Texas-based poker pro Andrew Moreno continues to dominate the 2025 live tournament circuit with his third title of the year, this time securing his first-ever PokerGO Tour (PGT) major title at the prestigious Poker Masters.

The 42-year-old outlasted a field of 101 entries in the $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event (Event #3 of the ongoing Poker Masters festival), earning $252,000 in the process. This victory not only marks his first PGT title but also adds to his growing legacy in the world of high-stakes poker.

A Stellar Year for Andrew Moreno

This victory at the Poker Masters brings Moreno’s total tournament earnings in 2025 to over $6.2 million, with the $252,000 payout being the fourth-largest of his career. His largest win remains the $1.46 million he earned when he triumphed in the 2021 Wynn Millions Main Event.

In addition to the financial rewards, Moreno’s victory earned him 600 Player of the Year (POY) points and 252 PGT points, pushing him further up the rankings. With a total of 4,500 POY points and nearly $1.5 million in POY earnings, he now sits at 27th place in the 2025 POY standings.

Moreno’s two previous victories this year include the Mission RunGood Million Dollar Main Event in August and a $1,000 event at the The Lodge Winter Championship back in February.

Andrew Moreno Road to Victory: A Tough Field

The event generated a prize pool of $1,010,000, with the top 15 finishers cashing in. On Day 1, big names such as Krisen Foxen (15th), Nguyen Le (14th), Brock Wilson (13th), Stephen Song (12th), Victoria Livschitz (10th), Aaron Messmer (9th), and Nick Seward (8th) all fell short of the final table.

Day 2 of the event began with Sam Laskowitz holding the lead, while Moreno was in the middle of the pack. The action quickly ramped up, with several notable eliminations:

• John Riordan: The two-time bracelet winner pushed all-in with second pair on the turn, only to find himself up against Jeremiah Williams’s top pair. Riordan was eliminated in 6th place for $50,500.
• Matthew Wantman: Down to under eight big blinds, Wantman made his stand with A♣10♠, but Moreno’s pocket tens held up, sending him out in 5th place with a payout of $65,600.

Down to the Final Four

The action four-handed was intense, but the field shrank as players like Jeremiah Williams (4th place for $90,900) and Sam Laskowitz (3rd place for $116,700) were eliminated.

In the final hand before heads-up play, Laskowitz and Moreno clashed in a dramatic showdown. Laskowitz check-shoved with Q♠J♠ on a 10♦9♠4♦ flop, but Moreno, holding A♦K♦, called quickly. The turn and river gave Moreno the nut flush, sending Laskowitz to the rail.

Heads-Up: Moreno Clinches the Title

Heads-up play started with Moreno holding a dominant 9,975,000 in chips compared to Brian Batt’s 2,650,000. Moreno extended his lead with a flush, and the final hand saw him raise enough to put Batt all-in. Batt called off his last four big blinds with J♥10♦, but Moreno’s J♦8♦ made another flush on the board, securing his victory.

Brian Batt, who won an ARIA High Roller event in 2022, finished as the runner-up and took home $171,700, his largest live cash to date.

Final Table Results

What’s Next for Andrew Moreno?

With his victory in the Poker Masters, Andrew Moreno’s 2025 poker campaign continues to shine. His impressive POY and PGT rankings put him in prime position for even more success as the year progresses. With the PokerGO Tour and other major events on the horizon, poker fans can expect to see more of Moreno on the winner’s podium.

Also Read: Nick Schulman Secures Sixth PokerGO Tour Title

FAQs

Q1. What was the buy-in for the Poker Masters event Andrew Moreno won?
The buy-in for the event was $10,000, a standard entry for high-stakes no-limit hold’em events on the PokerGO Tour.

Q2. How many titles has Andrew Moreno won in 2025?
Andrew Moreno has won three titles in 2025, including his latest victory at the Poker Masters.

Q3. What are PGT points and how did they affect the rankings?
PGT points are earned based on tournament performance in the PokerGO Tour. Moreno earned 252 PGT points for his win, bringing his total to 760 points and securing him a spot at 62nd on the PGT leaderboard.

Courtesy: CARDPLAYER