The first MSPT poker tournament of 2025 was held at the Venetian in Las Vegas
Carson Richards claimed his first Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) title in a great start to the 2025 season. The victory came at the Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas on January 5, where Richards outlasted a competitive field in the $1,100 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event.
His efforts earned him $76,045, a notable achievement but not his largest career payday. That distinction remains his $536,080 runner-up finish in the 2024 WSOP Mystery Millions Bounty event. With this latest win, his career earnings now approach $670,000.
Richards reflected on his journey after the win, sharing how his performance in the WSOP last summer inspired him to take poker more seriously. He also acknowledged the intense competition at the final table, which was stacked with experienced professionals. Winning his first trophy, he said, was an incredible feeling.
The tournament saw 431 entries, creating a prize pool of $415,591 and far surpassing the $300,000 guarantee. Day 2 began with 48 players in the money, each guaranteed at least $2,356. Familiar names like Jeff Platt, Jeff Madsen, and Darren Rabinowitz made deep runs but fell short of the final table.
Richards dominated the final table, eliminating several opponents, including John Lewis, Jeff Yarchever, and Johnson Nguyen. He maintained his momentum, knocking out players like Bojan Gledovic and Jamie Kerstetter. By the time he faced Ryan Leng, a three-time WSOP bracelet winner, Richards had established himself as the player to beat.
The heads-up match ended swiftly when Leng’s two pair ran into Richards’ flopped straight, sealing the win for the Scottsdale, Arizona native. Leng finished as runner-up with $56,008, boosting his career earnings near $3.9 million. Richards also earned 720 Card Player Player of the Year points, taking the lead in the 2025 POY race.
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