Umut Ozturk finished 21st this past weekend at Hollywood Casino Columbus to wrap up another sensational year for the MSPT Hall of Famer, earning MSPT Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, the 1st ever to win multiple POY titles!
This most recent Main Event cash was Ozturkās astonishing 19th of Season 15 (MSPT single season record), breaking his own record of 17 cashes in 2024. Only 4 times in MSPT history has a player cashed more than 12 times in a season, Ozturk has two of them (17,19). The other two being Rob Wazwaz (16 in 2023) and DJ Buckley (15 in 2023). In total, Ozturk has 46 career MSPT Main Event cashes which places him 6th all-time. Buckley is the all-time leader with 63 cashes.
In addition, Ozturk achieved 3 Top-10 finishes in 2024, almost securing his 2nd MSPT title when he finished runner-up at Sycuan Casino Resort in May. When the POY pressure was on down the stretch, Ozturk responded with two Top-8 finishes at Ameristar East Chicago in November and Hollywood Casino St. Louis in December. Ozturk, Josh Reichard and Chris Moon led all players in 2024 with 3 Top-10 finishes. Ozturk has 12 career Top-10 finishes, which is 5th all-time. Rob Wazwaz leads all with 20.
Ozturk finished Season 15 with 6,825 points, holding off one of the top players in the Country, MSPT Hall of Famer and 2022 Player of the Year Josh Reichard who tallied 5,425. Reichard cashed 12 times in Season 15 including a 6th place finish at FireKeepers Casino in October for $86,609 and a 5th place finish at Riverside Casino in March for $33,818. Reichard was a stud on the National scene in 2024 winning a WPT event as well in April for $839,300!
For earning Player of the Year, Umut receives a $10,400 WPT World Championship seat!
Congrats to Umut Ozturk for winning the 2024 Season 15 POY and for all his amazing accomplishments!