Is this the End of Poker in America? Here's Why the Future Looks Bleak

In the 916th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Jesse Fullen to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including Martin Kabrhel and his website selling merchandise bearing his trademark catchphrases such as "Not like that" and "Casino Royale." From there, they recap the highly-publicized heads-up match between Barstool Nate and Dave Portnoy where the former made what some call the worst fold in poker history; take a look at the unique wedding photos from the Burning Man ceremony of Liv Boeree and Igor Kurganov; and take a look at PokerNews' new The Rundown. Among the tournament winners highlighted in this week's episode are Jeremy Becker, Chino Rheem, Joshua Gebissa, Liam Gannon, and Kathy Liebert. Other stories include a look at the WPT World Championship schedule, a fresh edition of New Vlogs on the Block, and how Joey from Love is Blind and his protein company FLŸTE made their way into Chad's life. Finally, Chad reveals the details surrounding this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews. 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 04:12 | Martin Kabrhel’s merchandise shop 08:21 | Barstool Nate vs. Dave Portnoy 13:58 | Worst fold in poker history? 19:01 | Barstool Nate reacts to result of heads-up match 21:35 | Igor Nurganov & Liv Boeree tie the knot at Burning Man 25:25 | Introducing PokerNews’ The Rundown 27:37 | Giveaway for a NAPT Gold Pass 30:09 | Winners from the PGT Bounty Blitz Series; Jeremy Becker crushes 31:06  | Chino Rheem claims a title 31:47 | Landon Tice binks Event #3 32:20 | Other winners include Sergio Aido, Jason Hickey & Sam Laskowitz   32:50 | Former Footballer Joshua Gebissa wins first-ever Triton ONE Main Event for $975,225 35:56 | Professional bass fisherman reels in RGPS Tunica Main Event title 38:09 | Liam Gannon ships first WSOP Circuit ring 40:49 | Kathy Liebert wins Venetian DeepStack Extravaganza event 42:37 | FLŸTE Clear Whey Protein 43:19 | Joey from Love is Blind 45:55 | New Vlogs on the Block – Papa Poker 48:50 | World Poker Tour Championship schedule

11 Sep 54min

In the 915th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are once again joined by Ben Ludlow to talk about the latest stories and highlights from the poker world. That includes back-to-back WSOP Ladies Event champ Shiina Okamoto, who was back to her winning ways after taking down the Women's Event at the recently-completed EPT Barcelona. Is it time to start mentioning her name when talking about the G.O.A.T.s of the game? Speaking of the EPT Barcelona, David Coleman had four runner-up finishes there, while Thomas Eychenne took down the EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,217,175. It was actually in that tournament that PokerNews spotted Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll, the two friends who caused quite the controversy over the summer in the WSOP Millionaire Maker, seated next to each other. Strange coincidence, that.  From there, Chad offers highlights from his Wisconsin hangout with Phil Hellmuth, who then went ot New Hampshire for a "Beat the Champ" weekend that saw Brandon Cantu emerge victorious. Hellmuth also remembered the late, great Poker Hall of Fame tournament director Jack McClelland. Speaking of winners, Grant Hinkle, Nick Rigby, and Maurice Hawkins all took down titles, which are recapped in this episode, and inspired Mike to share a Rigby story of his own. Also, a preview of the upcoming PokerGO Tour (PGT) Venetian Las Vegas Classic. Finally, remember PokerNews is giving away a seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). You could have an approximate one in 500 chance at a $1,000,000 top prize. Click here to learn more about the WTOS. 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 00:10 | Ben Ludlow joins the show 01:00 | Shiina Okamoto wins EPT Barcelona Ladies Event 05:00 | Shiina Okamoto’s winning hand 05:50 | David Coleman four runner-up finishes 09:00 | What’s your favorite cheese? 10:33 | World Tournament of Slots giveaway 13:20 | Chad hangs out with Hellmuth in Wisconsin 16:16 | Hellmuth’s ‘Beat the Champ’ weekend in New Hampshire 19:07 | Highlight videos from Hellmuth’s ‘Beat the Champ’ 22:31 | Phil Hellmuth remembers Jack McClelland 25:36 | James Anderson wins MSPT JACK Cleveland 27:20 | Thomas Eychenne wins EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,217,175  31:36 | Jesse Yaginuma & James Carroll get sat by each other   35:00 | Grant Hinkle wins Oklahoma State Championship; First Winner in Six Years  35:53 | Nick Rigby wins RunGood Grand Prix Caesars Southern Indiana  36:20 | Mike’s Nick Rigby story 38:51 | Maurice Hawkins wins two rings at WSOP Circuit New Orleans 42:57 | PGT Venetian Classic features $1M Guaranteed Main Event

4 Sep 48min

In the 914th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna (AKA Vegas Hayls), who is fresh off finishing fourth in the 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship. The trio discusses the sudden rise of Monarch, who is Finnish poker pro Ossi Ketola. While at the Onyx Cup in Cyprus, he challenged both Norway's Kayhan Mokri and Dan "Jungleman" Cates to high-stakes heads-up matches, and when all was said and done, Monarch was down eight figures! From there, they talk about recent tournament winners, including Brandon Mitchell taking down the 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship for $525K, Jennifer Shahade winning the Women's Summer Festival, and both Jesse Lonis and Jeremy Ausmus winning over in Europe.  Other stories covered include the loss of Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland, a poker player robbed in Texas, Daniel Negreanu saying a Season 2 for Game of Gold is unlikely, and that goofball Nacho Barbero finishing another sponsorship opportunity. Finally, remember PokerNews is giving away a seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). You could have an approximate one in 500 chance at a $1,000,000 top prize. Click here to learn more about the WToS. 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 00:15 Hayley Hanna joins the show 02:12 Who is Monarch? 07:14 Seven-figure heads-up matches against Jungleman 11:25 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship 18:57 Hayley’s bustout hand in 4th place 20:10 Brandon Mitchell wins title for $525K 21:45 Negreanu’s AMA; no Game of Gold S2? 25:45 Nacho Barbero finds new sponsorship 27:25 Texas poker player robbed after big score 30:30 World Tournament of Slots giveaway 33:52 Hyundong Lee wins WPT Prime Taiwan Championship  34:23 PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade wins Women’s Summer Festival 35:25 Marcus Dieleman wins Onyx SHRS PLO Championship  35:41 Daniel Rezaei wins $51K Onyx SHRS Championship  36:00 Jesse Lonis topples Phil Ivey en route to $1,745,625 payday 38:05 Jeremy Ausmus banks €318,606 at 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona Festival 40:05 Remembering Jack McClelland

28 Aug 44min

In the 913th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway comes to you from the World Poker Tour (WPT) Cyprus Championship at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino. He caught up with the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi to find out what he's been up to since his big win, his future plans, and his upcoming trip to the Bahamas for the World Tournament of Slots (WToS).  Mizrachi is busy trying to win his seat in the exclusive event, which will only have 500 players compete for a $1,000,000 top prize. And we're also excited to reveal that PokerNews will be giving away a seat to one lucky winner! Click here to learn more about the WToS. Chad then tosses it back to Las Vegas, where Mike Holtz is joined by two-time WSOP bracelet winner Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin to discuss one online site's controversial feature that allows players to pay to see hole cards, Matt Savage's polarizing tweet about the danger of misusing official poker terms, and the passing of Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland. Chad then returns to discuss recent tournament winners, including Ilia Kitsbabahvili and Ludovic Geilich at the WPT Cyprus, as well as Shannon Shorr and Jake Cody at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO). Finally, Matt Savage gave Chad an exclusive by revealing one of the bounties at the upcoming WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star, and then Chad caught up with that player from the floor of the WPT Cyprus! 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 00:17 | Chad at WPT Cyprus 01:37 | Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland passes away 03:09 | Interview w/ Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi 04:04 | What’s life like after winning the WSOP Main Event? 04:47 | What was it like playing with Martin Kabrhel? 06:20 | What is the World Tournament of Slots (WTos)? 07:38 | Will Mama Grinder be in the Bahamas? 09:40 | Win a WToS seat via PokerNews for a shot at $1M 10:45 | Will You be at the WSOP Paradise? 11:58 | Last year’s winner talks WToS victory 13:00 | Mike Holtz & Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin join the show 13:58 | Online Controversy – Thoughts on paying to see hole cards 25:51 | Matt Savage “official poker terms” warning 30:25 | Mike plays 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship 39:42 | Matt Savage reveals a WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star bounty 40:48 | Catching up with Stephen Song about being a bounty 42:18 | Winners from the WPT Cyprus 44:10 | WPT’s interview with Ilia Kitsbabahvili 45:35 | Jake Cody wins 2025 SHRPO Championship 46:44 | Shannon Shorr wins SHRPO $25K High Roller

21 Aug 49min

In the 912th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway comes to you from the Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino, which is currently hosting the World Poker Tour (WPT) Cyprus Championship. It's there that he caught up with Will Kassouf for an exclusive interview to discuss his controversial run in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, why he acts the way he does, and where things currently stand between him and the WSOP. Chad also asks if he experienced any sort of mental health situation during the WSOP, or perhaps was influenced by any sort of substances, while also inquiring how Kassouf thinks he's perceived in the poker world. Spoiler Alert: he says he is the 'Donald Trump of poker.' Chad then sat down with WPT commentator Tony Dunst, who bagged Day 1a of the $3,500 WPT Cyprus Championship. The two Wisconsin boys talk about visiting Cyprus for the first time, sports, and what life is like nowadays for the debonair Dunst, who has now been with the WPT for 15 years! These are two interviews that 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 from Cyprus 01:04 | Sitting down with the controversial Will Kassouf 02:00 | Have you learned from the WSOP? 06:00 | Feeling singled out by players & staff 08:35 | Were you in your right mind? Was there a mental health episode? 11:24 | How do you think you’re perceived by the poker world? 13:45 | Do Americans not like table talk? 15:19 | Where do things stand with you and the WSOP? 18:20 | Did you tip? 23:05 | Addressing the tanking issue 28:40 | Playing the WSOP Circuit Bratislava  31:15 | Do you have upcoming playing plans? 33:00 | A Bay 101 Shooting Star? 36:00 | Kassouf’s thoughts on Martin Kabrhel 38:51 | WPT Cyprus at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino 39:27 | Kassouf’s big hand in the WPT Cyprus Championship 45:53 | Interview with the WPT’s Tony Dunst 49:31 | Dunst’s thoughts on Will Kassouf 51:18 | What were you doing back in Wisconsin? 54:20 | What’s life like for Tony Dunst? 58:45 | What remains on your poker bucket list? 1:01:15 | A look ahead to the WPT World Championship

15 Aug 1h 5min

In the 911th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by special guest cohost Ben Ludlow to talk about all the latest poker news, gossip, and stories from the poker world. That includes diving into the bracket of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, which was missing several big names like Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu. They offer their thoughts on some of the more interesting matchups as well as who they think might do well. They then take a look at the legal troubles of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, who was recently arrested and charged with illegal gambling, ClubWPT Gold acquiring Doug Polk's Upswing Poker, and the "beloved" Poker Palace closing in Las Vegas after more than 50 years in operation. In the recent tournament winners presented by WPT Global, Kartik took down the GOLIATH PokerNews Cup title, Paul Worsley turned £200 into £316,640 in the 2025 Goliath, Joseph Osterbauer won RPT Jackpot Junction, Andrew Moreno claimed the RGPS Thunder Valley title, and Antonio Vargas was victorious in the MSPT Colorado Poker State Championship. Finally, the crew shows some photos from Kyna England's recent adventure to the Cat Con in California. Speaking of Kyna, don't forget to check out her new show, MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews, which she is cohosting with Chad to talk all things Major Series of Poker: The Tour. The first episode is out now! 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![/game] Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:13 | Ben Ludlow joins as special co-host 03:30 | National Heads-Up Poker Championship 13:22 | Poker pros share their odds-on favorites 15:45 | Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas arrested for illegal gambling 21:10 | ClubWPT Gold acquires Doug Polk’s Upswing Poker 25:50 | Poker Palace in Las Vegas shuttering on Oct. 1 31:16 | Recent tournament winners presented by WPT Global 31:30 | Kartik takes GOLIATH PokerNews Cup title 34:20 | Paul Worsley turns £200 into £316,640 in 2025 Goliath 35:50 | Joseph Osterbauer takes down RPT Jackpot Junction 37:50 | Andrew Moreno wins RGPS at Thunder Valley 41:22 | Antonio Vargas victorious in MSPT Colorado Poker State Championship 42:10 | MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews is out now! 45:30 | Kyna’s Cat Con adventure in California 47:40 | Kyna becomes Brand Ambassador for Tilted Compass

7 Aug 51min

In the 910th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Kyna England, and Mike Holtz discuss the wild hand involving Corey Eyring and Randy "3Coin" Sadler from The Lodge Live Stream in which the former was put to the ultimate test on the river for his entire net worth! They then talk about Ian O'Hara making good and whether or not that should be celebrated, German streamer Jenzoou's extreme reaction to winning a $63k mystery bounty, and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi battling Martin Kabrhel on Venetian Poker Live. Plus, the return of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship and tournament wins by Sasha Sabbaghian in the $600 The Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship, King at the latest Celebrity Poker Tour, and Mike Estes in the 2026 MSPT Iowa Poker State Championship, a tournament in which Chad took third place for $69k.  The crew also reveals the winner in our Pokerriculum giveaway, and then announces a new giveaway for a Silver Pass to the upcoming PokerStars NAPT in Las Vegas. You'll also get a sneak peek at the latest Life Outside Poker Podcast featuring Abby Merk and see highlights from the 17th Annual Ante 4 Autism charity event.  Finally, Chad and Kyna announce a brand new project - The MSPT Podcast Presented by PokerNews. That's right, the dynamic duo will be cohosting a brand new show that'll debut next week right here on PokerNews. 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![/game] Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:20 | Corey Eyring plays big hand for entire net worth 08:20 | Ian O’Hara makes good but inspires debate 14:20 | German streamer Jenzoou goes wild 17:00 | Mizrachi vs. Kabrhel on Venetian Poker Live 19:11 | $128K pot largest of the night + big winners & losers 20:49 | PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic Sept. 11-16 21:17 | National Heads-Up Poker Championship returns 26:27 | Sasha Sabbaghian wins $600 The Hendon Mob Mid-Major Championship 27:49 | Influencer “King” latest Celebrity Poker Tour champ  31:14 | Chad took 3rd in Iowa for $69K 33:06 | Mike Estes wins MSPT Iowa Poker State Championship for $153,551 34:45 | Teresa the lucky dealer 35:20 | Debuting a new show – MSPT Podcast presented by PokerNews 38:08 | Preview of Life Outside Poker feat. Abby Merk 40:09 | Highlights from the Ante 4 Autism Charity Event 40:35 | Winner of Pokerriculum giveaway 42:20 | Silver Pass giveaway for the NAPT

31 Juli 45min