PokerNews Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Famous Poker Player Loses Fortune Investing in Labubu; Interview w/ Rep. Dina Titus About FAIR BET Act Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

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!

Super High Roller Cash Game 5-Bet Jam for $1,700,000 Ends in Disaster Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

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!

Defiant Player Set Up in $2,400,000 Hand of Poker But Can He Get Lucky? Jan 29, 2026

Show notes

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

88-Year-Old Grandma Spanks Poker Players for $10,000! Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

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!

Poker Players Agree "Winner Take All" for Five Figures in Prize Money! Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

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!

Good or Bad? Our Poker Predictions for 2026; Will the WSOP Raise the Main Event Buy-in? Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

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

Cheaters, Arrests and Poker Villains Among Top Stories of 2025 Jan 01, 2026

Show notes

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

Was This Poker Player an A$$---e for Slowrolling with Pocket Aces? Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

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!

Who F***ed Up in This Poker Hand Everyone is Talking About Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

In the 930th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) World Champion Scott Stewart at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas.

The trio offers an update regarding the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and aggressor Eugene Castaneda, namely a warrant out for the latter. They then dissect the controversial hand played by Ryan Depaulo, Andre Moreira, and James Caputo in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise $25K Super Main Event. Who was in the right? Who was in the wrong?

Speaking of that tournament, Jesse Lonis made a big fold that sparked a heated rivalry with Shaun Deeb. Even Daniel Negreanu weighed in with his thoughts about the play. Speaking of Kid Poker, he fired away in the Super Main Event, which shed light on so many poker pros firing multiple bullets into the uniquely-structured tournament. Some players fired 11, 12, and even 14 bullets throughout the various flights. Is it good or bad for poker? How might recreational players interpret it?

Down in the Bahamas, Charlie Hook, Koray Aldemir, Joao Simao, David Coleman, and Aleksejs Ponakovs have all captured gold bracelets, while Matan Krakow took down the EPT Prague Main Event. From there, it's over to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, where the WPT Prime final table is set, Lily Lofty took down the WPT Ladies Championship, and a new WPT Ambassador was named in the special Mystery Quest event.

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 Little's book 100 Essential Tips. Visit dandbpoker.com to preorder Jonathan Little's new book.

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!

Why Did This Poker Player Pull a Gun on His Opponent? Interview w/ Squid Game's Steven Jones Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

In the 929th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna and Steven Jones, the latter having recently finished third place in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. He talks about that experience and what it's been like to become a reality TV show star.

The crew then discusses recent developments in the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and the aggressor Eugene Castaneda. That includes surveillance footage that shows both men going to their respective cars, where Eugene admitted that he retrieved a firearm. From there, it's a recap of Hustler Casino Live's Million Dollar Marathon that included a $2.1 million cooler, backlash over the WSOP+ App's new ICM feature and a chop at the WSOP Paradise, and Sam Soverel's nude pic.

Finally, learn about recent winners from the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship, and the PokerStars EPT Prague, where Yulian Bogdanov has already claimed two titles!

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 01:12 | More details regarding Maurice Hawkins' fight 05:23 | Steven Jones talks Squid Game: The Challenge 16:14 | Hustler Casino Live's Million Dollar Marathon 17:39 | $2.1 Million Cooler 21:20 | Backlash over WSOP+ App's new ICM feature 27:40 | Matthias Eibinger & Mike Watson chop a WSOP event 31:58 | Winners from the WSOP Paradise 33:10 | Sam Soverel's nude pic 35:03 | Yulian Bogdanov wins two titles at EPT Prague 37:03 | Justin Arnwine, Boris Kolev & Eric Baldwin among WPT WC winners 39:28 | Hayley likes to crop dust rude customers 43:18 | Jonathan Little book giveaway

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