MSPT Awards $22M in 2022 and Preps for 2023
The Mid-States Poker Tour takes little downtime, for the holidays or any other reason. There is almost always an MSPT event or series happening around the United States.
It’s no surprise that the MSPT wrapped its 2022 season on December 30 and will start Season 14 on January 5. Players want their mid-stakes tournament action, and the MSPT will start bringing it again in 2023, beginning in Southern California and then heading to Colorado and Missouri.
Meanwhile, the tally for the 2022 season shows that MSPT awarded more than $22.3M across America. And MSPT Hall of Fame inductee Josh Reichard captured the MSPT Player of the Year title.
MSPT 2022 Totals
The Mid-States Poker Tour concluded its final tour stop of the season at the Venetian in Las Vegas on December 30. That made for 23 Main Event tournaments, not including the Hall of Fame event.
Open events surpassed all guarantees except one, which was the MSPT Venetian in September. All others exceeded their promised prize pools by quite a lot. From the 23 tournaments, there were some impressive totals for the year/season:
-Total entries: 21,765
-Total players paid: 2,322
-Total payouts: $22,326,370
The specifics of the tournaments, including prize pools and winners, are as follows:
| Jan 13-16 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Sycuan Casino (San Diego) |
| Total entries: | 460 | |
| Total prize pool: | $444,700.00 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 48 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,312.00 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Gianluca Pace (US – CA) $74,562 |
| Jan 27-30 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Bally’s Black Hawk (Colorado) |
| Total entries: | 683 | |
| Total prize pool: | $661,010 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 72 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,181 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Billyray Gallegos (US – CO) $104,890 |
| Feb 10-12 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Venetian Poker Bowl VI (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 1027 | |
| Total prize pool: | $991,055 | ($500K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 108 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,081 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Ron West (US – CA) $168,488 |
| Mar 17-20 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Riverside (Iowa) |
| Total entries: | 1094 | |
| Total prize pool: | $1,059,680 | ($500K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 117 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,013 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Dan Bekavac (US – IL) $193,391 |
| Apr 7-10 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Running Aces (Minnesota) |
| Total entries: | 920 | |
| Total prize pool: | $890,900 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 99 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,138 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Chan Pelton $169,271 |
| Apr 28 – May 1 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Sycuan Showdown (San Diego) |
| Total entries: | 473 | |
| Total prize pool: | $457,310 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 54 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,058 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Sebastin Kolman $80,170 |
| May 5-8 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Cleveland (JACK Casino) |
| Total entries: | 991 | |
| Total prize pool: | $959,770 | ($500K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 108 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,016 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | John Dennehey $155,933 |
| May 12-15 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Michigan (Firekeepers) |
| Total entries: | 2330 | |
| Total prize pool: | $2,258,600 | ($1M GTD) |
| Players paid: | 252 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,484 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Dan Bekavac $252,090 |
| May 20-22 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Deadwood (Silverado) |
| Total entries: | 506 | |
| Total prize pool: | $589,320 | ($100K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 54 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,202 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Gerald Cunniff $94,843 |
| June 6-10 | $1,600 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 1644 | |
| Total prize pool: | $2,342,700 | ($2M GTD) |
| Players paid: | 171 | |
| Minimum payout: | $3,280 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Shea Quintin (USA) $324,946 |
| June 12-16 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 2154 | |
| Total prize pool: | $2,078,610 | ($1.5M GTD) |
| Players paid: | 225 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,079 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Federico Roberto (Argentina) $294,327 |
| July 6-17 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Black Hawk (Colorado) |
| Total entries: | 585 | |
| Total prize pool: | $565,950 | ($400K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 63 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,150 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Eric Maier (USA) $106,858 |
| July 21-24 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Riverside (Iowa) |
| Total entries: | 979 | |
| Total prize pool: | $948,130 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 99 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,276 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Craig Trost (USA) $180,145 |
| August 19-21 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Grand Falls (South Dakota) |
| Total entries: | 503 | |
| Total prize pool: | $486,410 | ($200K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 54 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,189 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Beau Wilshire (USA) $104,579 |
| September 3-5 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 470 | |
| Total prize pool: | $500,000 | ($500K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 53 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,513 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Jeff Platt (USA) $100,804 |
| September 22-25 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Sycuan (San Diego) |
| Total entries: | 436 | |
| Total prize pool: | $421,420 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 45 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,318 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Kenneth Baime (USA) $82,512 |
| October 13-16 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Firekeepers (Michigan) |
| Total entries: | 2409 | |
| Total prize pool: | $2,335,230 | ($1M GTD) |
| Players paid: | 252 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,569 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Matthew Davis (USA) $344,446 |
| October 21-23 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Silverado (Deadwood) |
| Total entries: | 422 | |
| Total prize pool: | $407,840 | ($100K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 45 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,243 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Chris Burke (USA) $89,725 |
| October 27-30 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Riverside (Iowa) |
| Total entries: | 749 | |
| Total prize pool: | $725,030 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 81 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,030 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Lee Rzentkowski (USA) $145,006 |
| November 1-3 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 464 | |
| Total prize pool: | $447,760 | ($250K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 52 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,450 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Nghia Nguyen (USA) $90,215 |
| November 3-6 | $1,600 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 808 | |
| Total prize pool: | $1,151,400 | ($750K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 91 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,879 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Connor Stuewe (USA) $156,520 |
| December 8-11 | $1,110 buy-in | MSPT Running Aces (Minnesota) |
| Total entries: | 1015 | |
| Total prize pool: | $983,050 | ($500K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 108 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,064 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Blake Bohn (USA) $181,864 |
| December 28-30 | $1,100 buy-in | MSPT Venetian (Las Vegas) |
| Total entries: | 643 | |
| Total prize pool: | $620,495 | ($300K GTD) |
| Players paid: | 71 | |
| Minimum payout: | $2,048 | |
| Winner: | 1st place: | Jacob Perry (USA) $113,170 |
Reichard Makes HOF and POY
Several months ago, the MSPT inducted two new players into the MSPT Hall of Fame. To qualify, a player must show at least 25 Main Event cashes or 10 final tables on the MSPT, including one win, as well as an MSPT Player of the Year title.
Josh Reichard was one of those players, as he qualified with 26 cashes, including six final tables, and a total of $304,345 in MSPT earnings.
By the end of 2022, he had accumulated 30 Main Event cashes, including eight final tables, and accrued $371,636 in lifetime MSPT earnings. That put the Wisconsin player on top of the leaderboard for the season, and he took the 2022 Player of the Year title.
Congrats to Season 13 POY w/6,722 pts -> Josh Reichard!
During 2022, Reichard amassed 11 Main Event cashes (2nd most single season all-time) & 3 Final Tables, as well as becoming just the 10th ever to earn his way into the MSPT HOF!
Final Leaderboard: https://t.co/bbZGSgQdZo pic.twitter.com/pDIkCAFikb
— MSPT (@msptpoker) January 1, 2023
Season 14 to Start January 5
Just five days into the new year, the Mid-States Poker Tour will kick off Season 14.
There are 14 stops on the schedule through June, though the June events at Venetian have little information available. Many of the others in the lineup do have guarantees set. The January stops in California and Colorado also have full schedules available.
♠️: MSPT Showdown Series
🗓: January 5-15, 2023
📍: @SycuanCasino – San Diego, CA
💰: Over $575K+ in Guarantees
🏆: 16 Trophy Events
Details at https://t.co/tJuvIOMHfV pic.twitter.com/rfUXriUsGA
— MSPT (@msptpoker) December 30, 2022
MSPT Showdown Series @ballysbhpoker
🗓️: January 18-29, 2023
📍: Black Hawk, CO
🏆: 9 Trophy Events!
💰: $420K in Guarantees!
Details at https://t.co/tJuvIOMHfV pic.twitter.com/QCK6HGCF04
— MSPT (@msptpoker) December 27, 2022
For now, this is the list of MSPT stops as it stands:
| Season 14 Stops | Dates | MSPT Main Event |
| Sycuan San Diego (CA) | Jan 5-15 | Showdown Series ($570K GTD) |
| Bally’s Black Hawk (CO) | Jan 18-29 | Showdown Series ($420K GTD) |
| Hollywood Casino (MO) | Feb 2-5 | MO State Poker Championship ($300K GTD) |
| Venetian (NV) | Feb 7-9 | Poker Bowl VII ($250K GTD) |
| Venetian (NV) | Feb 9-11 | Poker Bowl VII ($500K GTD) |
| Jack Cleveland (OH) | Feb 16-19 | OH Poker State Championship ($500K GTD) |
| Grand Falls Casino (SD) | Mar 10-12 | Main Event ($200K GTD) |
| Riverside Casino (IA) | Mar 16-19 | Main Event ($300K GTD) |
| Running Aces (MI) | Mar 23-Apr 2 | Showdown Series |
| Sycuan San Diego (CA) | Apr 27-May 7 | Showdown Series |
| Firekeepers Casino (MI) | May 11-14 | Main Event ($1M GTD) |
| Silverado Casino (SD) | May 19-21 | Main Event ($100K GTD) |
| Venetian (NV) | June | Main Event |
| Venetian (NV) | June | Main Event |
