PokerNews Podcast

In the 950th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to talk about the latest in the poker world starting with an exclusive interview as Texas Card House (TCH) CEO Ryan Crow talks about the tate of Texas poker, TCH's perspective on the raid at Doug Polk's The Lodge, and whether or not the planned World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit will continue as planned. Plus, Crow shares details on a new, multi-episode documentary, The Battle for Texas Poker. Here's your chance to see the trailer! From there, the crew discusses the viral preflop pocket kings fold by Kristen Foxen, Paul Phua & Ben Tollerene winning Triton titles, and the WSOP is back on ESPN! Plus, Garrett Adelstein announced that he is releasing a poker book diving into the infamous J4 hand against Robbi Jade Lew on Hustler Casino Live (HCL), among other things. Finally, Chino Rheem found more PokerGO Tour success, Brandon Wilson's heater continued, and big plans are in store next week for the PokerNews Podcast at the WSOP Europe. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 02:21 | Interview w/ Ryan Crow 04:00 | State of Texas poker 09:44 | WSOP Circuit at TCH 10:38 | Battle for Texas Poker documentary 13:23 | Documentary trailer 17:50 | Kristen Foxen folds pocket kings preflop 22:30 | Ben Tollerene wins Triton title 22:48 | Garrett Adelstein to release poker book 25:39 | WSOP is back on ESPN 29:00 | Paul Phua victorious at Triton Jeju 29:15 | Brandon Wilson on a heater 31:11 | Chino Rheem wins PGT PLO Series 34:26 | Podcast plans for WSOP Europe

In the 949th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow do an emergency show to react to the long-awaited video by Doug Polk in which he discusses the raid on his Texas card club, The Lodge. Find out what the large shareholder had to say, his timeline of events, and where things currently stand. Plus, what did Doug think about the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) theory, some reasons players should remain optimistic for a positive outcome, and why Thursday, April 9, is an important date to remember. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:05 | Why is April 9 important? 02:40 | Doug committed to players 03:58 | WSOP Circuit at Texas Card House still on 04:36 | Chad is more optimistic for a positive outcome 07:15 | Doug addressed raid theories 09:45 | Support for The Lodge 12:38 | Illegal Gambling & Money Laundering 15:05 | Government invested 17:42 | Potential positive outcomes 20:55 | We don't know how long a resolution will take

In the 948th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to discuss a new theory involving what might be the real reason behind authorities investigating The Lodge in Texas. It focuses more on the financial side of things, specifically the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) as opposed to actual poker and alcohol. Could it be the real reason for the raid? Plus, an update from The Lodge in which they made an unfortunate announcement that they would be closing for the foreseeable future and laying off their staff. The trio then takes a look at the viral bustout hand at PokerStars Open Philadelphia, offers their thoughts on Triton Tempo, and watches Kelly Lucas slowroll Phil Hellmuth on an episode of Hellmuth's Home Game. Finally, the crew discusses the passing of David Sklansky, the author of the game-changing book The Theory of Poker, and the complicated legacy he leaves behind. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:50 | How you feeling about The Lodge? 03:30 | Is the real story about The Lodge? 03:55 | Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) & FinCEN 11:13 | BSA Requirements 12:50 | Update: The Lodge lays off staff 16:00 | Viral bustout hand at PokerStars Open Philadelphia 20:33 | Triton Tempo – poker's chess clock 26:10 | Kelly Lucas slowrolls Phil Hellmuth 31:11 | David Sklansky passes away

In the 947th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to discuss headlines from the poker world that didn't include The Lodge in Texas. Foremost among them was celebrity Kylie Jenner, working with Vanity Fair to make a viral poker video. Was it a good thing for poker? The crew also discusses the upcoming closure of the Resorts World Poker Room and some of their favorite (and worst) memories, Arden Cho at the Academy Awards, and winners from the recently-completed PokerGO Cup, including Andrew "Lucky Chewy" Lichtenberger, Tony Gregg, and Brock Wilson, who ultimately topped the leaderboard. It was also at the PokerGO Cup where Ben Grise notched back-to-back runner-up finishes while learning the tragic news that his good friend back in Indiana had been murdered. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Timestamps 01:30 | Mike's big score 02:41 | Kylie Jenner ventures into the poker world 08:05 | Resorts World closing poker room 13:45 | Lucky Chewy claims a PokerGO Cup trophy 15:20 | One for Tony Gregg 16:53 | Brock Wilson PokerGO Cup title 17:50 | Ben Grise's two runner-up finishes 20:40 | Arden Cho at the Oscars

In the 946th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow shoot a show devoted to examining the recently-released affidavit against The Lodge in Texas, which was raided by authorities last Tuesday. What were the details of the warrant? Find out here. Plus, Doug Polk recently issued a new statement and is committed to making sure players are taken care of. But what do the details of the affidavit mean for the future of The Lodge and Texas poker in general? Well, unfortunately, it doesn't look good. Find out why in the latest episode. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 Welcome to the show00:37 Initial reactions to the warrant04:40 Statement from Doug Polk06:20 What does the affidavit say?12:00 What should players do?13:50 What state laws were violated?14:40 Who are the owners?16:30 Is the loophole being closed?17:00 What about the $1.35M?19:25 What's likely to happen next?21:45 Will Doug Polk fight?23:50 Is this the end of poker rooms in Texas?27:13 Final thoughts

In the 945th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow shoot a show devoted to the latest updates following The Lodge in Texas being raided by authorities. A lot has happened since the raid last Tuesday at Doug Polk's famed card room, which recently issued a new statement. While we have some answers, there are still plenty of unanswered questions, given that the club remains closed and no formal charges have been filed. It remains an open investigation, os right now, players and owners have no recourse but to sit around and wait, not to mention the hundreds of staff currently out of work and awaiting some sort of clarity. Hear about the facts as we know them, a timeline of events, and some of the current speculation as to what might be the root cause of the raid. Is it illegal gambling? Money laundering? Who might be involved? The crew explores it all. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the Show 01:00 | The Lodge issues new statement 05:09 | WPT postpones event 09:30 | No formal charges filed at this time 15:00 | History lesson on the rise of poker in Texas 22:00 | Why no one should be gloating 24:30 | What did Brad Owen have to say? 26:00 | Speculation abounds 31:40 | Poker should just be made legal

In the 944th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Connor Richards react in real-time to breaking news -- that The Lodge in Texas was being raided by authorities. It was an unexpected development at Doug Polk's famed card room that you can read more about here. From there, the trio updates you on the cheating poker dealer from Texas that was highlighted in Episode 940. See new surveillance footage obtained by PokerNews that clearly shows exactly what went down. Another story includes Fedor Holz departing as a GGPoker Ambassador and stepping away from poker, which led to a discussion as to whether or not he's had a Poker Hall of Fame-worthy career. Other stories include winners from the PokerGO Cup, straddles in tournaments, Joseph Spanne taking down the 2026 Wynn Millions, Mukul Pahuja & Nick Rigby claiming PokerNews PowerStack titles, and the passing of a beloved poker player. Finally, the show ends with the reveal of a recent The Hendon Mob Award winner. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:05 | The Lodge Card Club raided in Texas 06:00 | Cheating poker dealer exposed 13:30 | Worst fold in poker history? 20:58 | Fedor Holz leaves GGPoker; is he retiring? 24:03 | Fedor Poker Hall of Fame worthy? 26:42 | PokerGO Cup winners 29:35 | Straddles in tournaments? 32:33 | Joseph Spanne wins 2026 Wynn Millions Championship 32:55 | Mukul Pahuja wins Borgata PokerNews PowerStack 33:10 | Nick Rigby wins three tournaments at RGPS St. Louis 34:20 | WWII Veteran Gene Bellar passes away at 101 36:00 | Koen Roos receives The Hendon Mob Award

In the 943rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by TJ Reid at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas. The quartet talks about the viral and vulnerable tweet sent by famed vlogger Brad Owen, who was open about burnout and how he's currently feeling within the poker space. It's an intimate look at a part of the game that's not often talked about. They then discuss the perfect 300 bowling game of Ryan Riess, who won some money from Jesse Lonis, as well as Jorge Abreu crushing the EPT Paris final table, getting lucky in a wild hand and against Felix Schneiders heads-up, and wins from Nick Seward and NFL Hall of Famer Richard Seymour. Plus, Chad was at the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) Reno to play in his first PokerNews PowerStack. See highlights from that tournament, as well as Hamid Izadi's win in the stop's main event. Finally, a shoutout to podcast colleagues Dara O'Kearney and David Lappin on their new respective sponsorship deals! Find out where they landed and what it means for the future of The Chip Race. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:00 | Brad Owen's heartfelt tweet 09:40 | New content creators 12:15 | Ryan Riess bowls a perfect 300 16:10 | Jorge Abreu wins EPT Paris 16:51 | Wild hand at the final table 21:10 | Abreu vs. Felix Schneiders 24:15 | Big Sey wins at WSOP Circuit Cherokee 27:20 | Nick Seward wins WPT Venetian 29:15 | Hamid Izadi wins RGPS Reno 30:45 | Chad's PokerNews PowerStack adventure 32:50 | Dara O'Kearney & David Lappin land new deals

In the 942nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by Jeff Platt at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas. The quartet talks about Platt's new role with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and what all that entails. Find out what all you can expect from the 2026 WSOP as the former cohost of the PokerNews Podcast talks about being a face of the brand, live viewer experience, storytelling, the Poker Hall of Fame, and much more. Plus, Platt shares some of his favorite WSOP moments that he's been a part of over the years, moments that include Doyle Brunson and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:40 | New role with the WSOP 04:43 | Being the face of a brand 10:30 | WSOP Circuit to ramp up 12:33 | Live viewer experience 18:55 | Player storylines 21:50 | Poker Hall of Fame 25:46 | More leaderboards the better 28:16 | Favorite WSOP moments 33:00 | Creating buzz via storytelling 34:18 | What should poker fans expect?

In the 941st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by James Hartigan at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas. The quartet previews upcoming PokerStars live events, including the European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris, where the Spin & Go Championship will take place. There's also the PokerStars Open Philadelphia and the 2026 Irish Poker Open, which, according to Hartigan, is more than just a poker tournament; it's a whole experience. Find out information about all those events, as well as some fun stories in between, like when Hartigan participated in a lip-synch battle with Caitlin Comeskey while he was dressed up as a blue shark. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 Welcome to the show 01:05 EPT Paris 06:50 Spin & Go Championship 14:30 PokerStars Open Philly 18:53 Irish Poker Open 22:30 Lip-synch battle with Caitlin Comeskey

In the 940th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to break down the video of a poker dealer caught cheating in a Texas card room. See surveillance footage of what happened and how he was caught! The trio then discusses Michael Mizrachi & Chino Rheem's $100K No Smoking/Drinking prop bet, Alex Foxen making his Hustler Casino Live (HCL) debut, and results from the PokerGO Tour (PGT) Mixed Games Series, which included big wins by Brian Rast, Qinghai Pan, and Yuri Dzivielevski. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:08 | Cheating poker dealer in Texas 10:20 | Mizrachi & Chino's $100K Prop Bet 14:44 | Alex Foxen's Hustler Casino Live debut 20:40 | Kristen Foxen's turn on HCL 23:50 | Brian Rast claims PGT Mixed Games $25K Championship 26:00 | Yuri Dzivielevski tops PGT Mixed Games Leaderboard 26:25 | Yuri Dzivielevski wins $100K Super High Roller Bowl Mixed 28:56 | Winner interview w/ Yuri Dzivielevski 32:20 | What's coming up?

In the 939th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back for a special episode to discuss the release of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule! Running from May 26 through July 15, the 2026 WSOP consists of 100 gold bracelet events and, for the first time ever, will be immediately followed by a WSOP Circuit stop. Find out what's new on the schedule, what is missing, and what changes are in store, including a new main stage set that'll be constructed in the Paris Ballroom. Jeff Platt even joined the show for a bit to talk about that and how to improve the live player experience. Oh, and it seems there may be some big changes in store for the final table of the WSOP Main Event. If you're planning to play the 2026 WSOP, this is an episode you don't want to miss. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:38 | 2026 WSOP schedule is out! 02:20 | Announcement of the announcement 04:30 | Free daily live stream 08:50 | Mini Mystery Millions kicks things off 10:43 | Jeff Platt talks about storytelling 14:08 | New events on the schedule 18:22 | No more Hall of Fame Poker Bounty 22:04 | All things WSOP Main Event 27:35 | New main stage over in Paris Ballroom 29:10 | Player experience & live viewership with Jeff Platt 32:22 | How are you going to plan your summer? 33:15 | WSOP Play of the Year 34:00 | Qualify online – Daniel Negreanu

In the 938th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are joined by Connor Richards at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas to talk about poker pro Jared Bleznick revealing that he's buried by a bad investment into a massive amount of Labubu! Connor then shares details on covering the federal trial of Tom Goldstein in person in Maryland and what it was like to win the recent Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event. Speaking of federal, Chad sat down with the Nevada congresswoman, Rep. Dina Titus, to discuss her efforts to pass the FAIR BET Act, which would restore gambling deductions from 90% back to 100%. From there, it's a talk about the largest overlay in online poker history and recent tournament winners presented by WPT Global, including Alex Foxen, Nick Schulman, and Chino Rheem. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:59 | Blez and the Labubu 04:25 | Tom Goldstein's federal trial 11:20 | Talking with Rep. Dina Titus 17:57 | Connor takes down CSOP 93! 20:47 | Video: Highlights from CSOP 22:00 | Largest Overlay in Online Poker History 24:50 | Alex Foxen wins MSPT Poker Bowl X 27:30 | Nick Schulman claims 8th PGT title 27:54 | Chino Rheem makes 5th final table of 2026 28:40 | Upcoming guests

In the 936th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all in Las Vegas at Level 9 Studio to talk about a pair of big hands from the Super High Roller Cash Game on PokerGO. One saw Sameh Elamawy lay down the second nuts to Justin Gavri, and the other was Andrew Robl five-bet bluffing smack into the pocket aces of Eric Wasserson, which led to a discussion on Robl and his chances of the Poker Hall of Fame. From there, the crew heads out to the desert for some fun with Las Vegas ATV Tours, Mike 'Timex' McDonald winning a national Chess Championship, and Jean-Robert Bellande taking down the Onyx High Roller for $1.5 Million. Finally, hear about how 23-year-old Harvey Castro claimed the WPT Player of the Year and why the 'Jungleman' boxing match result against Elf was overturned. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the Show 01:45 | Super High Roller Cash Game 02:45 | Huge Fold – Sameh vs. Gavri 06:30 | Robl Five-Bet Bluff Disaster 14:40 | Andrew Robl for Poker Hall of Fame? 19:40 | Las Vegas ATV Tour Adventure 22:06 | Mike 'Timex' McDonald Wins National Chess Championship 25:11 | JRB Takes Down Onyx High Roller for $1.5 Million 26:53 | Harvey Castro Wins WPT Player of the Year 29:45 | 'Jungleman' Boxing Match Result Overturned

In the 936th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all in Las Vegas at Level 9 Studio to talk about the viral $2.4 million poker hand played between Antonio Esfandiari and Alan Keating. The hand, part of Super High Roller Cash Game on PokerGO, blew up fast and had the whole poker world talking. From there, the crew talks about the Daniel "Jungleman" Cates vs. sports bettor "Elf" boxing match, looks at a controversial hand from High Stakes Poker involving Sam "Señor Tilt" Kiki, and a winner interview with Andrew "Lucky Chewy" Lichtenberger after he notched a win at the PGT Kickoff Series. Other stories bantered about are Jeff Platt now being exclusive with the WSOP, how Arden Cho will probably be at the Oscars, the new PokerNews PowerStack Leaderboard for the 2026 RGPS Passport Season, and sharing which poker room on the Las Vegas Strip is unfortunately closing at the end of the month. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 Welcome to the show 01:31 Esfandiari vs. Keating in $2.4M Pot 07:08 Dan "Jungleman" Cates boxing match results 11:25 Controversial hand on High Stakes Poker 17:17 Winner interview w/ Andrew "Lucky Chewy" Lichtenberger 22:06 Jeff Platt now with the WSOP 24:07 Arden Cho & the Oscars 26:12 PokerNews PowerStack Leaderboard for 2026 RGPS Passport Season 28:44 Planet Hollywood closing poker room

In the 935th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow talk about Linda "Granny" Hammons, an 88-year-old who discovered her favorite slot machines had been removed, so she decided to play her first-ever poker tournament. It took place at the Beau Rivage Million Dollar Heater down in Mississippi, and she did quite well while capturing the hearts of the poker community. Bill Phillips from the Gulf Coast Poker event caught up with her in a set-down interview he shared with PokerNews. From there, the trio looks at the straight flush misclick by Sebastian Huber, Martin Zamani's video of a poker bot farm that had the community up in arms, and a pair of poker cheats caught down at The Lodge in Austin, Texas. Speaking of which, the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) is headed to the cardroom, and Andrew Neeme is happy to tell you about it. From there, it's welcoming 8131 Media as the official photography partner of PokerNews, and a preview of this weekend's Daniel "Jungleman" Cates vs. sports bettor "Elf", where PokerNews will be on-site to report all the action. Finally, learned who won our giveaway for a limited edition deck of cards tied to Lost in the Shuffle, a documentary that explores the history of playing cards through the lens of magic. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:56 | 'Granny' enters first poker tournament 04:57 | Interview w/ Linda "Granny" Hammons 07:52 | Is this the worst misclick ever? 11:13 | Poker Bots controversy 19:10 | Poker cheats caught in Texas 23:07 | RGPS heading to The Lodge 25:00 | Andrew Neeme on RGPS 26:52 | 8131 Media becomes official photo team 28:47 | Daniel "Jungleman" Cates fight night 33:11 | 'Lost in the Shuffle' winner

In the 934th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow talk about the two players who made it all the way to heads-up play and then agreed to play winner take all for the prize money. It was a wild story that saw one player walk away with a five-figure payday and the other leave empty-handed. The trio then discusses WPT Global's controversial signing of Ren Lin as an ambassador, which led to a discussion about ClubWPT Gold's social media strategy and how those two brands are related to the main World Poker Tour (WPT) brand. In between, former WPT Global Ambassador Xuan Liu called out the site for continuing to use her image in the Asia market. Chad then shares highlights from his adventure with Phil Hellmuth and his son Phillip Hellmuth III playing in a Wisconsin home game, Alex Foxen winning PokerGO Tour (PGT) Player of the Year, and winners from the PokerGO Tour Last Chance Series. Then there was Daniel Negreanu at the final table of the PGT Championship, which was won by Chad Eveslage. Other stories include GPI Player of the Year results, Maine becoming the ninth state to legalize online poker, and a look at Lost in the Shuffle, a documentary that explores the history of playing cards through the lens of magic. See the trailer and enter for your chance to win a limited edition deck of cards. Speaking of giveaways, learn who won a copy of Jonathan Little's new book The Complete Poker Workout. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the Show 01:25 | Two players agree to "Winner Take All" 03:26 | WPT Global signs Ren Lin 08:15 | Is WPT Global different than WPT & ClubWPT Gold? 10:40 | Former Ambassador Xuan Liu calls out WPT Global 12:40 | Chad's adventure with Phil Hellmuth 20:02 | Alex Foxen wins PGT Player of the Year 22:29 | PokerGO Tour Last Chance Series winners 24:30 | Daniel Negreanu final tables PGT Championship 26:20 | Chad Eveslage wins PGT Championship 27:31 | GPI Player of the Year results 31:40 | Maine becomes 9th state to legalize online poker 36:55 | Lost in the Shuffle documentary 40:34 | PN Pod giveaways

In the 933rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow kick off Season 17 with some poker predictions for 2026. Will the Big Beautiful Bill's gambling tax situation be resolved or lead to big ramifications in the industry? Will Phil Hellmuth win his 18th gold bracelet? Would the World Series of Poker (WSOP) ever raise the buy-in for the Main Event? The triumvirate also covers recent stories, including poker players Galen Hall and Jason Somerville winning big in the Circa Survivor content, arbitration ending between Maurice Hawkins and Denise Pratt, and Lex Veldhuis returning to the streaming streets, albeit not as a PokerStars Ambassador. Similarly, Caitlin Comeskey's ambassadorship with PokerStars US came to an end, and got the crew asking, "Is there still value in poker ambassadors?" You'll also see a short interview of Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel chatting with Rep. Dina Titus about the aforementioned tax bill, hear about Jeremy Becker and Matthew Wantman winning titles at the Venetian, and another book giveaway for a copy of Jonathan Little's The Complete Poker Workout. A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:40 | Poker players win big in Circa's Survivor contest 08:20 | Maurice Hawkins arbitration ends 21:56 | Lex Veldhuis is back! 26:07 | What are the value of "Poker Ambassadors" nowadays? 30:00 | Poker predictions for 2026 30:42 | Video: Erik Seidel chats w/ Rep. Dina Titus 38:29 | Trivia – Venezuela's all-time money list 40:03 | Is late reg and unlimited reentries a problem? 47:45 | Could WSOP Main Event be $15,000? 49:50 | Hellmuth will win bracelet No. 16 in 2026 50:30 | Recent Tournament Winners presented by 888poker 51:18 | Jeremy Becker claims title at Venetian 51:35 | Matthew Wantman kicks off New Year with win 51:46 | Preston Dean wins RoughRider Poker Tour title 52:10 | Jonathan Little book giveaway 54:13 | Disc golf with TJ Reid

In the 932nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz recap the top 10 stories of 2025 according to PokerNews. They include: - Cheating Technology Fears Rise - Trump's Tax Bill Detrimental to Poker Industry - Benny Glaser's Summer for the Ages - Twelve Months That Might Change Women's Poker Forever - Attorney Tom Goldstein Indicted Over Million-Dollar Poker Games - Ossi Ketola's Record-Shattering Heads-Up Poker Matches - Return of Poker Villains - Millionaire Maker Controversy at 2025 WSOP - Poker Game Arrests Involving Basketball Stars Rock the NBA - Michael Mizrachi Historic WSOP Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 01:12 | Cheating Technology Fears Rise 05:26 | Trump's Tax Bill Detrimental to Poker Industry 10:40 | Benny Glaser's Summer for the Ages 12:50 | Twelve Months That Might Change Women's Poker Forever 15:16 | Attorney Tom Goldstein Indicted Over Million-Dollar Poker Games 16:56 | Ossi Ketola's Record-Shattering Heads-Up Poker Matches 18:37 | Return of Poker Villains 22:26 | Millionaire Maker Controversy at 2025 WSOP 27:10 | Poker Game Arrests Involving Basketball Stars Rock the NBA 29:26 | Michael Mizrachi Historic WSOP

In the 931st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz bring Christmas cheer to the poker world! The duo discusses the brutal slowroll from Eric Wasserson against Benny Glaser deep in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Super Main Event, bracelet winners from the Bahamas, and their thoughts on Ren Lin being allowed back to play without even missing a single stop during his "indefinite" suspension. From there, it's over to Las Vegas to recap the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship, including an interview with winner Schuyler Thornton, and other events like Aaron Johnson winning WPT Prime, Darren Elias taking down the $25K High Roller, and Kharlin Sued emerging victorious in the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star. You'll also hear about Joao Simao besting Jason Koon in the Super High Roller Bowl X and Paul Tedeschi winning the €1,100 PokerStars Open Cannes. Finally, Jonathan Little is coming out with a new book, so we thought it'd be a good time for another giveaway. It's your chance to win a copy of Jonathan Little's new book, which you can also order by visiting dandbpoker.com. Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode! Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:09 | EWass slowrolls Glaser 01:52 | Video of the slowroll 06:55 | TJ Reid makes a deep run 09:33 | Bernhard Binder wins WSOP Paradise 10:50 | Video: Final hand + winner interview 13:11 | Ren Lin no longer banned 15:38 | Schuyler Thornton wins 2025 WPT World Championship 18:39 | Video: Schuyler Thornton winner interview 19:54 | Super High Roller Bowl X 22:16 | Imari Love victorious in The Closer Turbo Bounty 23:24 | Johan Guilbert claims first WSOP bracelet 24:56 | Aaron Johnson wins WPT Prime Championship 27:03 | Darren Elias wins $25k High Roller at Wynn 27:33 | Kharlin Sued wins WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star 28:44 | Video: Kharlin Sued winner interview 31:05 | Paul Tedeschi wins €1,100 PokerStars Open Cannes 31:63 | Jonathan Little book giveaway