Mo Nuwwarah Wins 2nd MSPT Title in Illinois

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Wed Aug 12, 2026, 10:00 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

Mo Nuwwarah Wins 2nd MSPT Title in Illinois

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Mo Nuwwarah has added another major title to his poker résumé after winning the inaugural MSPT Illinois Poker State Championship. The longtime poker journalist defeated a record 1,807-entry field at Rivers Casino Des Plaines. 

He collected $205,499 and a $3,500 seat to the MSPT Championship Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in Florida. 

The $1,100 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament ran from August 4 through August 9. It carried a $750,000 guarantee, but the huge turnout created a $1,751,290 prize pool. The field also established a new record for a poker tournament in Illinois.

The result adds another compelling chapter to Nuwwarah's career. He has spent years covering poker while building an increasingly impressive record on the tournament circuit. 

His latest victory should attract attention from players who follow live events and US online poker sites.

Mo Nuwwarah's Run Up to the Final Table

The final day began with 198 players returning inside the money. Several established names remained in contention, including MSPT Hall of Famer Rob WazWaz and three-time MSPT champion Josh Reichard. Brett "Pops" Reichard also made a deep run before finishing 50th.

Matthew Schurter eventually entered the final table as the chip leader. Nuwwarah held the second-largest stack, putting him in a strong position with the title within reach.

The final table included several players with significant tournament experience. Evan Bethyo had already won the 2024 WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Main Event. He became the first player eliminated from the final table in ninth place.

Bethyo's pocket aces failed to hold against Greg Koutelidakis' pocket jacks. The result sent Bethyo home with $27,626 and left eight players fighting for the title.

Benjamin Krauss followed in eighth place for $34,532. Schurter then exited in seventh place, collecting $44,892. That result ended the run of the player who started the final table with the largest stack.

Nuwwarah then made a crucial contribution to the final-table action. His pocket jacks improved to a set, allowing him to eliminate David Kowal. Kowal finished sixth for $56,978, leaving five players in contention.

Five-Way Deal Concludes the Event

The remaining five players ultimately agreed to an ICM deal. The arrangement redistributed the remaining prize money according to each player's chip position and tournament equity.

Nuwwarah held the chip lead when the agreement was reached. Therefore, he received the largest payout and was awarded the tournament title.

Gregory Koutelidakis secured $163,737 for second place. Matt Miller collected $149,137, while Michael Holme earned $128,032. Bruce Fagan rounded out the five-way deal with $114,829.

The arrangement meant every remaining player secured a six-figure payout. It also allowed Nuwwarah to avoid another difficult heads-up battle.

Final Table Results

Place Player Payout Card Player POY Points
1 Mohammed Nuwwarah $205,499 1,080
2 Gregory Koutelidakis $163,737 900
3 Matt Miller $149,137 720
4 Michael Holme $128,032 540
5 Bruce Fagan $114,829 450
6 David Kowal $56,978 360
7 Matthew Schurter $44,892 270
8 Benjamin Krauss $34,532 180
9 Evan Bethyo $27,626 90

*The final five payouts came from a five-way ICM deal. The points shown are Card Player Player of the Year points. The official MSPT leaderboard awarded Nuwwarah 1,400 MSPT points for the victory.*

Nuwwarah Adds Second MSPT Title

The victory represents another major milestone for Nuwwarah, who first captured an MSPT title in 2024. He won the Bally's Black Hawk Main Event that year for $155,189.

Nuwwarah also won a $1,000 WSOP Online Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2024. That victory earned him $135,172 and his first WSOP bracelet. He has also captured two WSOP Circuit rings.

His latest result pushed his career tournament earnings beyond $1.2 million. The victory also gave him 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year points. Meanwhile, the MSPT awarded him 1,400 points on its official leaderboard.

The result marked his first title and third final-table finish of 2026. His $205,499 cash also represents his largest live tournament payday to date.

Nuwwarah reflected on the victory after completing the deal and securing the title.

"It feels good," Nuwwarah told MSPT staff after coming out on top. "I mean, it's been a pretty swingy year, but also a good one so far. A little bit more good than bad, but I've blown a few heads-up battles in these before, so it feels good to get win number two in the books."

The tournament also gave Nuwwarah plenty of praise for Rivers Casino Des Plaines and the MSPT's expansion into Illinois.

"This is going to be the next great Midwest poker tournament, and not just because I won it first," offered Nuwwarah. "Really nice venue, ideal location right next to a major airport, and tons of cities within a close drive to Chicago. The MSPT is really starting to outgrow its humble roots in small tribal properties."

The Illinois Poker State Championship could therefore become an important stop on the MSPT schedule. The record field showed strong demand for a major tournament near Chicago. Nuwwarah's victory provided the inaugural event with an especially memorable champion.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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