The first-ever PokerGO Tour Bounty Blitz festival kicked off on Monday, Sept. 1. By Tuesday afternoon, it was time to crown a debut champion. Jeremy Becker entered six-handed play as the short stack, looking up at some tough competition.
But by the time the tournament was over, Becker completed a masterful comeback. Becker won the $5,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em bounty event, claiming a first-place prize of $55,600. That includes $10,000 in bounties, courtesy of five knockouts over the course of the tournament. It’s Becker’s second career PGT trophy, joining his triumph in a 2024 Poker Masters event. The king of the Las Vegas nightly tournament, who once won eight in a month at the Wynn, now has more than $3.1 million in career earnings after this latest score.
Becker outlasted a field of 46 entrants for this title, ultimately defeating Qin Zhao heads-up to seal the victory. For his efforts, Becker also received 76 PGT points towards the season-long leaderboard.
Sorting Out A Stacked Final Table
There were coolers abound at the start of six-handed final table. Darren Rabinowitz picked up pocket queens against Zhao’s pocket aces, but a scary board limited the damage.
Josh Arieh was not so lucky. Three of the six players in the hand were dealt pocket pairs, and John Andress managed to fold pocket nines preflop. But Arieh’s jacks ran into Zhao’s pocket queens, and the chips got in on a 9♥3♣2♥ flop. The Q♦ turn sealed it, and Arieh was out in sixth.
Becker picked up a key double in a battle of blinds, with A♣8♦ against Rabinowitz’s 9♠8♥. Andress also managed a double through Rabinowitz, with pocket tens holding off pocket nines.
Andress got the rest of Rabinowitz’s chips when his A♥Q♥ battled Rabinowitz’s K♦10♥. The board ran out A♠10♦6♥A♦9♠, and Rabinowitz was eliminated in fifth place.
In another battle of the blinds, Zhao raised with A♦K♣ in the small blind and Andrew Lichtenberger three-bet all in for 24 big blinds. His A♥10♣ was in trouble when Zhao called, but connected on the J♦10♦5♠ flop. Zhao reclaimed the lead on the K♥ turn and the 2♣ river marked the end of Lichtenberger’s tournament.
Closing It Out
Becker hadn’t recorded a bounty since before the final table began, but he’d tack two more on at the very end. Following the theme of the day, Andress shoved for just over 10 big blinds with Q♠6♠ and Becker called in the big blinds with A♠5♣. There couldn’t be a much more decisive flop than the A♥A♦5♦ board that ultimately hit the felt. With a full house, Becker picked up some key chips and his fourth bounty.
In a matter of about 20 minutes, Becker brought the stacks even with Zhao, and then pulled away. On the final hand, Zhao limped preflop, Becker checked, and both players checked after the A♠K♥3♠ flop. The 4♣ turn brought a flurry of action, and with good reason. Becker checked with 5♥2♦, a turned straight. Zhao bet just over half pot with 4♥3♥ for turned two-pair. Becker overbet raised, Zhao shoved and was snap-called.
The 2♣ river kept Becker’s straight best, and that brought the tournament to its conclusion.
Action turn card gives @Jbex2417 the wheel – can he finish it off?!?!
The @PokerGOTour Bounty Blitz series is streaming all week long on https://t.co/2RQh5RNM18. pic.twitter.com/pwcTSuoS6f
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) September 2, 2025
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Earnings | Bounty Prize | PGT Points |
| 1st | Jeremy Becker | $45,600 | $10,000 | 76 |
| 2nd | Qin Zhao | $29,000 | $14,000 | 48 |
| 3rd | John Andress | $19,300 | $6,000 | 32 |
| 4th | Andrew Lichtenberger | $14,500 | $16,000 | 24 |
| 5th | Darren Rabinowitz | $11,700 | $6,000 | 19 |
| 6th | Josh Arieh | $9,600 | $4,000 | 16 |
Photo credit: PokerGO Tour/Antonio Abrego
