Craig Mason Wins World Poker Tour Venetian Main Event

The 2026 World Poker Tour Venetian $5,000 no-limit maintain’em principal occasion drew 510 entries, however just one would stroll away as the newest participant inscribed on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. After three beginning flights and one other trio of combined-field classes, it was in the end Las Vegas event poker common Craig Mason who emerged victorious.

Mason earned $358,800 because the champion, the second-largest payday of his profession. This windfall trails solely the $1.2 million he secured with a runner-up end within the 2018 Caribbean Poker Party principal occasion. Mason is now approaching $4.1 million in lifetime cashes with this breakthrough win.

“It means everything,” Mason instructed WPT reporters when requested in regards to the significance of the victory. “I’m trying not to cry right now, but this is a dream.”

In addition to the cash and the {hardware}, Mason was additionally awarded 1,680 Card Player Player of the Year factors because the champion. With 2,547 complete factors throughout 5 final-table finishes in 2026, Mason now sits inside the highest 150 within the total POY standings introduced by CoinPoker.

This was the primary WPT principal occasion on US soil to make the most of slide dealing, after The Venetian Resort Las Vegas switched away from the extra widely-used pitch methodology earlier this fall.

The $2 million assure for this event was surpassed by $346,000 because of the wholesome turnout. The high 64 finishers made the cash, with notables like Jesse Lonis (twenty seventh), Joe McKeehen (twenty second), Shannon Shorr (twenty first), Phil Hellmuth Jr. (twentieth), Andrew Ostapchenko (18th), Sam Soverel (seventeenth), Cherish Andrews (thirteenth), and Keith Lehr (tenth) operating deep.

Yunis And Pupillo Among Early Eliminations At The Final Table

The ultimate day started with six remaining and bracelet winner Nick Pupillo within the lead. Mason was the second-shortest stack to start out.

The first knockout of the day pitted the A♣Ok♦ of brief stack Anthony Piacquadio towards the J♥J♦ of Mason for a traditional preflop race. The flop got here down Ok♦Ok♣J♠, giving Mason jacks full whereas Piacquadio had outs to the next full home together with his journeys. The 8♣ flip saved Mason’s hand finest, leaving Piacquadio in want of an ace, king, or eight on the tip. The 6♦ rolled off as a substitute, ending Piacquadio’s run in sixth place ($88,000).

Stacks had been pretty even heading into five-handed motion. That may need led to the prolonged stalemate of three hours earlier than the following elimination came about. With the blinds at 100,000-200,000 and a giant blind ante of 200,000, Mason raised to 400,000 with Ok♥Ok♦ on the button. WPT champion Nick Yunis then three-bet to 2,100,000 from the small blind with J♦10♦, committing nearly all of his stack. Mason four-bet shoved and Yunis, who was the brief stack, known as all-in. The board ran out Q♦9♣5♠Q♥J♠ and Mason’s overpair held to get rid of Yunis in fifth place ($117,000). This rating elevated his profession haul to almost $2.7 million.

Mason scored one other bustout when his 10♠8♠ got here from behind towards Ok♦4♦ for Pupillo in a battle of the blinds. Facing an open-shove from Mason out of the small blind, Pupillo known as all-in from the massive blind.. Mason took the lead on a A♠Q♥8♥ flop and held from there to ship Pupillo packing in fourth place ($155,000). Pupillo’s lifetime earnings now sit above $7.5 million after this newest deep run.

Final Three Strike A Deal

The ultimate three performed on for some time earlier than coming to an settlement to rebalance the remaining payouts. The winner was initially to earn $446,800, with $280,000 for second and $209,000 for third. After the deal, the brand new numbers had been as follows:

1st: $358,800
2nd: $301,000
third: $276,000

The first-place prize nonetheless included a $10,400 seat into the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

Bracelet winner Daniyal Gheba appeared to be operating away with the lead after the deal was made, however Mason quickly doubled with A♦Q♦ towards Ok♦6♦ for Gheba to surge to the highest of the chip counts. Both gamers made a flush by the river.

Gheba completed in third when his J♥8♠ ran right into a dominating Q♦8♦ for Mason, who flopped queens and eights and held from there to ship Gheba dwelling in third place ($276,000). Gheba has been on fireplace in current months. He’s cashed ten occasions since Aug. 11, making eight ultimate tables and accumulating over $1,042,000 alongside the best way. This newest efficiency was sufficient to catapult Gheba inside the highest 30 within the POY standings for 2026.

Mason Closes Out The Win

That left Mason holding roughly a 3:2 chip lead over Matt Affleck. The early motion favored Affleck, however Mason was in a position the sting again in entrance in time for the ultimate hand of the event. Mason limped in with J♦9♦ on the button and Affleck raised to three,500,000 holding A♠Q♣ within the large blind. Mason known as and the flop got here down 9♠6♦3♥. Affleck shoved for 8,500,000 and Mason shortly known as with high pair. The 8♦ flip diminished Affleck’s probabilities even additional, as a few of his former outs would now give Mason a flush.

The 4♥ river formally introduced the event to an in depth, with Mason because the champion and Affleck the runner-up. The 2010 World Series of Poker principal occasion Fifteenth-place finisher secured $301,000 for his efforts, the second-largest rating of his profession. He now boasts lifetime earnings of almost $4.7 million.

Craig Mason entered the $5,000 @WPT @VenetianVegas Fall Championship Final Table fifth in chips, and emerged eight hours later the most recent WPT Champion 🏆

Hear Mason’s ideas on what it took to win all of it 👇 https://t.co/n2IOGNK1JK

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) November 11, 2026

Final Table Results

Photo credit score: WPT.