Potawatomi Casino

For the second time this season, MSPT returned to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to host the 2025 Wisconsin Poker State Championship, and the turnouts were one for the record books.

The 11-Gold Card Series was headlined by $1,110 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD 100 GRAND STACK Main Event, and it was one to remember as a total of 1,698 entries were tallied, besting the 1,697 field set in February, and the $1,645,560 generated prize pool went down in the history books as well.

After a long road to crown a new champion, it was Wisconsin native Greg Shuda who navigated his way through to the finish, earning himself a career payday of $232,955 and his first MSPT title!

“It feels great to be honest,” the Wisconsin native said after his victory, “I don’t really get to play much poker,” Shuda stated, “The last tournament I played in was this one in February, so to be able to come back and win this one is pretty special.”

While this was Shuda’s largest career score and the first on the tour, he has put together a pretty impressive resume on his short list of cashes as he finished eighth in a WSOP $25,000 PLO bracelet event back in 2022, and then followed that up with a second-place finish the following year in a $15,000 PLO PokerGO event as well.

MSPT 2025 Wisconsin Poker State Championship Final Table Results

Day 2 Action

The final day came back with each of the 189 players already in the money, so action kicked right into gear with Roland Johnson being the first body to drop, while MSPT Hall of Famer Josh Reichard, and two-time MSPT champ John Sun being part of the first batch of eliminations.

The first batch of eliminations sparked a fire in the field as MSPT Hall of Famer Gerald Cunniff (147^th Place - $2,251), 2025 Michigan Poker State Champ Corey Wick (143^rd Place - $2,251), two-time MSPT champ Angela Jordison (140^th Place - $2,251), and 2025 Colorado Poker State Champ Antonio Vargas (111^th Place - $2,251) all fell in quick succession making their way to the payout desk.

Players rapidly continued to make their way down to the Poker room to get paid as five-time MSPT champ Blake Bohn (104^th Place – $2,733), MSPT champ Jeff Copeland (91^st Place - $2,894), MSPT top casher DJ Buckley (81^st Place - $3,377), WSOP bracelet winner Keven Stammen (50^th Place - $3,573) and MSPT champ Matt Porter (50^th Place - $4,502) all made their way down to the payout cage taking a much earlier exit than anticipated.

The fast-paced action continued as back-to-back Player of the Year Umut Ozturk found himself on the wrong side of a cooler to take a 41^st place exit for $4,985, while two-time MSPT champ Jeremy Dresch (33^rd Place - $6,43), Dennis Stevermer (21^st Place - $12,381), WSOP bracelet winner Michael Wilklow (15^th Place - $17,687) and MSPT Hall of Famer Aaron Johnson (13^th Place - $17,687) all fell on the way to the final table.

Final Table Action

The stacked final table started off with a bang, with WSOP circuit ring king Maurice Hawkins losing a race to Minnesota’s Arlo Strozewski on the river, making him the first final table elimination.

Shortly after Hawkins' exit, short-stack Doug Timmer found a strong ace-queen to roll with, only to run into Loki Abboud’s pocket kings to take an eighth-place exit for $33,767.

Next on the chopping block was Frank Lagodich, who went into the final table second in chips, only to run into Andrew Loomis’ pair of aces to take a heartbreaking seventh-place exit for $43,414.

With six players remaining, Abboud got into a raising war against soon to be champ Shuda, holding a premium hand of jacks, and Shuda called, holding an inferior pair of tens.

Abboud was looking good to secure a double and catapult to the top of the chip counts until Shuda hit a one-outer to end his run in sixth place for $54,670.

Once Abboud hit the deck, the fast-paced action would continue with Kyle Gahan falling victim to Loomis’ pair of ladies to be sent home in fifth place for $72,357, with Strozewski following him to the payout desk after he lost a race to Mykel Robble’s lucky pair of sevens.

Three-handed action started with each holding similar stack sizes, which prompted a deal to be made between the remaining players to help speed up play, but the remaining players couldn’t agree on a deal, so action continued for three levels before Loomis hit the deck in third place for $125,419, setting the stage for the heads-up match.

The heads-up battle started with Robble holding a slight chip advantage over Shuda, so the two finally came to an agreement on an ICM to play for the title, and Robble started off hot only to lose the two most significant hands to take second place for a career best $202,000, while Shuda secured his first Main Event title, earning a career payday as well for $232,955.

This wraps up our coverage for this event, but Season 16 of the MSPT continues as we head to FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan, for the MAJOR Spade Poker Championship, October 7^th - 12^th, and our reporting team will be on hand providing updates, so make sure to come back!!

Mykle Robble raised all in, and Greg Shuda called off his 52,500,000 stack.

Greg Shuda:
Mykle Robble:

Shuda was behind holding two overs, with nothing changing after the flop hit the felt.

However, the dealer then peeled off the on the turn to give Shuda the lead, while the river secured his double-up to take the chip lead.

Greg Shuda - 105,800,000
Mykle Robble - 64,000,000

A few hands later, all the chips went into the middle again, this time with Robble at risk.

Mykle Robble:
Greg Shuda:

Robble rolled over a domianted hand, but was able to take the lead after the flop fell, which also gave Shuda the flush draw.

The dealer then kept things sweaty with the , giving Shuda more outs with a gutshot straight draw.

Robble just needed to dodge the river, but as fate would have it, the fell, completing Shuda’s flush to end his tournament in second place for $202,000.

Greg Shuda - 169,800,000
Mykle Robble - Eliminated

Mykle Robble ($202,000) and Greg Shuda ($190,000) agreed on a heads-up ICM deal, which will see them play for an extra $42,955 and the trophy, and decided to change the blind levels to 15 minutes to speed up play.

Andy Loomis moved his 5,200,000 stack into the middle from the button and was called by both Mykle Robble and Greg Shuda from the blinds.

Once the flop hit the felt, Robble check-called a 2,000,000 bet from Shuda, bringing the turn.

Action went check-check, and the completed the board on the river.

Robble then led out with a 14,000,000 bet, and Shuda instantly released his hand into the muck.

Loomis was quick to roll over for trip queens, but it was no good, as Robble rolled over , showing a rivered full house to send him packing.

Mykle Robble - 95,800,000
Greg Shuda - 74,000,000
Andy Loomis - Eliminated

Mykel Robble raised to 4,500,000 from the small blind, and Greg Shuda defended his big blind to see a flop.

Robble then led out with a 3,500,000 continuation bet, and Shuda called to see the pair the board on the turn.

This time, Robble check-called a 4,000 bet from Shuda, and the double-paired the board on the river.

Robble then checked his option once again, and Shuda instantly fired out a healthy 10,000,000 bet.

“Wow, you just bet so fast without even thinking,” Robble said out loud to Shuda before he tossed out a call.

“Good call,” Shuda said as he tabled for air, and Robble was happy to show to scoop the pot.

Mykel Robble - 80,000,000
Andy Loomis - 50,500,000
Greg Shuda - 32,000,000

After notching his first-ever Main Event cash back in 2014, DJ Buckley has become one of the most consistent players on the tour, earning himself a record 77 Main Event cashes with 14 of them coming from this season alone.

With eight stops remaining this season, Buckley will look to keep notching the cashes underneath his belt, as he will look to become the first player ever to earn 100 Main Event cashes and take his seat in the coveted MSPT Hall of Fame.

Season 16 Cashes

All-Time Main Event Cashes

Andy Loomis raised the button, only to have Arlo Strozewski three-bet jam for 18,400,000 from the small blind, and Mykel Robble go over the top from the big blind, giving Strozewski isolation.

Arlo Strozewski:
Mykel Robble:

Strozewski found himself in a race for his tournament life, but no paint came on the runout, ending his tournament.

Mykel Robble - 62,000,000
Arlo Strozewski - Eliminated

| In it, @Kyna_CooL & @chadaholloway come to you from The Venetian Poker Room Live Studio.

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Kyle Gahan was all in preflop from the button, and Andy Loomis looked him up from the big blind.

Kyle Gahan:
Andy Loomis:

Gahan was at risk, hoping to spike an ace, but the board that ran out wasn’t enough to get the job done, ending his tournament.

Andy Loomis - 59,000
Kyle Gahan - Eliminated