Long Denies Ozturk Third Straight POY Title as MSPT Season 16 Comes to Close; Vang Makes History

One of many tightest Participant of the Yr races within the historical past of poker got here to an finish Sunday evening. It occurred on the Main Sequence of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) when Jake Lengthy denied Umut Ozturk an unprecedented third MSPT POY title because the yearlong back-and-forth race actually got here right down to the ultimate aspect occasion.

Lengthy earned $314,604 on Season 16 of the MSPT, which included a tour-high eight aspect occasion victories, good for eight MSPT Gold Playing cards. Two of these got here on the ultimate cease, which proved invaluable in serving to him safe POY.

He additionally ultimate tabled two MSPT Major Occasions, ending runner-up to Mike Estes within the 2025 MSPT Iowa Poker State Championship for $94,499 and fewer than a month later taking fourth within the MSPT Hollywood St. Louis for $43,989.

Now, Lengthy has etched his identify in MSPT historical past and earned a $10,000 Major Occasion seat as a prize.

Coming into the ultimate day of MSPT Season 16, Lengthy led with 10,382 factors however didn’t make Day 2 of MSPT Operating Aces Mini Major, whereas Ozturk had 10,147 factors and did make Day 2 within the cash. With a distinction of 235 factors and 114 gamers returning to motion, Ozturk wanted to complete in fifteenth place or larger to take the lead.

Sadly for him, his run got here to an unceremonious finish in 84th place for $810 and 33 POY factors. Nevertheless, there have been two aspect occasions on Sunday, which gave each gamers their final alternatives to amass factors. Each busted the 4 p.m. occasion, however went comparatively deep in Occasion #17: $300 Progressive Bounty NLH.

Lengthy busted in twenty first place for 13 factors, whereas Ozturk was nonetheless in and wanted to complete in no less than third place to win POY. Sadly for him, that didn’t occur as his run led to ninth place. Similar to that, the yearlong race was over, and the ever-gracious Ozturk congratulated Lengthy on profitable MSPT Season 16 Participant of the Yr!

It wasn’t all unhealthy for Ozturk, who crushed the MSPT Icon of the Yr race with 10,255 factors, effectively forward of runner-up Josh Reichard with 8,696 factors and practically double that of DJ Buckley, who completed third with 5,400 factors. Ozturk obtained a $10,000 Major Occasion seat for profitable the title of 2025 MSPT Icon of the Yr.

MSPT Season 16 Remaining Participant of the Yr Standings

Reichard Claims Two Aspect Occasion Titles

Lengthy wasn’t the one participant to assert two aspect occasion titles on the 2025 MSPT Winter Poker Basic. His good buddy and former MSPT Participant of the Yr, Josh Reichard, who completed third in Season 16 POY factors, gained Occasion #11: $300 Combined PLO/NLH Monster Stack for $8,232 after which took down Occasion #16: $250 Monster Stack NLH for $5,760.

Reichard, who gained POY in 2022, is now tied for second with Michael Starek for many MSPT Gold Playing cards with 4.

Different aspect occasions winners from the MSPT Operating Aces included Heidi Roggenkamp, Leo Fussy, and David Soderstrom.

Bjornstad Takes Down Mini Major

The final large event of the MSPT Season 16 was the $400 Mini Major Occasion, which attracted 1,025 entries over 4 beginning flights. On Sunday, 114 gamers returned for Day 2, together with DJ Buckley (thirty seventh – $1,148), Josh Reichard (twenty third – $2,296), Hunter Quinlivan (thirteenth – $4,051), and Gene Boyer (seventh – $9,791).

In the long run, it was Iowa’s Tom Bjornstad laying declare to the title and $58,000 prime prize, whereas each Jason Coyle and Tom Stambaugh every locked up $35,821 for ending in second and third place respectively.

MSPT Operating Aces Mini Major Remaining Desk Outcomes

*Denotes three-handed deal.

Jeff Copeland MSPT Season 16 Senior of the Yr

The Senior (50+) Participant of the Yr race started June 1, 2025, and awarded factors in each MSPT Senior Occasion. Jeff Copeland out of St. Louis fared the most effective in mentioned occasions, amassing 600 factors, which was sufficient to provide him the title of MSPT Season 16 Senior of the Yr and a $5,000 prize.

MSPT Season 16 Senior of the Yr Remaining Outcomes

Kou Vang Turns into MSPT’s All-Time Cash Chief

For years, Wealthy Alsup was the one participant in historical past to have over 1,000,000 {dollars} in MSPT winnings. That modified on the MSPT Season 16 finale when MSPT Corridor of Famer Kou Vang completed runner-up within the MSPT Operating Aces Major Occasion for $114,000.

Though Vang fell in need of his fourth MSPT title, the rating moved him forward of Alsup with $1,015,242 in lifetime MSPT earnings. Not solely did he take excessive spot by a slim margin, however Vang additionally turned simply the second participant to ever cross the seven-figure mark in MSPT earnings.

MSPT Participant of the Yr Winners

*Pictures courtesy of MSPT & Tyler Abrams.

PR & Media Supervisor for PokerNews, host of each the PokerNews Podcast & MPST Podcast Introduced By PokerNews, and 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.