Poker Masters 2026: Myles Mullaly Wins Event #1 for $218,400 and His First PGT Trophy

Last Updated on October 14, 2026 by Bala Kumar

Some players spend years chasing a PokerGO Tour trophy. Myles Mullaly needed one final table. The New York pro outlasted a 78-entry field in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em opener at Poker Masters 2026, collected $218,400, and took an early lead in the race for the series’ famous Purple Jacket.

It wasn’t a wire-to-wire win. Mullaly didn’t start the final six as the chip leader, and he spent part of heads-up play behind. But he was the one still sitting when the cards were put away, and in a field packed with high-stakes regulars, that’s all that counts.

Below, we break down how the final table played out, the full payouts, what the numbers tell us about this field, and why this win fits into what has become a breakout year for Mullaly.

Poker Masters 2026 Event #1 Quick Facts

Event: Event #1, $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Series dates: October 12–23, 2026
Venue: PokerGO Studio, ARIA Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
Entries: 78
Prize pool: $780,000
Places paid: 12 (top 15% of the field)
Winner: Myles Mullaly, $218,400
Runner-up: Justin Zaki, $140,400

How the Poker Masters 2026 Event #1 Final Table Unfolded

Six players came back to the PokerGO Studio for the televised finale, and the early storyline belonged to Michael Rossitto. He walked in with the biggest stack and, for a while, looked like the man to beat.

Rossitto’s Chip Lead Slips Away

That changed in a single pot. Rossitto made two pair against Sam Laskowitz, only for Laskowitz to show a flush. Two pair is a strong hand, but when a flush is possible on the board, it’s rarely the best hand once a lot of chips go in.

Now short, Rossitto found A♥ J♥ and got his chips in before the flop. Laskowitz had him covered with A♠ Q♠. Commentators often call any preflop all-in a “race,” but this was no coin flip. When two players share the same ace, the bigger second card dominates, and A-J wins only about one time in four against A-Q. The board didn’t help, and Rossitto went out in fourth for $74,100.

Zaki Sends Laskowitz to the Rail

Laskowitz didn’t get long to enjoy the momentum. Shortly after, Justin Zaki picked up A♠ K♦, got the chips in, and the board ran out in his favour. Laskowitz settled for third and $101,400.

Heads-Up: Myles Mullaly vs. Justin Zaki

When heads-up play began, Mullaly held roughly 6 million chips to Zaki’s 3.7 million. The big blind was 125,000, with a big-blind ante of the same size. That put Mullaly at about 48 big blinds and Zaki near 30. That’s deep enough for real poker, but short enough that one hand can flip everything.

And it nearly did. Zaki won a few key pots and briefly grabbed the chip lead, which is where a lot of first-time finalists wobble. Mullaly didn’t. On the final hand, Zaki checked and then moved all-in with J♥ 10♥, a play known as a check-jam. Mullaly called with 9♥ 9♦, his pocket nines held up, and the title was his.

Beginner’s note: A check-jam (a check-raise all-in) is a strong play with hands that have lots of potential, like suited connectors with straight and flush draws. Either you win the pot right away, or you get called and still have outs. The catch is that when a made pair calls you, you need help from the board.

Poker Masters 2026 Event #1 Full Payouts

1st: Myles Mullaly, $218,400 (28.0% of the prize pool)
2nd: Justin Zaki, $140,400 (18.0%)
3rd: Sam Laskowitz, $101,400 (13.0%)
4th: Michael Rossitto, $74,100 (9.5%)
5th: Daniyal Gheba, $54,600 (7.0%)
6th: Justin Vaysman, $39,000 (5.0%)
7th: Craig Mason, $31,200 (4.0%)
8th: Joao Simao, $31,200 (4.0%)
9th: Michael Berk, $23,400 (3.0%)
10th: Joey Weissman, $23,400 (3.0%)
11th: Ping Liu, $23,400 (3.0%)
12th: Jesse Lonis, $19,500 (2.5%)

H3: What the Payout Numbers Tell You

The winner takes 28% of the pool. In a large online tournament with thousands of players, first place is often only 10–15%. Small, elite fields put more of the money at the top.

The jump from 2nd to 1st is $78,000. That gap is why heads-up decisions at this level are so tense, because a single all-in can be worth more than many players’ yearly tournament profit.

The minimum cash is roughly double the buy-in. Jesse Lonis turned $10,000 into $19,500 for 12th place. In bigger fields, a min-cash usually returns only 1.5 to 2 times the entry.

Payouts are grouped. 7th and 8th earned the same amount, as did 9th through 11th. That softens the pain of busting one spot early and reduces pressure as players move up the pay ladder.

For players who grind smaller online tournaments, the lesson is simple. The fewer players in a field, the more your results depend on final-table and heads-up skill, because that’s where most of the money sits.

Myles Mullaly’s Breakout 2026 Season

This trophy didn’t come out of nowhere. Mullaly has been one of the most consistent names on the Las Vegas circuit in 2026.

March 2026, PokerGO Cup Event #1 Showcase ($3,000): finished 2nd for $85,000
July 2026, WSOP Event #84 Super Turbo Bounty ($5,000): won his first bracelet for $593,601
October 2026, Poker Masters Event #1 ($10,000): won his first PGT title for $218,400

In March, he finished runner-up to Kent Stephens in the PokerGO Cup opener after a long heads-up battle. That near-miss stung, but he converted his next big chance. In July, he won his first WSOP bracelet, a result that pushed his career live earnings past $2.3 million.

A Textbook Climb Up the Stakes

Notice the pattern: a $3,000 buy-in in March, $5,000 in July, and $10,000 in October. That’s what a well-managed move up in stakes looks like. He won at one level, then took shots at the next with a bankroll that could absorb the swings. It’s a useful reminder for anyone tempted to jump straight into the biggest games after one good score.

Why Event #1 Matters in the Purple Jacket Race

Poker Masters isn’t just ten separate tournaments. Every cash earns PokerGO Tour points, and the player with the most points at the end of the series receives the Purple Jacket, poker’s nod to golf’s famous green jacket.

Winning the opener gives Mullaly an early points cushion, but history shows nothing is decided in the first week.

Recent Purple Jacket Winners

2024: Jim Collopy won the jacket with four cashes and no event wins, earning about $521,600 in total.
2025: David Coleman won it by taking the $1M Showcase and then finishing second in the series finale.
2026: The jacket is still to be decided, and Mullaly leads after Event #1.

Collopy’s 2024 run is clear proof that consistency can beat a single big win. Buy-ins and points also rise as the series goes on, so the later events carry the most weight.

What’s Next at Poker Masters 2026

The series runs through October 23 with ten No-Limit Hold’em events. The first six are at the $10,000 level. Buy-ins then climb to $15,000, then $25,000, and finally the $50,000 finale. Including fees, entries cost roughly $10,500 to $51,000.

Expect fields to shrink as the price rises, while the quality goes up. The finale usually draws the toughest lineup of the series, and for anyone chasing the jacket, it’s the event that can change everything.

Key Takeaways for Everyday Poker Players

Don’t confuse a dominated hand with a race. A-J against A-Q wins about 25% of the time, not 50%, so avoid treating it like a coin flip.

Two pair can be a trap. When the board shows three cards of one suit, slow down if you face heavy action.

Losing the lead isn’t losing the match. Mullaly gave up the chip lead heads-up and still won, which shows that patience matters more than staying ahead.

Move up gradually. Mullaly’s progression from $3,000 to $10,000 events in 2026 is a textbook example of sensible bankroll growth.

Final Thoughts

Myles Mullaly’s Event #1 win is more than an early-series headline. It’s the latest step in a year where he has turned close calls into titles and moved up in stakes the right way. With nine events left and the Purple Jacket still wide open, Poker Masters 2026 is only getting started, and Mullaly has given himself the best possible launch.

FAQs