 Sep 11:30 Opening Event Final Day Sun 15 Sep 12:30 A$ 1,000 + 150 + 500 No Limit Hold’em - Mystery Bounty Day 1B Sun 15 Sep 19:00 A$ 4,600 + 400 No Limit Hold’em - 5K 8-Max Day 1 Sun 15 Sep 20:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Mon 16 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Mon 16 Sep 11:30 Mystery Bounty Final Day Mon 16 Sep 13:30 A$ 4,600 + 400 No Limit Hold’em - 5K 8-Max Final Day Mon 16 Sep 14:30 A$ 600 + 150 + 400 No Limit Hold’em - Outback Survivor Bounty Day 1 Mon 16 Sep 19:30 A$ 135 + 40 Milestone Satellite to Ladies Australian Championship Mon 16 Sep 20:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Tue 17 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Tue 17 Sep 11:30 Outback Survivor Bounty Final Day Tue 17 Sep 13:30 A$ 720 + 80 Pot Limit Omaha Day 1 Tue 17 Sep 15:30 A$ 600 + 75 No Limit Hold’em - Ladies Australian Championship Day 1 Tue 17 Sep 18:30 A$ 500 + 75 No Limit Hold’em - True Blue Turbo One Day Event Tue 17 Sep 20:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Wed 18 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Wed 18 Sep 11:30 Pot Limit Omaha Final Day Wed 18 Sep 11:45 Ladies Australian Championship Final Day Wed 18 Sep 14:30 A$ 400 + 80 + 400 No Limit Hold’em - Bonza Bounty Day 1 Wed 18 Sep 19:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Wed 18 Sep 20:30 A$ 2,500 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Super High Roller Thu 19 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Thu 19 Sep 11:30 Bonza Bounty Day 1 Thu 19 Sep 12:30 A$ 800 + 80 No Limit Hold’em - Shane Warne Legacy Perpetual Trophy Event Thu 19 Sep 14:30 A$ 19,000 + 1,000 No Limit Hold’em - Super High Roller Day 1 Thu 19 Sep 19:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Fri 20 Sep 10:30 A$ 215 + 40 Step 1 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Fri 20 Sep 12:15 Super High Roller Final Day Fri 20 Sep 12:30 WPT A$ 7,400 + 600 No Limit Hold’em - WPT Championship Day 1A Fri 20 Sep 18:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Fri 20 Sep 20:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to Championship Event Sat 21 Sep 11:30 A$ 7,400 + 600 No Limit Hold’em - WPT Championship Day 1B Sat 21 Sep 19:00 A$ 1,800 + 200 No Limit Hold’em - Ultimate Turbo One Day Event Sat 21 Sep 20:30 A$ 400 + 50 Milestone Satellite to Mini Championship Sun 22 Sep 11:30 WPT Championship Day 2 Sun 22 Sep 14:30 A$ 1,800 + 200 No Limit Hold’em - Mini Championship Event Day 1 Sun 22 Sep 21:00 Player Welcome Party Sun 22 Sep 21:30 A$ 1,000 + 75 Milestone Satellite to WPT World Championship Warm Up Mon 23 Sep 11:30 WPT Championship Day 3 Mon 23 Sep 13:30 Mini Championship Event Final Day Mon 23 Sep 15:30 A$ 9,500 + 500 No Limit Hold’em - WPT World Championship Warm Up Day 1 Mon 23 Sep 19:30 A$ 1,100 + 150 No Limit Hold’em - Extreme Turbo One Day Event Mon 23 Sep 21:30 A$ 220 + 40 Milestone Satellite to WPT World Champs Road to Vegas Tue 24 Sep 11:30 WPT Championship Day 4 Tue 24 Sep 12:30 WPT World Championship Warm Up Final Day Tue 24 Sep 14:30 A$ 3,500 + 400 No Limit Hold’em - WPT World Championship Road to Vegas Day 1 Tue 24 Sep 20:30 A$ 600 + 60 Milestone Satellite to WPT World Championship Road to Vegas Wed 25 Sep 11:30 WPT Championship Day 5 Wed 25 Sep 12:30 WPT World Championship Road to Vegas Final Day Wed 25 Sep 12:30 Championship Event Mega Milestone Satellite Festival Breakdown and Highlights The highlight of the festival is the AUD $8,000 buy-in WPT Australia Championship, where players will vie for a spot on the prestigious Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.

Global Poker is gearing up for the Micro Thunder Series VIII, which will feature dozens of tournaments and guarantees of GC 40,000,000 and SC 81,500 that make it the biggest Micro Thunder series yet. The Micro Thunder Series VIII will take place Aug. 18-25 and feature tournaments with buy-ins starting as low as GC 250 and SC 0.25 and with various tournament formats that include progressive bounties, mystery bounties, and Super Deep events.

Last week, PokerNews had the opportunity to catch up with husband and wife poker players Justin and Caitlyn Arnwine at Maryland Live! Casino during the Maryland State Poker Championship. In a wide ranging interview, the two discussed success on and off the felt, their friendship with the late Mark Dickstein and plans for the future. Justin Arnwine’s Recent Heater Justin Arnwine is not afraid of firing multiple bullets in the same tournament, something he thinks is key to longterm success.

A one-outer on the river, perhaps for the first time ever, killed a bad beat jackpot from being set off at The Lodge Card Club near Austin, Texas. Yes, you read that right. The pot-limit Omaha bad beat jackpot at the card room co-owned by Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen, is up to $118,000 from its $100,000 starting point. The jackpot qualifier had been reached on the flop when two players in a low-stakes game each hit a straight flush.

Get ready for one of the poker events of the year: the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona! This iconic festival will take place at Casino Barcelona from August 26 to September 8, 2024 and offers an incredible mix of poker, top-notch entertainment, and the chance to experience one of Europe’s most dynamic cities. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a poker fan, our guide will cover everything you need to know—tournament schedules, travel tips, the best places to stay, and what to expect from Barcelona’s weather.

The World Poker Tour heads to Cyprus later this month for a WPT Prime festival, featuring a $1,000,000 GTD Main Event at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino. A relatively new live poker destination, Chamada has been running poker festivals since 2021 but this is the first time they’ve partnered with a major operator to bring the WPT back to Cyprus for the first time in a decade. PokerNews spoke with Ali Alpsaran, Head of Chamada Poker, about his personal connection to the World Poker Tour and what players can expect from the festival at the end of August.

Matt Snook, who crossed off a bucket list item of playing in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) just one month ago, passed away after a year-long battle with cancer. The Kansas City resident and two-time “The Voice” contestant served as an inspiration when he entered the 2024 WSOP Main Event in July. He was not only terminally ill at the time, but wasn’t feeling very well when he sat down to play.

Following the successful return of the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) in Las Vegas last year, PokerStars announced in May that the NAPT will return to Resorts World, Las Vegas, this November for another ten-day poker extravaganza. Continuing the excitement from previous events, the platform is once again seeking a new group of Loose Cannons, as the festival will film additional episodes of The Big Game on Tour. The series is highlighted by the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event, which has a $5,300 buy-in.

Leeds, the city renowned for its rich industrial heritage, world-class universities, and vibrant cultural scene, is about to add another chapter to its storied history. Known as the birthplace of bands like The Who and Kaiser Chiefs, and home to football pride Leeds United, this vibrant city is now set to host the latest leg of the inaugural 888poker LIVE UK Poker League (UKPL). The UKPL Leeds series is scheduled to kick off on Monday, August 26, and wraps up on Sunday, September 1.

Former longtime PokerNews staffer Pamela Maldonado’s life has gone “full circle” after signing a contract to cover college football for ESPN, the largest sports media outlet in the world. The sports betting analyst accepted a position with the worldwide leader in sports after having worked in the past few years with Yahoo! Sports and the VSIN sports betting network. Before that, she spent nearly seven years in the poker industry, starting out in 2012 as an intern for PokerNews before becoming our social media manager, a role she left in 2019.

We already knew that Bryce Hall can play poker at more than a competent level, but he wasn’t the only one who put on a solid performance during Monday’s Celebrity Poker Tour Game Night III, which aired on PokerGO. That said, the social media personality came out victorious, winning the belt and the $15,000 prize. But he faced some tough competition from podcaster Hila Klein, co-host of the H3 podcast, who finished in second place.

While poker players from around the world were gather in Las Vegas for the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Season 2 of The Mole premiered on Netflix. The popular reality show sees contestants compete in challenges to bank money while seeking to determine who among them is a saboteur (AKA “the mole”). One of those on the show was 34-year-old poker enthusiast-turned-competitive pinball player Melissa Lummus. “I usually wear my heart on my sleeve, and this game is a marathon — not a sprint — so I’m much more interested in unearthing the truth than in hiding it,” Lummus said in her pregame interview.

Money has an obvious fascination for poker players. We are always curious as to who won the most money, who lost the most, who the richest poker players are, and which poker players have the highest net worth. “Poker may be a branch of psychological warfare, an art form or indeed a way of life," Antony Holden tells us in his book Big Deal, but he adds that “it is also merely a game, in which money is simply the means of keeping score.

For the second time this year, the fantastic Playground in Montreal, Canada, is set to be crammed to capacity with poker players from far and wide between August 19 to September 3 because the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) is in town. The Playground has hosted dozens of prestigious live poker events over the years, but WSOPC Playground is an entirely different beast. The bustling schedule features 15 WSOPC ring-awarding events with buy-ins from $250 to $3,300, and each of those ring events boasts a guarantee in its prize pool.

In Episode 3 of 888poker’s thrilling docuseries, the team takes a well-deserved break after all five members successfully bagged chips on Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Main Event. But their day off is anything but ordinary. Join the 888poker pros as they dive into a whirlwind of excitement—attending soccer games, hunting for iconic Stu Ungar shades, and even bumping into past Main Event champions at the gym. Take a look at the behind-the-scenes excitement and experience the 888poker team’s off-the-felt adventures.

The 2024 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) kicked off at the end of July and wrapped up on Tuesday night with the conclusion of its traditional “Big Four” finale. That included the $5,300 buy-in, $3 million GTD SHRPO Championship, the $25,500 High Roller, $1,100 Deep Stack NLH, and $3,000 Deep Stack NLH. We already recapped Erik Seideltaking down a $10K tournament, as well as side event wins by Darryll Fish (Event #3: $600 Deep Stack Big O for $16,830), Ari Engel (Event #8: $600 Eight-Game Mix for $12,875), Phil Hui (Event #12: $600 Mixed PLO for $18,495), Javier Zarco (Event #25: $600 Deep Stack Six-Max NLH for $19,740), and Nick Yunis (Event #29: $1,100 Deep Stack Turbo NLH for $15,580).

Will Shillibier is the Managing Editor of PokerNews and has worked in the industry for a decade, working at some of the world’s biggest poker festivals including the World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour and World Poker Tour. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. The Poker Hall of Fame is sleepwalking into a crisis. And next year, that crisis will come to a head.

Another edition of 888poker’s flagship online poker tournament has crowned its champion, with “Luiz1958” coming out on top in the latest Mystery Bounty Main Event on the platform. The Brazilian put on a final table clinic as they stormed their way to the title. The victor banked a final payday of $9,714 after claiming the $7,277 winner’s payout, which was topped up by $2,437 in bounties. Luiz1958 overcame “TOMA188288” in heads-up play, where the duo agreed on a deal which left a little money to play for along with the bragging rights.

Ben Gazzola emerged victorious in the $2,200 Main Event at the Maryland State Poker Championship, taking home a first-place prize of $110,578. From Hagerstown, MD, Gazzola outlasted PokerStars Ambassador Parker Talbot in heads-up. Talbot, known in the poker world as “tonkaaaa,” secured a runner-up prize of $73,719. Gazzola’s victory marks a career milestone. His Main Event win set a new personal best and almost doubled his previous $155,555 in live tournament earnings.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 15 years since the World Poker Tour first visited Cyprus, but the WPT returns later this month to the Mediterranean island for a $1,000,000 GTD WPT Prime event as part of its Season XXII schedule. This brand-new festival will run from Aug. 15-26 at the Chamada Prestige Hotel & Spa, which features 50 poker tables. Here we take a look at the long history of the WPT and Cyprus.

Hustler Casino Live co-owner Nick Vertucci, during Monday’s livestream, said NBA star Jimmy Butler is “not welcome back” on his poker cash game show due to “rude” behavior the last and only time he appeared. “Jimmy Buckets,” a 14-year NBA veteran and future Hall of Famer, competed on Hustler Casino Live June 22 in what was one of the most memorable streams in televised poker history. Social media playboy Dan Bilzerian, Twitch streaming legend Ninja, boxer Ryan Garcia, and HCL fan favorite Alan Keating were among those in on the action.

The 20-event World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) stop at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina has reached its conclusion. Donovan Dean, for the second time since 2022, wrapped the series by taking down the $1,700 buy-in Main Event, a $1.5 million guaranteed tournament, for $326,206 and a shiny gold ring. Susan Faber also made headlines during the series, having won two rings. She first defeated Maurice Hawkins heads-up to win Event #5: $600 No-Limit Hold’em for $33,493.

Season 13 of High Stakes Poker continued Monday night on PokerGO with Episode 3, which featured some new faces to the lineup including businessman Brandon Steven and 38-year-old Andrew Pacheco out of Chicago. They were joined by High Stakes Poker regulars like Andrew Robl and Jennifer Tilly, as well as returnees Sameh Elamawy, Sean Dempsey, Justin Gavri, Bo Brownstein, and Japanese poker vlogger Masato Yokosawa. The game was played $200/$400 no-limit hold’em with a $500 big blind ante.

It’s fast becoming one of poker’s must-have items, and now there’s an extra reason to try and get your hands on a coveted NAPT Gold Pass. A $10,300 NAPT Gold Pass sees players win entry to the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event, seven nights’ accommodation for them and a guest along with spending money, and plenty of Gold Passes have already been won. However, today sees the launch of the PokerStars NAPT Las Vegas Power Path campaign, giving players the opportunity to win their way to Vegas through the innovative online program.

Do you need a summer getaway? How about throwing some poker into the mix as well? If that sounds like your cup of tea, you should seriously consider attending the Coolbet Open 7th Edition this month. From August 26 to September 1, the Chesterfield Poker Club in Tallinn, Estonia, opens its doors to card-playing aficionados for a poker extravaganza that is headlined by a €550 Main Event. This is a tournament series for every type of player, and there are plenty of opportunities for players to get in on the action without breaking the bank, thanks to a variety of affordable satellite tournaments.

The PokerStars UKIPT London £1,100 Main Event has been nothing less than a roaring success, packing out the Hippodrome Casino from floor to ceiling across four days of action. Out of 725 entries, 13 hopefuls returned for the final day to compete for the lion’s share of the £696,000 prize pool. In the end, after over 12 hours of action, Gaspare Sposato of Italy emerged as the outright winner. The 28-year-old Italian poker pro has only recently stepped onto the live circuit and has come close to winning titles on several occasions before finally locking up the first-place finish in the UKIPT Main Event.

Are you ready for a summer treat like no other? 888poker is heating things up with their Summer Sale Week, running from August 12-19. This limited-time promotion offers players the chance to enter some of 888poker’s most popular tournaments for half the usual buy-in—without any reduction in the guaranteed prize pools. Unbeatable 50% Discounts on Major Tournaments The platform has slashed the buy-ins on several of their major tournaments, making it even more accessible to chase those big wins.

The 2024 SunBet Poker Tour Time Square Main Event has crowned a winner, and SPT regular Harold Brooks posed for the winner shots inside of the Time Square Casino in Pretoria after a short-lived day. Brooks cut a deal with four other dealers to claim the largest piece of the ZAR4,926,600 ($266,036) prize pool and essentially take home second-place money based on regular payouts without having to play any further hand.

The Venetian Las Vegas recently debuted its new poker room, which at 50 tables across 14,000 square feet became the largest on the Strip. Venetian’s card room had long been situated across from the Venetian sportsbook, just around the corner from the exit door to Las Vegas Boulevard. It is now in between the Venetian and Palazzo casino floors in the Grand Canal Shoppes on the second level (go up the escalator past the Louis Vuitton store and you can’t miss it).

The Celebrity Poker Tour (CPT) and its popular Game Night sit n’ go style poker event returns Monday night at 6 p.m. PT on PokerGO. PokerNews will be on-site to conduct interviews and provide other content. Game Night III is headlined by Hustler Casino Live player and social media personality Bryce Hall and popular podcaster Tana Mongeau. They’ll be joined at the table by an entertaining cast of celebrity opponents, including Ethan Klein and wife Hila Klein, JC Caylen, Zach Justice, Steiny, Makoa, and Sofie Dossie.

PokerStars recently announced the return of The Big Game on Tour for another season, with new episodes set to be filmed during the NAPT Las Vegas festival. As the show prepares to wrap up its first season, one player remains in the spotlight: Lily Newhouse, the latest Loose Cannon chasing a life-changing payday. However, Newhouse’s journey is about more than just poker. In the latest episode, she opened up about her battle with breast cancer, revealing how her experience shaped her outlook on life.

WPT Global has just unveiled two game-changing promotions that are set to transform your poker experience: the Table Starter Boost and the Global Spins Jackpots. Whether you’re a table starter looking to rake in rewards or a spin player dreaming of life-changing jackpots, the site has something for everyone to keep the blood pumping. Table Starter Boost Gets You Paid for Sparking the Action Ever wish you could earn just for getting the game going?

After years of hearing my poker friends rave about it, I finally attended the Grosvenor Goliath in Coventry, UK, last week. I’m excited to share my first-hand experience with you! What is the Grosvenor Goliath Poker Tournament? The Grosvenor Goliath first launched in the UK in 2011 with the mission of offering a low buy-in event with a massive field. Since its inception, the Goliath has lived up to its promise, with the 2023 event setting a record of 11,493 entries and a staggering £1.

Tiffany Wong was mostly just a recreational poker player with a passion for the game a few months back. Now she’s one of the hottest mid-stakes tournament players in the US, and has quite a story to tell. The New Yorker who lives in Manhattan spoke with PokerNews to explain how she came out of nowhere to win three big poker tournaments since March. How She Got into Poker Wong, who also spent some time growing up in Hong Kong, sort of accidentally began playing poker a little over five years ago.

The poker world received sad news on Friday morning as news surfaced that poker player Mark Dickstein, a noted mixed game enthusiast, had passed away. The news was shared by Ari Engel on social media: “Sad news to report: my friend Mark B. Dickstein has passed away. Many of you especially mixed game players will have played with him over the years. I only became friends with him over the last year when he was already sick but even in that short time we had some really interesting talks – he had a very different perspective to many issues – which made for some long (and occasionally heated) back and forth and a number of prop bets.