Alex Queen Takes the Crown at Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship Powered by BetMGM

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Alex Queen - Borgota Winter Poker Open Championship winner at a table with his trophy and winnings
Credit PokerOrg/MBerglund Photography
BetMGM Jan 31, 2024, 5:07 AM

Pennsylvania poker pro beats field of 689 to win career-high score of $613,063

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ โ€“ (January 30, 2024) โ€“ The Borgata Winter Poker Open powered by BetMGM featured nearly a month of 22 main events and $10,000,000 in GTDs. It culminated with the $5,300 Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship that began on January 21 and ended with Alex Queen winning the title and $613,063 on January 26. ย It increased Queenโ€™s total career earnings to more than $2.5 million.

Queen, who regularly plays at Borgata Poker Room and resides in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, bagged a career-high score by outlasting the field of 689 entrants. Six players reached the Final Table and nearly six hours later, Queen defeated John Panucci in heads up play.

It feels surreal. It hasnโ€™t hit me yet. It feels like a dream. I couldnโ€™t really sleep last night. I was focused on trying to play my best and leverage stacks once I won that big hand.

Alex Queen - Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship winner

Itโ€™s not Queenโ€™s first positive experience at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Three of his four largest live scores came at Borgata, including winning the 2010 Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship for his previous biggest win of $355,000. Also, in October 2022, Queen got married at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

Itโ€™s good vibes here. It has left a great impression on me

Alex Queen - Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship winner

With some of the winnings from his top prize from Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship, Queen plans to take his 10-year-old stepson to Universal Studios in Orlando.

Results and payouts of the Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship

Player Prize
Alex Queen $613,063
John Pannucci $429,863
Brian Yoon $277,123
Anthony Zinno $203,473
Carlos Chadha $155,387
Casey Hatmaker $125,875

Pannucciโ€™s second-place finish was more than 10 times his previous best live cash ($41,884). Yoon, who finished third, won his fifth bracelet in the 2023 WSOP $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship Event. Hatmaker qualified online at BetMGM Poker

The response from online players was enormous and saw Casey Hatmaker turn a $600 online qualifier to a career-best result. The Borgata Winter Poker Open powered by BetMGM proved to be another successful event that blended elements of online and land-based play. Congratulations to Alex Queen and a sincere thank you to all the players who joined us at the Borgata in January.

Luke Staudenmaier - Director of Poker, BetMGM

We are ecstatic about the turnout and filled with anticipation for the promising chapters ahead.

Kellie de Celis - Director of Poker Operations for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

As BetMGM continues to expand into new jurisdictions, responsible gaming education remains a key focus. BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly, including an industry leading program developed and licensed to MGM Resorts by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Through the GameSense integration within BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, customers can directly access responsible gaming tools.

To stay up-to-date on the latest BetMGM Poker news, follow BetMGM Poker on Instagram and @BetMGMPoker on X (formerly Twitter).

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Katie Kohler
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Our BetMGM editors and authors are casino experts with a wealth of knowledge of the online casino industry at all levels. Their coverage includes company news, game reviews, how-to instructional articles, strategy guides, and editorials showcasing BetMGMโ€™s superior product and game library.

Our BetMGM editors and authors are casino experts with a wealth of knowledge of the online casino industry at all levels. Their coverage includes company news, game reviews, how-to instructional articles, strategy guides, and editorials showcasing BetMGMโ€™s superior product and game library.