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Pupillo Claims Two Titles at 2024 Borgata Poker Open; Donovan Dean Wins Main Event


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The 2024 Borgata Poker Open (BPO) ran from September 3-17 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 30-event series started with Event #1: $800 NLH Kickoff Deepstack, which saw Guan Huang top a 1,727-entry field ($1,208,900 prize pool) to capture a $192,236.

Another six-figure winner was Joseph Molitor, who bested a 2,837-entry field ($1,191,540 prize pool) to win Event #17: $500 Almighty Million for $103,140. Some others to claim titles were Mykhailo Lendel (Event #8: $1,250 Mirror Mystery Bounty for $60,057), Frank Brannan (Event #18: $1,140 PLO 8-Max Championship for $37,574), and Michael Lavin (Event #22: $1,140 6-Max Deep Stack Championship for $64,365).

Here’s a look at some of the other big winners from the 2024 BPO:

Donovan Dean Takes Down Main Event

Donovan Dean

Event #25: $3,500 Borgata Poker Open Main Event featured a $1.5 million guarantee, which it surpassed by attracting a field of 755 runners. That created a $2,340,500 prize pool and saw Alabama’s Donovan Dean come out on top to claim the replica Borgata trophy and $408,836 first-place prize, a new career-high score.

The win, which brought Dean’s lifetime tournament earnings up over $2.1 million according to the Hendon Mob, came a month after Dean took down the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event for $326,206.

Others to cash the tournament were Adel Jo (9th – $35,331), Samuel Taylor (11th – $27,369), Michael Rossitto (12th – $22,133), Jason Min (13th – $22,133), Kane Kalas (14th – $22,133), and Joe Gossweiler (15th – $22,133).

2024 BPO Main Event Results

Place Player Prize
1 Donovan Dean $410,452
2 Luis Ortiz $283,446
3 Kharlin Sued $195,599
4 Josh Kay $128,699
5 Ryan Dodd $89,002
6 Andrew Ostepchenko $69,330
7 Frank Funaro $54,992

Two Titles for Nick Pupillo

Nick Pupillo

One player to find success at the 2024 BPO not once but twice was poker pro Nick Pupillo. He first topped a 58-entry field to win Event #20: $500 Dealer’s Choice Championship for $8,977, and then followed it up by besting a 78-entry field to win Event #28: $2,140 $1K Knockout Bounty for $23,294.

Event #20 Final Table Results

Place Player Prize
1 Nick Pupillo $8,977
2 Dominick Sarle $5,275
3 Allen Kessler $3,305
4 John D’Agostino $2,245
5 Young Ko $1,746
6 Kevin Xu $1,372
7 Christopher Leslie Hynan $1,122
8 Amnon Filippi $898

Alex Queen Tops Flagship Event of Borgata Winter Poker Open Series

2024 Borgata Poker Open Winners

Alex Queen

One of the last tournaments on the schedule was the $10,000 High Roller Experience, which attracted 20 entrants and awarded a $200,000 prize pool. The tournament ended in a heads-up deal that saw five-time bracelet winner Brian Yoon lock up $70,200 and Alex Queen $79,800 while leaving $10,000 and the trophy on the table.

It didn’t take long for Queen to close things out to claim the title and $89,800 in prize money! It was the second big win of the year for Queen, who back in January won the 2024 Borgata Winter Poker Open $5,300 Championship Event for $613,063. Coincidentally, Yoon was at that final table and finished in third place for $277,123.

Tournament Entries Prize Pool Winner Prize
Event #1: $800 NLH Kickoff Deepstack 1,727 $1,208,900 Guan Huang $192,236
Event #2: $500 Omaha Hi-Lo 114 $49,590 Mathew Ferrante $7,809
Event #3: $380 Heads-Up NLH 59 $18,585 Anthony Pagan $7,434
Event #4: $500 H.O.S.E. 97 $41,280 Philip Neiman $8,632
Event #5: $400 NLH Black Chip Bounty 99 $24,750 Michael Wright $4,372
Event #6: $500 Limit Big O Championship 102 $44,370 Jared Fenigstein $13,918
Event #7: $365 Seniors NLH 403 $120,900 Darrell Blodgett $13,931
Event #8: $1,250 Mirror Mystery Bounty 619 $340,450 Mykhailo Lendel $60,057
Event #9: $500 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw Championship 89 $38,715 Samuel Sternfield $11,007
Event #10: $400 Deep Deeper Deepest NLH 212 $71,020 Michael Surick $10,908
Event #11: $300 Ladies Championship 125 $31,250 Rae McClary $7,794
Event #12: $500 8-Max PLO Mix 129 $55,470 Samuel Sternfield $13,834
Event #13: $500 Double Black Chip Bounty 206 $51,500 Lawrence Petracco $6,872
Event #14: $400 Sunday Series 179 $59,965 John McGuinness $14,091
Event #15: $500 H.E.R.O.S. 93 $39,990 Wilson Igwe $10,822
Event #16: $500 Deepest 117 $50,895 Jose Wong $10,986
Event #17: $500 Almighty Million 2,837 $1,191,540 Joseph Molitor $103,140
Event #18: $1,140 PLO 8-Max Championship 168 $167,160 Frank Brannan $37,574
Event #19: $1,730 Heads-Up Championship 50 $78,250 Edward Leonard $31,298
Event #20: $500 Dealer’s Choice Championship 58 $24,940 Nick Pupillo $8,977
Event #21: $500 8-Game Mix Championship 81 $34,830 Allyn Marshall $11,230
Event #22: $1,140 6-Max Deep Stack Championship 331 $331,000 Michael Lavin $64,365
Event #23: $220 King of Poker 200 $20,000 Jonathan Kim $6,000
Event #24: $235 CSOP 36 $3,600 Matthew Higgins $1,476
Event #25: $3,500 Borgata Poker Open Main Event 755 $2,340,500 Donovan Dean $408,836
Event #26: $580 “Deepest” NLH 229 $114,500 Damian Brewster $18,690
Event #27: $580 $5K Bankroll Builder 130 $65,000 13 winners $5,000
Event #28: $2,140 $1K Knockout Bounty 78 $78,000 Nick Pupillo $23,294
Event #29: $10,700 High Roller Experience 20 $200,000 Alex Queen $89,800
Event #30: $1,070 Borgata Big Chip Bounty TBD TBD TBD TBD

*Images courtesy of 8131 Media/Borgata/Alicia Skillman/Matthew Berglund


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Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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