Miguel Lopez won the MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship 2025

Miguel Lopez claimed victory over Darren Rabinowitz in the main event of the MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship 2025 at the Venetian Las Vegas. The tournament attracted 522 entrants and concluded with a tense final table.

Miguel Lopez Triumphs Over Darren Rabinowitz in the MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship 2025 Main Event MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship 2025 Results This past weekend, the prestigious Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) Nevada Poker State Championship with a $1,100 buy-in wrapped up at the Venetian Las Vegas. The tournament drew 522 entries, spread across three starting days. On Sunday, the top 59 players returned to the tables to battle for the championship title and the top prize. Miguel Lopez began the final day as the chip leader and managed to hold onto his advantage all the way to victory. This marks the first major title of Lopez’s career, along with a substantial payout of $86,899. In heads-up play, he faced seasoned pro Darren Rabinowitz, well-known for his live tournament accomplishments. Lopez entered heads-up play holding about 90% of the chips in play. However, Rabinowitz quickly doubled up and started closing the gap, putting up a strong fight. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t turn the tide: in a pivotal hand, Rabinowitz made top pair of kings on the flop, but ran into Lopez’s top two pair, which essentially sealed the outcome of the match. Final Table Results – MSPT Nevada Poker State Championship 1st place — Miguel Lopez — $86,899 2nd place — Darren Rabinowitz — $61,545 3rd place — John Fagg — $44,127 4th place — Andrew Ostapchenko — $33,097 5th place — John Gordon — $24,927 6th place — Michael Rossitto — $19,119 7th place — Nicholas Pupillo — $14,940 8th place — Steven Sarmiento — $11,862 9th place — Michael Holtz — $9,428 Impact on the MSPT Player of the Year Race This tournament also featured the season leaders in the 16th season MSPT Player of the Year (POY) points race. Umut Ozturk and Jake Long held the top two spots in the standings heading into the event. Ozturk finished 18th, earning $4,846, while Long placed 17th for $5,750. Both received 400 POY points, leaving their positions in the overall leaderboard virtually unchanged. Josh Reichard, who was third in the rankings, also added to his tally—he earned 150 POY points for his 27th-place finish and a $3,144 payout. Other notable players who cashed included: 12th place — Nick Pupillo — $6,913 13th place — Jesse Yaginuma — $6,913 26th place — Terry Fleischer — $3,583 47th place — Irene Carey — $2,526 48th place — David Larson — $2,526 59th place — Ben Palmer — $2,313 Next MSPT Stop: Wisconsin Poker State Championship in Milwaukee From September 30 to October 5, MSPT will host its next stop at Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee—the Wisconsin Poker State Championship 2025. The series features 11 events with gold cards, and the highlight will be the Main Event with a $1,110 buy-in and a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. The Main Event will start players with 100,000 chips and 40-minute levels. The first starting day (Day 1a) kicks off on Thursday, October 2, at 12:00 PM. Late registration will remain open until 9:10 PM. Days 1b and 1c will take place on Friday and Saturday, October 3 and 4, at the same time. All players who advance to Day 2 will return to the tables on Sunday, October 5, to play down to a champion. The series schedule also includes: Event #1: 100 Grand Stack NLH — $400 buy-in, $200,000 guarantee Seniors (50+) Monster Stack NLH — $400 buy-in Last Chance Monster Stack NLH — $200 buy-in The last time MSPT visited Potawatomi Casino was from January 30 to February 2, marking the series’ return to the venue after the pandemic. That event set a new casino record with 1,697 entries, surpassing the previous high from 2017 (1,658 entries). The champion of that tournament was Timothy Thorp, who defeated Umut Ozturk heads-up to claim the top prize of $244,362. Context: What is MSPT and Why is the Series Important? The Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) is one of the leading poker tours in the United States, renowned for its accessible buy-ins and large guaranteed prize pools. MSPT events consistently attract strong fields, including both professionals and amateurs. Venues like the Venetian Las Vegas and Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee are among the most popular destinations for major poker tournaments. Thanks to a transparent Player of the Year points system, the series maintains a high level of competition throughout the season. Winning an MSPT event not only brings a significant payout but also elevates a player’s status within the poker community. For Miguel Lopez, for example, this victory marked his first MSPT title—a potential springboard for future achievements. Explanation of Key Poker Terms and Formats Buy-in — the amount a player pays to enter a tournament. In this case, the buy-in was $1,100. Starting stack — the number of chips each player begins the tournament with. For example, in the upcoming Main Event in Milwaukee, it’s 100,000 chips. Flight (starting day) — a separate day of play after which the top players advance to the next stage. This tournament featured three starting flights. Heads-up — the final stage of a tournament when only two players remain at the table to play for the title. Top pair, top two pair — poker hands: top pair is a pair made with the highest card on the board; top two pair means two pairs, both being the highest possible on the current board. Guarantee (GTD) — the minimum prize pool that organizers commit to pay out regardless of the number of entries. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the MSPT experience can be extremely valuable. First, the tournament structure—with multiple starting days and deep stacks—allows players to choose the most comfortable entry strategy and plan their tournament schedule. Similar formats are often found in PPPoker online clubs, giving players the chance to practice in conditions that closely resemble live events. Second, the emphasis on the Player of the Year race and the points system in MSPT highlights the importance of regular participation and consistent results. PPPoker clubs can also organize their own ranking series, encouraging players to develop and improve. Finally, the success of players like Miguel Lopez demonstrates that even newcomers can achieve significant results with smart play and the right strategy. This inspires PPPoker club members not to shy away from entering major tournaments, both online and live, and to strive for new heights.