Blake Vodges Crowned Champion at Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship, Claims $457,980 in Heads-Up Deal

New Year Kicks Off in Grand Style

The Borgata Winter Poker Open has long been one of the largest winter events on the East Coast of the USA – a festival in Atlantic City that traditionally kicks off the season with big guarantees and strong participation. In the 2026 edition, running from January 2 to January 18, organizers lined up 37 events with a total guarantee of $8,000,000, featuring the $3,500 Championship with its $3,000,000 guarantee as the flagship event.

The Championship culminated in a final that will be remembered for its remarkable pace. The tournament, held from January 10 to January 15, attracted 895 entries, resulting in payouts for the top 119 players. Three intense days tested the players and formed an eight-handed final table promising thrilling poker. It included notable names, such as Olivier Busquet. Jack Kwon, who accessed the tournament through a $400 satellite, entered the final day as the chipleader.

A Game-Changing 45 Minutes

The most compelling storyline from the final came courtesy of Blake Vogdes. After Busquet exited the tournament in sixth place ($85,300), Vogdes was at the bottom of the chip counts. Then came a pivotal phase. A series of double-ups catapulted him from the bottom to the top in about 45 minutes, not just gaining chips but seizing control of the table.

You can relive this impressive performance along with the full live stream of the final table here:

After rapid eliminations brought the tournament to the heads-up stage, Vogdes and qualifier Kwon agreed to a deal. Originally, $511,975 was up for grabs for the winner, with $353,115 for the runner-up. However, the deal adjusted these figures - Kwon secured $407,110 as the runner-up, while Vogdes, the official champion of the event, claimed $457,980, along with the trophy and the prestigious title.

Final Table Results:

Sources – X, HendonMob, Poker.org