The 2026 World Poker Tour Venetian Las Vegas Spring Championship $5,000 no-limit hold’em event drew 488 entries, surpassing the $2 million guarantee by nearly $245,000 in the process. After three starting flights and another three days of combined-field action, Nicholas Seward emerged victorious with the title and the top prize of $418,700.
This was the first WPT title for Seward, who has already accumulated more than $3.9 million in career tournament earnings at the age of 25. This victory was the second-largest payday for the young professional player from Washington D.C., trailing only the $516,135 he earned as the 2024 World Series of Poker $3,000 six-max event champion.
While Seward was the one who ultimately hoisted the trophy, his triumph was far from a foregone conclusion. Eventual runner-up Greg Brown came into the final day as the chip leader and remained in front going into heads-up. Seward was able to overcome a 3:1 chip disparity in the final showdown, though, bouncing back to secure the hardware and add his name to the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.
“Everything that could have gone right went right,” Seward said when asked about the heads-up battle. “I’m very fortunate, I ran very hot, and I was happy with my decisions overall. It was an amazing final table.”
Seward also secured 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win, enough to catapult him into fifth place in the 2026 POY race standings presented by CoinPoker. This was his second qualified score, having also finished sixth in a $10,000 event at the PokerGO Tour Last Chance series for $58,500 and 200 points.
Flurry Of Early Knockouts
The top 61 finishers made the money in this event, with big names like Jared Jaffee (21s), Joe Serock (20th), Joshua Remitio (19th), Sam Laskowitz (16th), Anthony Hu (11th), Shannon Shorr (8th), and Nick Schulman (7th) running deep. The last day began with six remaining and Brown atop the chip counts.
On the third hand of the final day, Eddie Pak got all-in with A♣5♣ facing the K♥Q♥ off Drake Kemper. The K♣5♦4♣ flop provided plenty of drama, giving Kemper top pair while Pak hit middle pair and added the nut flush draw. The 2♥ turn gave Pak outs to a straight as well, but the 7♦ river was no help and he was eliminated in sixth place ($87,000). This was the fourth-largest score yet for the 2024 WPT World Championship main event third-place finisher.
Three-time WPT champion Anthony Zinno was the next to fall, with his final hand coming just seven deals after Pak’s. The five-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner jammed for 15 big blinds from the button with K♣J♥ and Brown called from the small blind with A♣4♣. The board came down A♠K♥3♠4♥9♥ and Brown made aces up to further add to his already massive stack. Zinno earned $114,000 as the fifth-place finisher, growing his career haul to $13.1 million.
Lily Kiletto soon joined the line at the payout desk. The three-time WPT main event final tablist min-raised to 200,000 from the button with 10♥10♣ and Brown called from the big blind with 4♣2♣. The flop of A♦A♣5♣ was checked through and the turn brought the 9♠. Brown check-called a bet of 250,000 from Killeto with his combo draw and the 6♣ river gave him a flush. He moved all-in and Kiletto called off her last 15 big blinds with her pocket pair to finish fourth ($151,000). This was her third-largest payday yet on the circuit.
Drake Kemper made his last stand with A♣J♥, shoving for just over 7 big blinds from the button. Brown woke up with A♠K♦ in the small blind and made the call. Brown flopped top pair and faded a backdoor straight draw for Kemper to set up the heads-up battle with Seward. Kemper earned $200,000 for his podium showing.
Seward Engages Comeback Mode
Brown held 18,120,000 to Seward’s 6,300,000 when action resumed for the 46th hand of the day, making for just shy of a 3:1 chip advantage. Seward was able to close the gap in the early going and might have taken the lead on the 26th deal of heads-up play if not for a huge (and correct) fold from Brown.
🤯 @nicktheenick GOES ALL IN and sends Greg Brown DEEP INTO THE TANK heads up for the $5,000 @WPT Venetian Las Vegas Spring Championship @VenetianPoker title pic.twitter.com/myYC5wGR8S
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) February 24, 2026
While Brown got away from the king-high flush that was indeed beaten by the ace-flush of Seward, the gap between the two had been narrowed considerably. Not long after that, Seward edged into the lead and began to pull away.
By the time the final hand of the tournament was dealt, Seward had a 2:1 advantage of his own. Seward limped from the button for 200,000 with 7♦3♣ and Brown checked his option with 8♥6♠. The flop came down 7♥6♣3♦ and Brown checked. Seward bet 400,000 with his two pair and Brown called with middle pair. The 3♥ turn improved Seward to a full house. Brown checked a second time and Seward fired 1,400,000. Brown made the call and the 8♦ completed the board. Another check from Brown prompted a river shove from Seward. After some thought, Brown made the call with eights and sixes for his last 5,200,000.
Brown’s hand was second best, which meant his run had concluded in second place ($270,000). This was by far the largest score yet for the Phoenix resident.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Nicholas Seward | $418,700 | 1440 |
| 2 | Gregory Brown | $270,000 | 1200 |
| 3 | Drake Kemper | $200,000 | 960 |
| 4 | Lily Kiletto | $151,000 | 720 |
| 5 | Anthony Zinno | $114,000 | 600 |
| 6 | Edward Pak | $87,000 | 480 |
| 7 | Nick Schulman | $67,000 | 360 |
| 8 | Shannon Shorr | $52,000 | 240 |
| 9 | Jacob Mendelsohn | $40,500 | 120 |
Photo credit: WPT.
