Paul Volpe Wins Borgata Big Big Championship for $492,415
Paul Volpe won the BetMGM Big, Big Championship at Borgata for $492,415, topping a 519-entry field after an ICM deal heads-up.
Paul Volpe won the Borgata Big Big Championship, the $5,300 buy-in event closing out the BetMGM Big, Big Series, for $492,415. He beat a 519-entry field and struck an ICM deal with runner-up Frank Lagodich heads-up. It is Volpe's biggest score at his home casino and his largest cash since 2018.
- Paul Volpe won $492,415 in the $5,300 Borgata Big Big Championship.
- The event drew 519 entries against a $3 million guarantee.
- Runner-up Frank Lagodich collected $420,000 after the heads-up ICM deal.
- Volpe's career earnings now sit near $10.8 million, per CardPlayer.
- Fourth-place finisher Brock Wilson passed $15 million in career earnings.
- 2017 WSOP main event champion Scott Blumstein finished sixth for $97,865.
What happened at the Borgata Big Big Championship?
Paul Volpe won the Borgata Big Big Championship, a $5,300 buy-in event that closed out the Big, Big Series at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. He took home $492,415 after striking an ICM deal with Frank Lagodich once the two reached heads-up play, according to PokerNews.
The tournament drew 519 entries, well above its $3 million guarantee, CardPlayer reports. That overlay meant extra value spread across the payouts for the field that showed up chasing the title. Play stretched across three days before Volpe closed it out after roughly 11 hours on the final day, per PokerNews.
The top 65 finishers shared in the guarantee. Notable names running deep included Jonathan Tamayo, Bin Weng, Michael Gagliano, Matt Glantz, Alan Sternberg, Matt Salsberg and Aubrey Williams, all of whom cashed before the final table formed, CardPlayer reports.
Why does this win matter for Paul Volpe?
Volpe called Borgata his home casino, telling PokerNews he has played the main events there for 15 or 16 years. The win became his biggest score at the property, even though he had already reached nine prior main-event final tables there over that stretch.
CardPlayer notes it was Volpe's third-largest live tournament result overall and his biggest cash since the summer of 2018. His career earnings now sit near $10.8 million, and the win pushed him into the top 200 of the 2026 Card Player Player of the Year race with 2,105 points.
Volpe also spoke about his approach to the game, telling PokerNews he considers himself stronger in mixed games than in no-limit hold'em, even though he still enjoys the hold'em events. He said luck matters more than skill in the short term, pointing to a stretch early in the final day when he was down to eight big blinds before rebuilding.
How did the final table play out?
Volpe started the final day in 11th place among 13 remaining players before climbing into second by the time the field reached nine-handed, according to PokerNews. A massive pot against Sead Duraku, where Volpe's flopped set of jacks beat Duraku's pocket aces, sent him into the chip lead for good and ended Duraku's run in ninth place for $53,865.
Along the way, Volpe eliminated Julian Altieri in eighth place when his ace-king beat Altieri's king-queen suited. He later outdrew Sanat Mehrotra, whose ace-king lost to Volpe's ace-ten after four hearts fell on the board, sending Mehrotra out in fifth place for $122,850.
Scott Blumstein, the 2017 WSOP main event champion, went out sixth for $97,865 after his pocket sevens lost a coin flip to Brock Wilson's ace-king. Wilson himself busted in fourth place for $175,080, a result that pushed his career earnings past $15 million, according to CardPlayer. Tyler Hirschfeld finished third for $263,150 after Volpe caught a turned straight on the river to end his run.
What did the final table payouts look like?
Lagodich's second-place payout of $420,000 marked the second-largest live score of his career, CardPlayer reports, just shy of a 2023 high-roller result at Seminole Hard Rock worth $505,200. His career earnings now stand at $4,315,442.
Volpe and Lagodich never played a hand heads-up, instead locking up an ICM deal once they reached the final two. Volpe said the two respected each other's games and were both tired after a long day, which factored into the decision to chop rather than play it out.
What it means for players
For players who grind live tournaments, this result is a reminder that overlay events like Borgata's $3 million guarantee can offer real value even in a stacked field of 519 entries. Volpe's comments about running short-stacked early before rebuilding show how big buy-in tournaments still swing hard on variance, and how ICM deals can protect a stack once two players are left. South Florida players heading north for series like this can check our WSOP 2026 preview and South Florida casinos guide for what's coming closer to home.
Frequently asked
How much did Paul Volpe win at Borgata?
Volpe won $492,415 for first place in the Borgata Big Big Championship. He reached that payout after an ICM deal with runner-up Frank Lagodich, according to PokerNews.
How many players entered the Big, Big Championship?
The $5,300 buy-in event drew 519 entries. That total exceeded the $3 million guarantee, CardPlayer reports.
Who else made the final table?
2017 WSOP main event champion Scott Blumstein and high-stakes player Brock Wilson both reached the final table. Blumstein finished sixth and Wilson finished fourth, passing $15 million in career earnings.
Did the finalists play it out heads-up?
No, Volpe and Lagodich struck an ICM deal once the field got down to two players. Volpe said both were tired and respected each other's games enough to lock up the money.