PokerNews Podcast

In the 958th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to talk about a poker mystery. How did Esther Taylor's 2022 WPT Wynn trophy end up on eBay without her knowledge? Chad actually brought it to her attention, and after some investigating, there are more questions than answers. Was the trophy stolen? Hear from Etay herself as she shares what she thinks happened.
From there, they talk about WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas, which included Jared Bleznick (AKA Blez) meeting WWE superstar The Miz and discussing a $1.5 million sports card. From there, it's a look back at online poker's Black Friday on its 15th anniversary, plans for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), a big win by poker photographer Katerina Lukina, and winners from the 2026 PGT U.S. Poker Open, including Brock Wilson and Joao Simao.
Finally, Chad shares video highlights from his trip to the record-setting Irish Open in Dublin.
Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps
*Time    Topic*
00:00 | Welcome to the show
01:20 | Etay's trophy on eBay
05:08 | Hear what Etay has to say
08:00 | Missing poker memorabilia
10:38 | WrestleMania Weekend
10:53 | Blez meets Miz
12:47 | Black Friday 15th Anniversary
18:20 | US Poker Open winners
21:44 | Past US Poker Open champions
23:10 | Congrats to Katerina Lukina
25:25 | Plans for the 2026 WSOP
28:40 | Chad at the Irish Poker Open

In the 957th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas to sit down with TJ Reid, the recently-appointed Manager of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit. 
Reid talks about his vision for the WSOP Circuit, upcoming plans, and how he'll help foster a better overall player experience. He offers a unique perspective as a player himself; in fact, he finished fourth in the WSOP Paradise $25K Super Main Event last December for $3,000,000. Speaking of which, Reid talks about that whole experience, including having a front-row seat to the infamous Eric Wasserson slowroll against Benny Glaser.  
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Time Stamps
*Time    Topic*
00:00 | Welcome to the show
01:00 | TJ's WSOP opportunity
06:00 | WSOP's need for more faces
10:40 | What players should get excited about
12:50 | Coming back to Milwaukee?
15:10 | Hailing from Missouri
16:00 | Winning $3M at WSOPP
19:50 | How'd you celebrate?
20:30 | Eric Wasserson slowrolls Benny Glaser
26:35 | His first $25K tournament
27:54 | Follow TJ Reid

In the 956th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway hosts his final show from the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) in Prague, where he is joined by special guests Martin Kabrhel, Lexy Gavin-Mather, Dan "Jungleman" Cates, and Landon Tice.
Find out what they all had to say about the 2026 WSOP Europe and more. Plus, "Jungleman" doesn't shy away from calling out scammers and sharing his thoughts on Maurice Hawkins!
Finally, Calum Grant conducts a winner interview with the 2026 WSOP Main Event winner Marius Kudzmanas.
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every day this week at approximately 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Time Stamps
*Time    Topic*
00:00 | Welcome to the show
00:50 | Martin Kabrhel
09:29 | Lexy Gavin-Mather
15:42 | Dan 'Jungleman' Cates
23:20 | Landon Tice
28:15 | Marius Kudzmanas Wins WSOPE Main Event

In the 955th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow for a special episode devoted to the latest update in The Lodge saga.
The popular poker room near Austin, Texas, was raided back on March 10, and authorities had a 30-day window, until April 9, to file for civil asset forfeiture. Despite not yet filing any criminal charges, authorities did file a document with the 480th Judicial District Court in Williamson County that explained why the state is holding on to over $2 million in assets.
The future of The Lodge Card Club is uncertain now that the state can hold onto the money. But Thursday's outcome doesn't mean this is the end for the major poker club, nor does it ensure criminal charges will never be filed. The nine-page court document indicates the state is no longer pursuing money laundering allegations against the Texas card room and instead is focusing on the alleged illegal gambling aspect.
What does this mean for the future of poker in Texas? There may be some clues in the court documents, which the crew explores in full.
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every day this week at approximately 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Time Stamps
*Time    Topic*
00:00 | Welcome to the show
00:42 | Authorities file before deadline
03:00 | Focus on illegal gambling; money laundering dropped
05:30 | The Texas poker model under fire?
12:00 | Raking tournaments?
15:30 | Isn't Texas supposed to be land of the free?
19:00 | Where did the money come from?
21:27 | Could a settlement be in store?
23:17 | What are economic benefits?

In the 954th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is at the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) in Prague, where he is joined by special guest cohost Josh Arieh, the 2021 WSOP Player of the Year.
Together, they discuss the enraged player who was disqualified deep in the €5,300 PLO European Championship, players who were upset on the bubble of that tournament when a chip leader gave the short-stacked big blind a walk, and recent bracelet winners such as Ole Schemion, Mike Leah, and Pedro Faustino.
Arieh then talks about his deep run in the WSOP Europe Main Event, which ended in no small part due to his pocket aces getting cracked on the river. He also shares his thoughts on Prague, having the support of his wife, the Poker Hall of Fame, and playing golf with Daniel Negreanu.
Finally, Chad tells you a bit about PokerNews' MyPlayers feature and catches up with 2023 WSOP Player of the Year Ian Matakis, who made the trip from Minnesota over to Prague. Will he be going for POY again? 
A new PokerNews Podcast drops every day this week at approximately 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Time Stamps
*Time    Topic*
00:00 | Welcome To The Show
00:46 | Player Gets DQ'ed From WSOPE
06:47 | PLO Bubble Controversy
09:47 | Arieh's Deep Main Event Run
20:32 | Recent Bracelet Winners
25:07 | Living In Las Vegas