The 2025 PokerGO Cup, held from February 11 to 21 at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, featured eight high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em events with buy-ins ranging from $5,100 to $25,200. The series attracted 854 total entries (including re-entries) and awarded a staggering $9,405,000 in prize money.
Notable Players
Joey Weissman emerged as the standout player of the series, clinching the PokerGO Cup championship. He made four final table appearances, securing one victory and three runner-up finishes, amassing $930,600 in earnings.
Joey Weissman’s second-place finish in Event #8 contributed to his dominant performance throughout the series, where he recorded one win and three runner-up finishes. This exceptional run secured him the 2025 PokerGO Cup series championship, finishing with 758 PokerGO Tour points.
Eric Blair captured two titles during the series, winning Events #4 and #6, and earning a total of $645,850. Notable other event winners included Michael “Texas Mike” Moncek, who claimed the opening $5,100 event for $185,850, while Kristen Foxen’s victory in Event #7 contributed to her three cashes, totaling $401,300.
The 2025 PokerGO Cup was a thrilling showcase of high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em action. Poker is a game of talent, patience, and calculated risks, as was often demonstrated in the eight NLH events. However, with the rise of online casino platforms, other games like blackjack, roulette, and slots are also extremely popular and offer players a more relaxed gaming option while still being highly engaging and exciting. Bettors can find a huge variety of slot titles online that can be played from home or even on the go, such as the Fast Slots games. Playing such games online means that players can access games from anywhere and take advantage of quick payouts and instant wins. Just as a single hand in No-Limit Hold’em can turn the tide of a tournament, a single spin can lead to massive wins, making both games thrilling in their own right.
Event winners
Event #1: $5,100 NLH – Michael Moncek won $185,850
Event #2: $10,100 NLH – Joey Weissman won $295,000
Event #3: $10,100 NLH – Adam Hendrix took first place with $316,050
Event #4: $10,100 NLH – Eric Blair claimed victory for $254,800
Event #5: $10,100 NLH – Sergio Aido won $255,000
Event #6: $15,100 NLH – Eric Blair secured his second title of the series, winning $352,350.
Event #7: $15,100 NLH – Kristen Foxen emerged victorious, winning $348,300.
Event #8: $25,200 NLH – Justin Zaki took first place, earning $417,000.
Event No. 1 (177 entries & a prize pool of $885,000)
Event #1 was a $5,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 11 to 12.
Michael “Texas Mike” Moncek emerged victorious, claiming the top prize of $185,850. Moncek, an Illinois native and University of Texas alumnus, showcased a loose-aggressive playing style throughout the tournament. At the final table, he maintained a dominant chip lead, eliminating several opponents, including Eric Baldwin in seventh place. Despite facing a setback against Cherish Andrews, Moncek regained momentum and ultimately secured the title. Joey Weissman finished second earning $123,900, and Cherish Andrews took third with $88,500.
Event No. 2 (118 entries & a prize pool of $1,180,000)
Event #2 was a $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 12 to 13. Joey Weissman captured the win, claiming the top prize of $295,000.
Notably, this event featured a rematch between Weissman and Michael Moncek, who had faced each other heads-up in Event #1, with Moncek emerging victorious on that occasion. In Event #2, Weissman reversed the outcome, defeating Moncek to claim the title.
A pivotal hand in Weissman’s victory saw him call a massive river bet from Michael Moncek with the second pair, correctly reading his opponent’s bluff. Michael Moncek finished in second place, earning $200,600, and Adam Hendrix finished third with $141,600.
Event No. 3 (129 entries & a prize pool of $1,290,000)
Event #3 was a $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 13 to 14.
Adam Hendrix took first place, claiming the top prize of $316,050, followed by Harvey Castro in second with $193,500 and Joao Simao in third with $141,900. The defining moment of the tournament came when Hendrix flopped a set of eights against Castro’s top pair, winning a massive pot that cemented his lead at the final table.
Event No. 4 (98 entries & a prize pool of $980,000)
Event #4 was a $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 14 to 15.
Eric Blair came out on top, claiming the top prize of $254,800. This win marked Blair’s first career PokerGO Tour (PGT) title. A key moment in Blair’s win was a hero call against Joey Weissman on the river with just a second pair, a crucial hand that helped him close out the victory. Weissman went on to finish second for $161,700, and Justin Saliba was in third for $117,600.
Notably, Joey Weissman secured his third top-two finish of the series by placing second in this event, earning $161,700. Blair’s victory in this event added 255 points to his series total, contributing significantly to his standing on the PokerGO Cup leaderboard.
Event No. 5 (100 entries & a prize pool of $1,000,000)
Event #5 was a $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 15 to 17.
Sergio Aido from Spain walked away with the trophy, claiming the top prize of $255,000, with Shannon Shorr coming in second with $170,000 and Brandon Wilson in third with $120,000. Aido cracked pocket kings with ace-queen suited after turning a flush in one of the most crucial hands of his journey to victory.
Event No. 6 (87 entries & a prize pool of $1,305,000)
Event #6 was a $15,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 17 to 18.
Eric Blair secured his second title of the series by winning this event, earning the top prize of $352,350. The defining moment in Blair’s victory came when he flopped top set against Keith Lehr’s overpair, leading to a massive pot that secured his chip lead. From there, he controlled the action and closed out the win. Lehr finished second with $228,375, while Michael Berk took third with $163,125.
Event No. 7 (86 entries & a prize pool of $1,290,000)
Event #7 of the 2025 PokerGO Cup was a $15,100 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 18 to 19.
Kristen Foxen outlasted the field, claiming the top prize of $348,300. This win marked her second title of the year on the PokerGO Tour, following her victory in the $10,100 buy-in PokerGO Tour Kickoff Series event earlier this year. A crucial turning point in Foxen’s win occurred when she rivered a straight against Patrick Leonard’s flopped set, allowing her to take a dominant chip lead going into heads-up play.
Foxen entered the final table as the shortest stack but managed to navigate her way to victory. Notably, she eliminated Sergio Aido in fifth place and Farid Jattin in third place, setting up a heads-up match against Patrick Leonard. In the final hand, Foxen’s KJ prevailed over Leonard’s A9, securing her the title.
This victory propelled Foxen to the top of the 2025 PokerGO Tour leaderboard, showcasing her exceptional form in high-stakes tournaments. Patrick Leonard secured second place with $225,750, while Farid Jattin finished third with $161,250.
Event No. 8 (59 entries & a prize pool of $1,475,000)
Event #8 of the 2025 PokerGO Cup was a $25,200 No-Limit Hold’em tournament held from February 19 to 20.
Justin Zaki proved unstoppable, claiming the top prize of $417,000. This win marked Zaki’s third PokerGO Tour title, bringing his total live earnings to over $6.6 million. Zaki’s tournament-defining hand came when he made a gutsy three-barrel bluff on the final table against Joey Weissman, forcing Weissman to fold a superior hand. This aggressive play cemented his path to victory. Joey Weissman finished second for $350,000, while Clemen Deng secured third with $206,500.
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