The Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series kicked off on May 31 and wrapped on July 3. The festival featured 81 events offered over $3 million in guaranteed prize money, and when all was said and done 18,209 entrants had competed and $4,532,670 in prize money was awarded.
The Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series featured poker variants including Pot-Limit Omaha, Big O, Mixed Triple Draw Lowball, Limit 2-7 Lowball, H.O.R.S.E. and Triple Stud.
Only two players managed to capture a pair of titles each. First, Peiheng Chen topped a 60-entry field to win Event #6: $150 Daily NLH for $2,384 and followed it up by winning Event #18: $200 Daily NLH for $3,606. Later in the series, Lanny Pedersen took navigated a field of 123 runners to win Event #41: $200 NLH $25K Daily NLH for $4,827 and then emerged victorious in Event #49: $200 Limit Hold’em for $1,100.
Another highlight of the summer was the $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD PokerNews Cup, which attracted 1,245 entries and created a $1,207,650 prize pool. That was a record for the largest prize pool in Golden Nugget Las Vegas history. Gary Gelman wound up winning the tournament for $202,725.
Here’s a look at some other big storylines from the 2022 Grand Poker Series.
Spencer Champlin Wins $500K GTD Championship
Another big tournament to take place was the $600 buy-in Event #73: $500K GTD Championship, which attracted 1,310 entrants and offered up a $668,100 prize pool to the top 165 finishers.
Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Jessica Vierling (10th - $8,485), Patrick Truong (12th - $8,485), Lindsay Jones (18th - $5,305), Luke Vrabel (22nd - $3,580), Ira Friedman (38th - $2,230), Josh Prager (52nd - $1,965), Sarah Stefan (65th - $1,625), and Justin Lapka (67th - $1,625).
At the final table, it was poker pro Spencer Champlin defeating Quentin Scaglia in heads-up play to win the tournament for $111,715.
Event #73: $500K GTD Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spencer Champlin | $111,715 |
| 2 | Quentin Scaglia | $78,535 |
| 3 | Tim Burden | $50,870 |
| 4 | Robert Bukala | $37,675 |
| 5 | Rudy Cadenas | $28,460 |
| 6 | Aaron Thomas | $22,985 |
| 7 | Preston McEwen | $18,960 |
| 8 | Felipe Dealmeidaleme | $14,990 |
| 9 | Riley Stahley | $11,170 |
Jill Bowen Wins 2022 Grand Poker Series Ladies Event
In Event #64: $10K GTD Ladies NLH, 78 runners competed and saw an $11,700 prize pool reserved for the final table of ten players. Making an appearance at the final table were Nicole Lichlyter and Laurel Davis, though they exited in ninth and fourth place for $398 and $965 respectively.
After Gabrielle Tetreault bowed out in third place for $1,427, the title came down to Linda Dietz and Jill Bowen. In the end, Bowen emerged victorious in heads-up play to claim the title and $3,879 top prize.
Event #64: $10K GTD Ladies NLH Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jill Bowen | $3,978 |
| 2 | Linda Dietz | $2,282 |
| 3 | Gabrielle Tetreault | $1,427 |
| 4 | Laurel Davis | $965 |
| 5 | Rikka Beaust | $731 |
| 6 | Kara Fellowstripp | $585 |
| 7 | Dessiree Bennett | $515 |
| 8 | Theresa Stricklin | $468 |
| 9 | Nicole Lichlyter | $398 |
| 10 | Ginger Rossiter | $351 |
2022 Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series Results
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $250 Dealer's Choice | 60 | $11,700 | Dean Joe | $4,388 |
| Event #2: $150 Daily NLH | 32 | $14,300 | Joann Lilly | $2,756 |
| Event #3: $250 Big-O | 91 | $13,650 | Doug Rettich | $4,095 |
| Event #4: $125 Nightly NLH | 32 | $3,000 | Eric Ryan | $1,100 |
| Event #5: $250 HORSE | 126 | $24,570 | James Van Alstyne | $6,395 |
| Event #6: $150 Daily NLH | 60 | $10,000 | Peiheng Chen | $2,384 |
| Event #7: $200 PLO | 18 | $4,930 | Patrick Lacey | $2,000 |
| Event #8: $125 Nightly NLH | 28 | $3,000 | Daryl Oppelt | $1,100 |
| Event #9: $250 O/8B $10K GTD | 162 | $31,590 | Hicham Chami | $5,000 |
| Event #10: $200 NLH $250K GTD | 1,482 | $250,000 | Brandon Mulcrone | $38,600 |
| Event #11: $300 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | 142 | $34,080 | Derek Bugg | $7,783 |
| Event #12: $200 Daily NLH | 158 | $25,000 | Robbin Glover | $3,802 |
| Event #13: $125 Nightly NLH | 80 | $7,200 | Daniel Cruz | $1,926 |
| Event #14: $300 Mixed Omaha | 196 | $47,040 | Rand Saylor | $7,100 |
| Event #15: $200 Daily NLH | 148 | $25,000 | Douglas Hunichen | $4,678 |
| Event #16: $125 Nightly NLH | 96 | $8,640 | Joshua Clanton | $2,418 |
| Event #17: $200 Mixed Triple Draw | 128 | $30,720 | Kendall Fukomoto | $7,995 |
| Event #18: $200 Daily NLH | 212 | $31,800 | Peiheng Chen | $3,606 |
| Event #19: $200 Lowball Triple Draw | 85 | $12,750 | Aaron Lashlee | $3,760 |
| Event #20: $125 Nightly NLH | 85 | $7,650 | Jora Beit | $1,664 |
| Event #21: $200 Pot-Limit Omaha | 87 | $20,880 | James Meono | $3,868 |
| Event #22: $200 Daily NLH | 157 | $25,000 | Larry Serebryany | $6,000 |
| Event #23: $200 Night HORSE | 59 | $8,850 | Calen McNeil | $2,068 |
| Event #24: $125 Nightly NLH | 62 | $5,580 | Michael Boyle | $1,109 |
| Event #25: $300 NLH 6-Max | 73 | $17,520 | David Tomaszek | $4,382 |
| Event #26: $200 NLH $250K GTD Ultimate Re-Entry | 1,687 | $218,555 | Robert Adams | $29,556 |
| Event #27: $300 Stud 8 or Better | 79 | $18,960 | Sharad Mehta | $4,734 |
| Event #28: $200 Daily NLH | 202 | $30,300 | Thomas Nefcy | $3,818 |
| Event #29: Cheap and Deep | 238 | $21,420 | James Fairneny | $5,007 |
| Event #30: Bar Poker Open | 1,240 | $228,800 | Tom Nefcy | $37,115 |
| Event #31: Tag Team | 168 | $25,200 | Danielle Kass & Barbara Nutt | $4,850 |
| Event #32: $200 Daily NLH | 179 | $26,850 | William Fierro | $4,979 |
| Event #33: Green Chip Bounty | 223 | $14,495 | John Volpe | $2,176 |
| Event #34: $300 NLH $50K GTD | 202 | $50,000 | Hiren Dharani | $4,583 |
| Event #35: $125 Nightly | 141 | $12,690 | Dylan Cummings | $3,546 |
| Event #36: $300 NLH Black Chip Bounty | 109 | $16,350 | Domenic Armano | $4,400 |
| Event #37: $200 NLH $25K GTD | 155 | $25,000 | Jonathan Kornacki | $6,716 |
| Event #38: $125 Nightly | 126 | $11,340 | William Brissenden | $2,185 |
| Event #39: $300 NLH $250K GTD Mystery Bounty | 1,895 | $272,900 | Matthew Omeara | $38,682 |
| Event #40: $300 $10K Black Chip Bounty PLO | 71 | $10,650 | Brian Kincaid | $3,100 |
| Event #41: $200 NLH $25K Daily NLH | 123 | $25,000 | Lanny Pedersen | $4,827 |
| Event #42: $125 Nightly | 54 | $5,000 | Charlie Ng | $1,448 |
| Event #43: $300 $10K 8-Game Mix | 109 | $26,160 | Dustin Baxter | $5,146 |
| Event #44: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 167 | $25,050 | Vincent Barrateaud | $4,981 |
| Event #45: $200 Mixed PLO8, Omaha 8, Big-O | 66 | $9,900 | Christopher Nuthak | $3,130 |
| Event #46: $125 Nightly | 86 | $7,740 | Serena Malech | $1,649 |
| Event #47: $300 Big-O $20K GTD | 135 | $32,400 | Mark Steele | $5,005 |
| Event #48: $200 NLH Daily | 159 | $25,000 | James Rees | $5,176 |
| Event #49: $200 Limit Hold'em | 22 | $3,300 | Lanny Pedersen | $1,100 |
| Event #50: $125 Nightly | 90 | $8,100 | Jerry Meier | $1,646 |
| Event #51: NLH Mega Satellite | ||||
| Event #52: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 202 | $30,300 | Brian Andrews | $4,999 |
| Event $53: $125 Nightly | 93 | $8,370 | Yulei Duan | $2,655 |
| Event #54: $400 NLH $100K GTD Seniors 50+ | 534 | $176,220 | Michael Megison | $18,464 |
| Event #55: $1,100 PokerNews Cup $1M GTD | 1,245 | $1,207,650 | Gary Gelman | $202,725 |
| Event #56: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 181 | $27,150 | Kenneth Heximer | $4,360 |
| Event #57: $125 Nightly | 96 | $8,640 | Danny Duelas | $1,734 |
| Event #58: $200 NLH $50K Daily NLH | 210 | $69,300 | Lee Seunghwan | $15,366 |
| Event #59: $125 Nightly | 155 | $13,950 | Edward Ray | $1,679 |
| Event #60: $125 Nightly | 153 | $13,770 | Mario Aguilar | $3,050 |
| Event #61: $20K GTD Mixed PLO/NLH | 104 | $24,960 | Christopher Marshall | $5,829 |
| Event #62: $200 NLH $25K GTD Daily | 182 | $27,400 | Douglas Fullerton | $4,699 |
| Event #63: $125 Nightly | 109 | $9,810 | Theodore Corey | $1,877 |
| Event #64: $10K GTD Ladies Event | 78 | $11,700 | Jill Bowen | $3,978 |
| Event #65: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 206 | $30,900 | Jeffrey Trina | $5,087 |
| Event #66: $200 Omaha 8/B $5K GTD | 72 | $10,800 | Kevin Phillipson | $2,900 |
| Event #67: $125 Nightly | 82 | $7,380 | Jeffrey Korb | $2,381 |
| Event #68: $400 NLH $50K GTD Super Seniors (60+) | 215 | $70,950 | Walter Guynes | $14,000 |
| Event #69: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 168 | $25,200 | Brad Bargman | $3,968 |
| Event #70: $200 Triple Stud | 54 | $8,100 | Brandon Pastor | $1,328 |
| Event #71: $125 Nightly | 92 | $8,280 | Akilalijr Balt | $1,125 |
| Event #72: $600 NLH $50K GTD Seniors (50+) | 273 | $139,230 | Sandra Gibides | $17,200 |
| Event #73: $600 Championship NLH ($500K GTD) | 1,310 | $668,100 | Spencer Champlin | $111,715 |
| Event #74: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 169 | $25,350 | Tyler Nals | $5,537 |
| Event #75: $125 Nightly | 101 | $9,090 | Enching Wu | $2,773 |
| Event #76: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 137 | $25,000 | Dennis Bantugan | $4,999 |
| Event #77: $125 Nightly | 67 | $6,030 | Peter Jankowski | $802 |
| Event #78: $125 Nightly | 72 | $6,480 | Christopher Leonard | $1,232 |
| Event #79: $200 Super Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 34 | $5,100 | Michael Quinn | $1,713 |
| Event #80: $200 NLH $25K Daily | 179 | $26,850 | Anthony Carew | $5,809 |
| Event #81: $125 Nightly | 51 | $5,000 | Amelia Diaz | $1,475 |
