In the first PokerNews Podcast episode of 2023, Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards bring you all the latest stories from the New Year including Jason Koon officially winning High Stakes Duel III after no challenger stepped up, a poker player winning a $6.4 million pai gow jackpot in Las Vegas, and a movie review on Russell Crowe’s Poker Face.

They also dive deep into the Borgata’s The Return, which proved to be a very successful return series for the East Coast venue, which had been hit hard by the pandemic. Stories from there include Samuel Laskowitz winning the Mystery Bounty Event and Ryan Dodd drawing a $250K bounty. Plus, hear winner interviews from $2,100 Bounty Event champ Soukha Kachittavong and Bin Weng, who took down the $5,300 Championship for $1,000,000!

Finally, learn about PokerStars Michigan and New Jersey merging their player pools, Josh Reichard winning MSPT Season 13 Player of the Year, Cherish Andrews & Stephen Song having success as GPI POYs, Mattress Mack losing $3M on TCU, and winners from the Free Poker Network at Golden Nugget Las Vegas.

Time Stamps *Time|Topic* 00:25 | Welcome to the show 00:53 | Jesse headed to Australia 0:200 | Connor in New York City 03:00 | Jason Koon officially wins HSD III; no challengers step up 06:55 | Poker players win $6.4 million pai gow jackpot in Las Vegas 08:52 | Sponsor: 888poker 09:10 | Movie Review – Poker Face starring Russell Crowe 12:45 | Borgata The Return a huge success in post-pandemic return 13:00 | Samuel Laskowitz wins Mystery Bounty Event; Ryan Dodd draws $250K bounty 16:13 | Bin Weng wins Borgata The Return $5,300 Championship for $1,000,000 19:10 | Winner interview w/ Bin Weng 25:35 | Soukha Kachittavong binks $2,100 Bounty Event 27:04 | Winner interview w/ Soukha Kachittavong 29:20 | PokerStars to host $2.5M PSPC Online to celebrate MI & NJ merged player pools 31:15 | Mattress Mack loses $3M on TCU 33:30 | Josh Reichard becomes MSPT Season 13 POY 34:13 | Cherish Andrews Wins GPI Female POY, Stephen Song Both Overall & Mid-Major POY 38:29 | Stephen Kehoe Turns WPT Global Satellite Win Into $269,900 40:48 | Big winners from the Free Poker Network at Golden Nugget Las Vegas 43:34 | Teasing next week’s guest – Poker Hall of Famer Mori Eskandani