BATTLE CREEK, MI – FireKeepers Casino Hotel hosted poker players from across the country for the Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) Spade Poker Championship, held Oct. 13–18 in the property’s event center. The six-day series culminated in a $1,110 buy-in Main Event that attracted 2,442 entries and generated a $2,367,240 prize pool, surpassing the tournament’s $1 million guarantee by more than $1.36 million.
MSPT Hall of Famer and two-time Player of the Year Umut Ozturk captured his third MSPT title and the championship trophy. Ozturk and runner-up Greg Wiggins each earned $280,290 after agreeing to an even chop during heads-up play. The payout marked the largest career score for Ozturk, who also reached his 19th MSPT final table and recorded his 75th cash on the tour.
The Main Event featured three starting flights Oct. 15–17, followed by day two on Oct. 18. The final day began with 266 players remaining, all guaranteed a payout, before the field narrowed to the final table. Gian Bencivenga finished third for $164,811, followed by Dan Sepiol in fourth for $123,028 and Derek Gregory in fifth for $96,798.
“The MSPT Spade Poker Championship continues to demonstrate the strong demand for major tournament poker at FireKeepers,” said Steven Senk, Vice President of Gaming Operations at FireKeepers Casino Hotel. “Our poker team, especially our dealers, brings the professionalism and skill needed to deliver a first-class experience for players. We’re proud of the team behind these events and the level of poker action FireKeepers continues to offer.”…