David Stefanski Wins Borgata Big, Big Baller After Becker’s Day 1 Lead Fades
The $10,200 event drew 69 entries and paid Stefanski $169,220 after a three-way ICM deal.
David Stefanski won the $10,200 BetMGM Poker Big, Big Baller at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. The tournament had a $500,000 guarantee and drew 69 entries for a $690,000 final prize pool. Stefanski collected $169,220 and his first title of the Borgata Big, Big Series.
The two-day no-limit hold’em event began Sept. 17 with 30,000-chip starting stacks, unlimited re-entry and registration open through the first hand of Day 2. PokerNews reported that 56 entries had been logged after Day 1, producing a provisional $560,000 prize pool. Thirteen players max-late registered at the start of Day 2.
Jeremy Becker had led the first-day survivors with 317,500 chips, more than 10 starting stacks and 105 big blinds. David Stefanski was second with 194,500, while Drew O’Connell bagged 184,500. Nicholas Verderamo, Brock Wilson and Daniel Monosson were also among those returning for Day 2.
There is a minor discrepancy in the Day 1 accounts. Bonus.com’s initial report said 12 players advanced from the 56-entry field, while the final event recap said 13 players bagged on Day 1 before being joined by the 13 max-late registrants.
Becker’s lead did not carry through the final day. He was eliminated first at the eight-handed stage when his ace-queen ran into Clemen Deng’s ace-king. Wilson then lost a flip to Stefanski, who later eliminated BetMGM ambassador Michael Gagliano in sixth place.
A three-handed ICM deal shaped the payouts near the end. O’Connell, who finished third, received $156,675, while runner-up Michael Wang earned $127,750. The three-way chop covered $149,260 of the prize pool, with a further $19,960 played for after the agreement.
Stefanski eliminated O’Connell and then Wang to take the trophy and the largest payout. He said he had entered Day 2 with roughly six and a half starting stacks and credited both the cards he received and the strength of the field for the result.
The win pushed Stefanski past $3 million in career live earnings and into the top 1,000 on The Hendon Mob’s all-time money list.
