button in Safari
2026 Borgata Summer Poker Open
Daily Tournament Highlights
Day: live
Filter
Just moments after Spiros Stathakis found one of the unlikeliest doubles of the day, it was Lakshay Aggrawal's turn to spike a miracle.
Aggrawal moved all in with a short stack and was looked up by the player to his left.
Lakshay Aggrawal turned over 8♦8♣ and was up against 10♦10♥.
Aggrawal was in need of help and found exactly that when the dealer spread the K♦8♥3♥ flop, giving him a set of eights to leapfrog his opponent's pocket tens.
The 4♠ turn and 3♣ river kept him in front, The pot kept Aggrawal's Day 2 hopes alive, but with a below-average stack, he'll still have plenty of work to do if he wants to survive the night.
Spiros Stathakis found a huge rush at exactly the right time, turning 58,000 chips at the 8,000 big blind level into 256,000 in the space of just a few hands.
The New Yorker first three-bet jammed over an open and picked up one caller before the original raiser folded.
Stathakis: J♣J♦
Opponent: Q♣Q♦
Stathakis was in rough shape preflop, but cheered in celebration when the dealer spread the A♥J♥4♠ flop, giving him a set of jacks. The 9♥ turn and 9♠ river changed nothing, improving him to a full house and earning him a double-up.
Just a couple of hands later, two short stacks moved all in ahead of him, and Stathakis looked down at K♦K♣ and quickly called.
He found himself up against Ax2x and 10x10x, but his kings never came under serious threat as the board ran out J♠4♦2♠8♦4♦.
After winning both pots in quick succession, Stathakis had transformed his stack into 256,000, putting himself in a strong position.
Trying to sneak your way around paying the big blind at the Borgata Summer Poker Open? It might cost you far more than you bargained for.
One player found that out the hard way after attempting to avoid posting their big blind. Tournament staff quickly stepped in, issuing the player a penalty of one full orbit plus one hand.
The punishment ensured the player had to pay both of their blinds before being allowed back into the tournament, wiping out any potential advantage they hoped to gain.
BetMGM Poker ambassador Michael Lavin was one of the later arrivals to Day 1e, and he's already found some momentum.
Lavin, who captured a WSOP bracelet and a $1 million bonus last summer, has chipped up from his 30,000 starting stack to around 50,000, picking up a few uncontested pots after some shoves through.
At the 2025 World Series of Poker, Lavin won Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout, topping a field of 1,299 entries to earn $267,373 and his second career WSOP bracelet. He also owns 11 WSOP Circuit rings and joined the BetMGM Poker ambassador team earlier this year.
Want to learn more about Lavin? Check out BetMGM's recent sit-down interview with the bracelet winner.
Late registration has officially closed in Day 1e of the $600 Deep Stack Kick Off ($1,000,000 Guaranteed), and the tournament continues to smash expectations.
The penultimate starting flight drew 783 entries, with 98 players guaranteed a $1,200 min-cash. By the end of the night, just 63 players will remain, each securing a seat in Sunday's Day 2.
Meanwhile, Day 1f is already underway and has reached Level 3, with 144 entries on the board and nine full levels of late registration still remaining. Another strong turnout is expected before registration closes later this evening.
The two Saturday flights have already pushed the tournament to 2,143 entries, eclipsing last year's total of 2,026 entries with plenty of registration still to come in Day 1f.
As a result, the prize pool has climbed to $1,114,360, and it's set to grow even further before the final numbers are locked in later tonight.
BetMGM Poker has announced Esther "E-Tay" Taylor as its newest ambassador, adding one of the game's most respected tournament regulars and top 20 women's all-time money listers to its growing roster of pros.
The leading online poker and sportsbook operator revealed that Taylor will represent BetMGM Poker across live streams, social media content, live tournament appearances, and promotional events, joining fellow ambassadors Darren Elias and Mike Lavin.
Taylor's path to becoming a sponsored poker professional is a remarkable one. Born in South Korea and found alone as an infant in a bus station before being adopted and raised in the United States, Taylor made history at the 2025 WSOP when she became the second woman in history to final table the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship.
The $600 Deep Stack Kick Off has officially surpassed its $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The tournament needed 1,924 entries to cover the guarantee, and that mark has now been eclipsed during Day 1e.
Day 1e has already attracted 744 entries, pushing the overall field to 1,960 entries with plenty of poker still to be played.
Late registration remains open throughout Day 1e for two more more full levels, while the final starting flight, Day 1f, is still to come in 20 minutes time.
With another packed field expected, the prize pool is set to continue growing well beyond the $1 million mark before registration officially closes.
In the 992nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Jeff Madsen are joined by reality TV superstar Trishelle Cannatella at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas.
Trishelle talks about her return to the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which included a deep run in the Millionaire Maker, winning The Traitors Season 2, and appearances on various reality TV programs such as celebrity wrestling with Hulk Hogan. She and Jeff also talk about their past, which included dating during the height of the poker boom, and what life was like back then.
Whether you're a fan of Trishelle, poker, or reality TV, this is an episode you don't want to miss.
Be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
A new PokerNews Podcast drops four times a week in July! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
If you can't make it to Atlantic City, you won't have to miss the biggest moments from the Borgata Summer Poker Open powered by BetMGM Poker.
Throughout the festival, the BetMGM YouTube channel will be live with a packed schedule of final tables, feature-table coverage and cash games, bringing viewers all the action.
The livestream schedule kicks off on July 20 with the final table of the $600 Deep Stack Kick Off, before turning its attention to a mix of cash games and tournament action over the following week. The spotlight then shifts to the $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship, with feature table coverage on Days 2 and 3 before the festival concludes with the final table on July 31.
| Date | Time | Stream |
|---|---|---|
| July 20 | Noon | $600 Deep Stack Kick Off Final Table |
| July 21 | TBA | Pot-Limit Omaha Cash Game |
| July 22 | TBA | RAF's Game |
| July 23 | TBA | Borgata Big Game |
| July 24 | Noon | $650 Super Deep 6-Max Final Table |
| July 25 | TBA | Signature $2/$5 Cash Game |
| July 27 | Noon | $500 Borgata Almighty Stack Final Table |
| July 29 | Noon | $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Feature Table |
| July 30 | Noon | $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Feature Table |
| July 31 | Noon | $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Final Table |
Start times for the cash game streams will be confirmed closer to each broadcast. Players and fans can keep an eye on the Borgata Poker social media channels for the latest updates.
How to Qualify for the Borgata Summer Poker Open for Less
Players heading to the Borgata Summer Poker Open powered by BetMGM Poker do not necessarily need to pay full price for their tournament seats.
A packed satellite schedule is running both online at BetMGM Poker and live inside the Borgata poker room, giving players plenty of chances to qualify for the festival's biggest events at a fraction of the regular buy-in.
Qualify Online at BetMGM Poker
BetMGM Poker is running online qualifiers throughout the festival, with buy-ins starting from just $10.
The cheapest option is the $10 Borgata Bounty Shootout qualifier on July 26, where players can win a $160 tournament seat along with $50 in cash.
There are also $50 qualifiers running until July 29 for the Deep Stack Kick Off, Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, Borgata Almighty Stack and Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty. Winners receive their seat plus an additional $50.
Players targeting the festival's biggest event can enter $250 Championship qualifiers through July 28. Packages include a $2,700 seat to the Summer Poker Open Championship and $500 in cash to help cover expenses.
Players should check the BetMGM Poker lobby for start times and any additional qualifiers added during the series.
Live Satellites at Borgata
There are also several live routes into the action at Borgata, including satellites that award seats across multiple events.
The $500 Borgata Big 4 satellite guarantees five packages, with each package including seats to Events 1, 11, 16 and 22.
The $220 Out the Gate satellite also guarantees five packages, this time awarding seats to Events 1, 11 and 16.
Players looking for more flexibility can enter the $560 $5K Your Way satellite, which awards $5,000 in tournament buy-ins at a one-in-ten ratio and comes with a $15,000 guarantee.
There are also two routes into the $2,700 Championship. The $320 MEGA Championship satellite guarantees 10 seats, while another $320 Championship satellite guarantees five.
New to BetMGM Poker?
If you don't already have a BetMGM Poker account, there's an extra incentive to sign up before chasing a Borgata Summer Poker Open seat.
New players can receive a 100% deposit match up to $1,000, plus up to $75 in tournament tickets, giving them even more opportunities to qualify for the festival's biggest events.
Whether you're taking a shot in a $10 online satellite or trying to win your way into the $2,700 Championship, the welcome offer provides plenty of extra value before you even play your first hand.
