MSPT Player of the Year Race: Final Stages and Leaders' Chances

In the sixteenth season of the MSPT, the race for Player of the Year is entering the home stretch: only three stops remain, and the intrigue is still alive. Check out the schedule, the leaderboard, and the key events of the season.

In the sixteenth season of the Major Series of Poker Tour (MSPT), the race for the Player of the Year (POY) title is entering the home stretch: only three stops remain, and the intrigue will last until the very end. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the schedule of the remaining tournaments, the current standings in the POY race, and discuss the key events of the season and their significance for PPPoker club players. Final Stages of MSPT Season Sixteen: Schedule and Formats The MSPT season is coming to an end, and players have just three more chances to earn points in the POY rankings. The first of the remaining stops is the MSPT Festival at Riverside Casino , located near Iowa City, Iowa. The series kicks off on October 28 and wraps up on November 2. Satellites have already started here in late September, and the main schedule features six Gold Card events, culminating in the Main Event with a $1,110 buy-in and a $300,000 guarantee . The Main Event will have three starting flights: Day 1A — October 30, Thursday, 2:00 PM Central Time (CT) Day 1B — October 31, Friday, 2:00 PM CT Day 1C — November 1, Saturday, 2:00 PM CT All players who advance from any starting day will return to the final table on November 2 at 11:00 AM to play for the title and prize money. It’s important to note that all players who reach the final day are already guaranteed a payout. In addition to the Main Event, the schedule includes: Two Epic Stack tournaments with a $250 buy-in each A Monster Stack tournament for $250 Ultimate Stack with a $300 buy-in A special event for players aged 50 and over — Seniors (50+) Monster Stack NLH for $300, starting November 2 at 9:00 AM Only players aged 21 and over can participate in tournaments at Riverside Casino. Remaining Stops of the Season: Where and When After the festival in Iowa, MSPT participants will head to two final stops: Ameristar East Chicago — November 18 to 23 MSPT Winter Poker Classic Series at Running Aces, Minnesota — December 2 to 14 These stops will be the last chance for POY contenders to earn the points they need. Key Events of the Season and Results of Previous Iowa Stops The October stop at Riverside Casino will be MSPT’s third and final visit to this venue in 2025. In March (March 25-30), a stop was already held here, where the Main Event drew 629 entries. The winner was Matthew Porter , who earned the biggest prize of his career — $106,078 . In July (July 24-27), MSPT returned to Iowa for the Iowa Poker State Championship , which attracted 815 participants. In this tournament, Mike Estes defeated Jake Long heads-up to claim his first MSPT title and the top prize of $153,551 . PokerNews representative Chad Holloway finished third in this championship, taking home $69,610 . In his podcast, recorded with former POY titleholder Kyna England , he shared his impressions of the tournament and discussed key moments from the final table. The Race for Player of the Year: Who’s in the Lead? At the time of publication, the POY leaderboard is topped by the current two-time titleholder Umut Ozturk , who has 8,992 points . He has a chance to make history by becoming the first player to win the POY title three years in a row. However, the battle for the lead is heating up: in second place is Jake Long with 8,390 points , and former Player of the Year Josh Reichard is in third with 7,006 points . Anthony Scarborough is in fourth place with 4,984 points , and although the gap is significant, anything is possible in poker. All three leaders are expected to participate in all remaining stops of the season, making the final battle especially intense. Each of them will be aiming to score as many points as possible to secure victory in the overall standings. Current POY Leaderboard (MSPT Season 16): Umut Ozturk — 8,992 points Jake Long — 8,390 points Josh Reichard — 7,006 points Anthony Scarborough — 4,984 points In the coming weeks, these players will determine who will become the new (or repeat) MSPT Player of the Year. What is MSPT and Why is This Series Important? The Major Series of Poker Tour is one of the largest poker series in the United States, bringing together regular tournaments with various formats and buy-ins. MSPT is known for its deep structures, large guarantees, and the opportunity for players of all levels to showcase their skills on a big stage. The Main Event at each stop traditionally attracts hundreds of participants and awards six-figure prize pools. The POY points system takes into account results from all series tournaments, allowing players not only to win big prizes in a single event but also to compete for long-term recognition and leadership among the season’s best players. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, news about the MSPT Player of the Year race can be a great source of motivation. Even if you play online, following such races is useful for understanding how to build a strategy over the long term: it’s important not only to win individual tournaments but also to consistently earn points, make the money, and demonstrate a high level of play throughout the season. Moreover, the MSPT schedule, with its variety of formats — from Monster Stack to Ultimate Stack — can inspire club organizers to run their own series with similar structures. This gives members the chance to try different disciplines and prepare for high-level live tournaments. Finally, the success stories of players like Umut Ozturk or Mike Estes show that persistence and regular participation in tournaments can lead to significant results. For PPPoker players, this is a signal: developing your game, analyzing your performances, and taking part in leaderboard races is the path to new heights and recognition in the poker community.