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- Jeremy Becker bagged the chip lead on Day 1 of the $10,200 BetMGM Poker Big, Big Baller at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, carrying 317,500 chips (105 big blinds) into Day 2.
- The opening round brought in 56 entries to build an initial $560,000 prize pool, with 12 players advancing and late registration remaining open until the start of Day 2.
Jeremy Becker bagged the chip lead after Day 1 of the $10,200 BetMGM Poker Big, Big Baller at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, a venue also widely recognized for its robust online casino offerings, finishing with 317,500 as 12 players advanced from a 56-entry field.
The Day 1 result sets the pace for one of the marquee events on Borgata’s 2026 Big, Big Series, with late registration still open until the start of Day 2. Play was scheduled to resume at 12:15 p.m. local time on Sept. 18 and continue until a winner is crowned.
Becker builds a clear lead heading into Day 2
According to PokerNews chip counts, Becker returns with 105 big blinds at Level 12, where blinds were 1,200/2,400 with a 2,400 ante at bagging time. That gave him a sizable cushion over the rest of the field.
David Stefanski ended Day 1 second in chips with 194,500, followed by Drew O’Connell with 184,500. Other notable stacks moving on included Nicholas Verderamo with 176,500, Daniel Escherich with 158,500, Nicholas Palma with 154,000, Brock Wilson with 150,500, and Daniel Monosson with 150,000.
Also advancing were Michael Gagliano on 62,000, Darren Elias on 48,000, Anthony Piacquadio on 34,000, Cherish Andrews on 30,000, and Kharlin Sued on 29,500. PokerNews reported that Andrews bought in at the very end of the day and will return with a starting stack.
Prize pool figure remains in flux with registration open
The tournament drew 56 entries on Day 1. PokerNews noted a discrepancy in the available prize pool figures: the event info listed a $500,000 prize pool, while the story text said the 56 entries created a $560,000 prize pool.
Because late registration remained open until the beginning of Day 2, the final prize pool and payout structure were not yet confirmed at the time of the report.
That leaves one key item still to be settled before the event plays down to a champion: whether additional entries or re-entries push the final pool above the Day 1 total. For now, Becker will return with the biggest stack and the clearest path into the late stages of one of Borgata’s highest-profile tournaments on the schedule.
Source: As reported by pokernews.com.
