Mammen Wins BetMGM Championship After Five-Way Chop

The 2026 BetMGM Championship at the Aria Poker Classic culminated in a dramatic five-way chop, with San Diego’s Joshua Mammen ultimately seizing the coveted title and a career-defining $481,180. The $3,500 buy-in no-limit hold’em event shattered its $4 million guarantee, drawing an impressive 1,512 entries and generating a colossal prize pool of $4,838,400.

As the field whittled down to its final five contenders, the stakes were incredibly high, with over $2.2 million still on the table. In a move that reshaped the payout structure, the remaining players opted for a deal, agreeing to an even chop of $431,180 each. This strategic decision left an additional $50,000 and the prestigious championship title to play for, significantly flattening the payouts from the originally scheduled $801,000 first-place prize.

Among those who benefited from the deal was tournament regular Nicholas Palma, who secured his largest-ever payday. This impressive score propelled his lifetime cashes past the $4.1 million mark, further solidifying his reputation as a formidable presence on the circuit. Palma's deep run also saw him climb into the top 300 in the 2026 Player of the Year standings, adding another notable achievement to his year, which already included an _MSPT Venetian_ main event final table appearance.

Ultimately, it was Joshua Mammen who outlasted his opponents to claim the extra $50,000, the championship trophy, and the top payout of $481,180. This victory represents a monumental leap in Mammen’s poker career, far surpassing his previous best score of $19,300, earned from a 25th-place finish at the 2025 _North American Poker Tour Las Vegas_ main event.

Beyond the substantial monetary prize, Mammen also earned a significant 1,620 _Card Player_ Player of the Year points for his triumph. This influx of points, combined with his earlier seventh-place finish in an $1,100 mystery bounty event at the same series, brings his total to 1,722 points, placing him comfortably within the top 200 in the fiercely contested 2026 POY standings, presented by CoinPoker.

The final table showcased a blend of seasoned pros and rising stars, all vying for a piece of the substantial prize pool. While the five-way chop ensured a significant payout for each of the top five, the battle for the title and the additional prize money provided an exhilarating conclusion to an already thrilling tournament.

Here's a look at the final table results:

| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Joshua Mammen | $481,180* | 1,620 | | 2 | Erik Eisen | $431,180* | 1,350 | | 3 | Paul Hofer | $431,180* | 1,080 | | 4 | Nicholas Palma | $431,180* | 810 | | 5 | Ariel Celestino | $431,180* | 675 | | 6 | Michael Wilklow | $165,300 | 540 | | 7 | Pavlos Xanthopoulos | $135,300 | 405 | | 8 | Uri Kadosh | $106,500 | 270 | | 9 | Nenad Cvetkovic | $79,935 | 135 |

The BetMGM Championship once again proved to be a marquee event, attracting a massive field and delivering high-stakes drama. Mammen’s victory, secured through skilled play and a crucial deal, will undoubtedly be a highlight of the 2026 poker calendar, setting a new benchmark for his burgeoning career.