The 2025 PGT PLO Series is underway at the Aria Casino in Las Vegas. The latest high-roller PLO series features 11 events and four are in the books. Ky "SuitedSuperman" Nguyen shipped Event #1 $5,100 PLO. In the second one, Blly Tarango took down Event #2 $5,100 PLO Progressive Bounty. The third one made history when Daniel Negreanu set a record with his 11th PGT title after he binked Event #3 $5,100 PLO. The latest winner is Chino Rheem after he won Event #4 $10,100 PLO for a $295,000 score.
Even though the sporting world is in the middle of March Madness, there's more than just the annual college basketball tournament ongoing in Las Vegas. The Aria Casino on the Strip is hosting another high roller series, but this time it's PLO as the main staple. The 2025 PGT PLO series features 11 events and four have played down to a champion. The player who tops the leaderboard will be named the PLO Series champion and secure the PGT Gold Cup and a $10,000 PGT Passport. The current series made headlines because Kid Poker broke a record with PGT title #11.
PGT PLO Series Event #1 $5,000 PLO attracted 164 runners and a prize pool worth $820,000. The top 25 places paid out with $189,400 set aside to the champion. Among those who went deep and cashed included... Ronald Keijzer, Brian Beck, Jason Suh, Artem Maksimov, Adam Hendrix, Sean Winter, Kamel Mokhammad, Jeffrey Lehouillier, Matthew Wantman, Daniel Negreanu, Arthur Morris, Stephanie Chung, and Richard Gryko.
The final eight in Event #1 featured Matthew McEwan, James Chen, John Riordan, Bryce Yockey, Jeremy Ausmus, Steve Z, Thai Ho, and Ky "SuitedSuperman" Nguyen. Asumus saw his run end in sixth place, followed by Yockey in fifth, Riordan in fourth, and Chen in third. The title came down to a heads-up battle between McEwan and Nguyen. When the dust settled, SuitedSuperman was the last one standing. Nguyen banked $180,400 and 180 points, which put him at the top of the leader board after one event.
Event #2 $5,100 PLO PKO attracted 159 entrants and a prize pool worth $795,000. The top 23 places paid out and among the noteworthy names who went deep but missed the final eight included... Nick Schulman, Patrick Leonard, Jim Collopy, Kamel Mokhammad, David Mzareulov, Lautaro Guerra, Jordan Spurlin, Sean Winter, Noah Schwartz, Allan Le, Sam Sternfield, spencer Simpson, Sean Troha, Maksim Pisarenko, and John Riordan.
The final eight in Event #2 included Billy Tarango, Stephen Hubbard, Jesse Lonis, Arthur Morris, James Chen, John Richards, Tyler Brown, and Joao Simao. Tarnago edged out Hubbard for the title and banked $88,245 for a first-place finish plus $85,000 in bounties. Not too shabby, eh? With 182 points, Tarango moved into first place on the leader board.
Event #3 $5,100 PLO attracted 159 entrants and a prize pool worth $795,000. First place paid out $182,500 and the top 23 places earned a cut. Among those who went deep and cashed included Brian Breck, Eric Wang, Dylan Linde, Issac Kempton, Sergio Bernal, Tomasz Krzesinski, Jiyang Gan, Bijan Shapouri, Chino Rheem, Josh Arieh, Eran Cami, Billy Tarango, LaDarren Banks, Joao Simao, and Kamel Mokhammad.
The final eight in Event #3 featured Jordan Glazer, Jisup Hwang, Bryce Yockey, Xiaoxiao Song, Eric Blair, Dylan Weisman, Jame Chen, and Daniel Negreanu. Weisman busted in third place, which set up a heads-up throwdown between Chen and Negreanu. Negreanu held off Chen to win his eleventh PGT title. He had been tied with Stephen Chidwick with ten titles, but now has sole possession of the lead. Negreanu secured 183 points and $182,500 for first place.
James Chen cashed in his third-straight event and added 115 PGT point with his second-place finish. He seized first place on the leader board with 245 points thanks to two Top 3 finishes. Negreanu moved into second with 195.
Event #4 $10,100 PLO attracted 188 runners and a prize pool worth $1.18 million. The top 17 places paid with $295K set aside to the champ. With 118 runners, this marked the second-largest field for a $10K PLO event. Among those who went deep but missed the final table included Frank Brannan, Sean Winter, Dylan Lind, Lautaro Guerra, Dylan Smith, Jeremy Ausmus, Tyler Brown, Nick Schulman, Stefan Christopher, Alex Foxen, and Taylor Wilson.
The final table in Event #4 included Richard Gryko, Michael Duek, Arthur Morris, Allan Le, Ben Tollerene, and Chino Rheem. Le hit the bricks in third place, which pitted Tollerene and Rheem in a heads-up joust for the $10K title. Tollerene could not rally back, and he was sent to the rail in second place. The victory marked a fifth-career PGT title for Rheem. First place paid out $295,000 for Rheem much to the delight of those sweating him on the rail. He also banked 295 PGT points, which now thrust him into fourth place for the 2025 season leader board behind Joey Weisman, Kristn Foxen, and Eric Blair.
With his victory in Event #4 and second cash of the series, Rheem rocketed to the top of the PLO Series leader board with 307 total points. Chen didn't cash in the fourth event and he remained in second place, but trails Rheem by 62 points. Negreanu slipped to third with 195 points.
