2025 Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 1
$400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  4,265
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450
March 19-24, 2025

On Monday afternoon, after six days of play, Event #1 of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown came to an end in a six-way deal, with Michael Newman winning his 12th Seminole Hard Rock trophy, tying him for second on the career all-time list.

“I’m speechless,” said Newman. “I just love playing, and I’m so happy I was able to win.”

“I came in today second-to-last in chips,” Newman continued. “I only slept two hours, because we finished really late last night. It was a big field, the final table had some really good players, and I was just fortunate to come out on top.”

Newman was 21st in chips with 24 players remaining last night, 16th in chips with 17 remaining to start today, and sixth in chips when the nine-handed final table began.

“I always say to myself, ‘How many blinds do I have?'” said Newman. “I was just patient. I waited, and waited, and waited, and I picked my spots to make a move. I got caught bluffing one time, which is fine. It happens. Overall, I was really happy with how I played. And I’m extremely grateful that I was able to win another tournament.”

Newman picked his spots well to stay alive and maneuver his way to the final table. With eight players left he doubled thru Sean Astwood, getting it all in on the turn with a set of fours against Astwood’s pair of kings. Astwood was drawing dead on the river, and Newman doubled up. Astwood was down to three big blinds, and he was eliminated on the next hand.

They were stuck at seven players for the next hour, until Sean Phillippi raised under the gun, Miguel Martinez-Martinez called from UTG+1, and Newman called from the big blind with . The flop came , Phillippi bet, and Martinez-Martinez and Newman both called.

“I called, just to see if I got the club,” said Newman. “Club on the turn, and I jammed. Then the guy with the pocket tens called, and I won a massive pot.”

Newman turned his flush and moved all in. Phillippi folded, saying he had pocket aces (but not the ace of clubs), and Martinez-Martinez thought for a while before he called with . Once again, Newman had his opponent drawing dead on the turn, and Newman doubled up again.

Newman’s momentum continued, and when Bryce McVay was eliminated in seventh place, the final six players agreed to a deal with Newman receiving the most money and being declared the winner. As mentioned earlier, it’s the 12th trophy for Newman from Seminole Hard Rock.

Here are Newman’s 12 SHRP major series victories:

1.  2016 SHRPO:  $570 No-Limit Hold’em  –  $17,589
2.  2016 RRPO:  $360 Pot-Limit Omaha  –  $7,740
3.  2017 LHPO:  $570 Six-Max Pot-Limit Omaha  –  $7,473
4.  2017 RRPO:  $3,500 RRPO Championship  –  $374,240
5.  2019 LHPO:  $360 Ultimate Re-Entry  –  $183,525
6.  2021 SHRPO:  $400 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em  –  $7,573
7.  2022 RRPO:  $400 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em  –  $7,136
8.  2022 RRPO:  $300 Black Chip Bounty  –  $6,437
9.  2023 Showdown: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha  –  $25,178
10.  2024 LHPO:  $200 Multi-Flight No-Limit Hold’em  –  $28,155
11.  2024 Showdown:  $1,100 Turbo Purple Chip Bounty  –  $16,200
12.  2025 Showdown:  $400 Deep Stack No Limit Hold’em  –  $103,274

With 12 titles here at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Newman is a fixture here for the big tournament series. And Newman loves playing here.

“Sometimes I can be a little bit not-so-nice at the table because I’m so competitive,” said Newman. “The pit bosses and Jason [Heidenthal] and everybody are always very nice to me. And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the hospitality from the Hard Rock.”

RESULTS:

* Indicates the results of a six-way deal.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 35:  200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 4,265

A few minutes after the elimination of Bryce McVay in seventh place, the final six players came to an agreement to stop play and split the remaining prizepool.

Here are the final results for the final six players, along with their modified payouts:

1st:  Michael Newman  –  $103,274* + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  Sean Phillippi  –  $101,019*
3rd:  Sergio Giha  –  $100,865*
4th:  Tom Gottlieb  –  $86,425*
5th:  Matt Yorra  –  $78,637*
6th:  Miguel Martinez-Martinez  –  $63,610*

Michael Newman is declared the winner, receiving the title, the trophy (his 12th!), and the most money with $103,274.

Stay tuned for a recap from this event, which will be posted later tonight.

* Indicates the results of a six-way deal.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 34:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 4,265

Bryce McVay moved all in from the small blind for 5,250,000, and Matt Yorra waited for an exact count before calling from the big blind with a similar stack and turning over .

McVay turned over , and it was a race situation between similar chip stacks.

The board came , and Yorra paired his king on the flop to win the pot. Their chip stacks were counted down, and with 5,275,000, Yorra had McVay covered by a single chip. McVay was eliminated in seventh place.

Matt Yorra  –  10,825,000  (36 bb)
Bryce McVay  –  Eliminated in 7th Place  ($29,000)

With six players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 14,225,000 (47 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $37,500 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 34:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

Sean Phillippi raised under the gun to 625,000, Miguel Martinez-Martinez called UTG+1, and Michael Newman called from the big blind.

The flop came , Newman checked, and Phillippi bet 1,200,000. Martinez-Martinez and Newman both called.

The turn card was the , and Newman moved all in for 3,300,000. Phillippi folded, and Martinez-Martinez thought for a while before he called with . Newman turned over for a nine-high flush, and Martinez-Martinez was drawing dead. (Phillippi said he folded pocket aces, but didn’t have the ace of clubs.)

The meaningles river card was the , and Newman won the pot with his club flush to double up in chips.

Michael Newman  –  12,525,000  (42 bb)
Sean Phillippi  –  9,875,000  (33 bb)
Miguel Martinez-Martinez  –  8,725,000  (29 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (41 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $29,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 34:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

Bryce McVay moved all in from the small blind for 3,925,000, and Matt Yorra thought for a bit before he called from the big blind with .

McVay turned over , and needed it to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and the pocket threes held up for McVay to win the pot and double up in chips.

Bryce McVay  –  8,150,000  (27 bb)
Matt Yorra  –  14,000,000  (47 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (41 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $29,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 34:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

The final seven players return from break to begin Level 34, with increased blinds of 150,000-300,000 and a 300,000 ante. Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Seat 1.  Sean Phillippi  –  8,850,000  (30 bb)
Seat 2.  Miguel Martinez-Martinez  –  14,625,000  (49 bb)
Seat 3.  Bryce McVay  –  3,175,000  (11 bb)
Seat 4.  Matt Yorra  –  19,550,000  (65 bb)
Seat 5.  Sergio Giha  –  17,775,000  (59 bb)
Seat 6.  Tom Gottlieb  –  14,975,000  (50 bb)
Seat 7.  Michael Newman  –  6,325,000  (21 bb)

And here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $174,830 + Showdown Trophy
2nd:  $120,000
3rd:  $87,000
4th:  $65,000
5th:  $49,500
6th:  $37,500
7th:  $29,000

8th:  Sean Astwood  –  $22,500
9th:  Alex Ivan  –  $17,700

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (41 big blinds).

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

Michael Newman raised UTG+1, and Sergio Giha called from the big blind.

The flop came , Giha checked, Newman bet 425,000, and Giha called.

The turn card was the , Giha checked, Newman bet 800,000, and Giha called.

The river card was the , Giha checked, Newman bet 1,300,000, and Giha called. Newman showed for a king-high bluff, and Giha turned over to win the pot with two pair, aces and tens.

Sergio Giha  –  17,500,000  (70 bb)
Michael Newman  –  5,200,000  (21 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (49 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $29,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

Miguel Martinez-Martinez raised from the button to 650,000, and Matt Yorra called from the big blind.

The flop came , Yorra checked, Martinez-Martinez bet 600,000, and Yorra called.

The turn card was the , and both players checked.

The river card was the , Yorra bet 1,400,000, and Martinez-Martinez called with . But Yorra turned over to win the pot with two pair, aces and eights.

Matt Yorra  –  21,250,000  (85 bb)
Miguel Martinez-Martinez  –  13,800,000  (55 bb)

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (49 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $29,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  7 of 4,265

Sergio Giha raised under the gun to 500,000, and Sean Astwood moved all in from middle position for 625,000. Michael Newman called from the hijack, and Giha also called. Any further betting would create a side pot.

The flop came , Giha bet 500,000, and Newman called.

The turn card was the , Giha bet 500,000, and Newman folded face up.

Astwood turned over for a pair of nines, but he was drawing dead against Giha’s — a king-high flush.

The meaningless river card was the , and Giha won the pot with his higher flush to eliminate Astwood in eighth place.

Sergio Giha  –  15,200,000  (61 bb)
Michael Newman  –  8,900,000  (36 bb)
Sean Astwood  –  Eliminated in 8th Place  ($22,500)

With seven players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 12,175,000 (49 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $29,000 each.

$400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool:  $1,407,450  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 33:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  8 of 4,265

Sean Astwood raised from the hijack to 550,000, and Michael Newman called from the cutoff.

The flop came , Astwood bet 700,000, and Newman called.

The turn card was the , Astwood moved all in for 4,075,000, and Newman snap-called all in for 3,450,000 with for a set of fours with a four-high flush draw. Astwood turned over for a pair of kings, and he was drawing dead.

The meaningless river card was the , and Newman won the pot with his set of fours to double up in chips.

Michael Newman  –  10,025,000  (40 bb)
Sean Astwood  –  625,000  (3 bb)

With eight players remaining from a field of 4,265, the average chip stack is around 10,675,000 (43 big blinds). The remaining players are guaranteed at least $22,500 each.