2025 PGT PLO Series: Bryce Yockey Turns Bubble Drama Into Headline-Grabbing Win in Event #8: $15K PLO Mystery Bounty ($323,400)

They say one moment can change everything in poker. For Bryce Yockey (cover image), that moment hit like lightning late on Day 1 of Event #8: $15,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Mystery Bounty at the 2025 PGT PLO Series – PokerGO Tour’s first-ever Mystery Bounty tournament. Yockey pulled off a jaw-dropping triple knockout, bursting the money bubble with serious fireworks.

That monster four-way pot wasn’t just a field-shaker but the launchpad for Yockey’s flight to the finish line. Riding that wave, he navigated his way to the title, the trophy, and a cool $323,400 combined payout in this landmark PGT event.

.@SuddenlyBryce wins the PGT’s first-ever mystery bounty, taking home $218,400 in first-place prize money plus $110,000 in bounty prizes.

Recap: https://t.co/UVQxa83kod pic.twitter.com/Wtvey5wrTi

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 4, 2025

Outlasting a field of 78 entries, Yockey pocketed $218,400 from the main prize pool, locking down his second career PGT title (his first came in the 2023 PGT PLO Series II). But in this unique format, the payout was only half the excitement.

In one of the series’ most bounty-rich performances, Yockey grabbed eight of the 15 available bounty envelopes for an extra $105,000, including two of the three $25,000 bounties.

Still, the bounty crown truly belonged to runner-up Tyler Brown. Finishing second earned him $140,400, but his work pulling envelopes was spectacular. Brown snagged the monster $125,000 bounty and both $50,000 prizes, racking up an incredible $280,000 in bounty cash alone. His total winnings hit an event-high $420,000.

While the numbers speak volumes, Yockey’s pure love for PLO came through. “Omaha is like one of the most nuanced forms of poker,” he mused. “Small differences in your cards, in your hand, on the board, make huge differences on what you can expect your opponent’s hand to be and how your hand matches up against it. I think that nuance is what makes the game more deeper and cerebral. I really like that. That’s the part of poker I enjoy. I enjoy the puzzle of the game. Omaha really pushes my brain to the limits.”

Reflecting on that game-changing bubble hand, Yockey added, “I have never seen a tournament get close to the money and go so fast all the way to the final table… That was something I have never seen before.”

Post-win chat with PGT PLO Series Event #8 winner @SuddenlyBryce. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JaPMjtgoOW

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 4, 2025

Looking at the series leaderboard after this event, Alex Foxen still sits atop the standings with 449 PGT points from three cashes and a victory. Bryce Yockey’s win vaulted him into second place with 403 points from five cashes. Tied for third are Chino Rheem and Tyler Brown, both holding 344 points.

Four-Way Collision Ignites Bubble Fireworks

Usually, the money bubble in a high-stakes PLO tournament is pure slow-burn tension — short stacks battling for survival, players standing up to sweat all-ins from other tables, and an almost cinematic tension in the air. But in the PGT’s debut PLO Mystery Bounty, all that classic bubble drama got tossed aside for a wild four-way collision that blew the bubble wide open.

Fifteen players left, twelve spots paid, $19,500 for a min-cash, and those mystery bounties live – the stage was set. Blinds at 6k/12k (12k big blind ante). Then, chips started flying preflop as three shorter stacks got it all in. Bryce Yockey, covering everyone, decided it was time to dance.

Bryce Yockey (Middle Position):

Nacho Barbero (Button – 545,000):

Nick Schulman (Small Blind – 320,000):

Tomasz Krzesinski (Big Blind – 127,000):

The flop came down , and Yockey hit bottom two pair to take the lead for showdown value. Barbero, however, had connected with top pair and the nut flush draw, giving him plenty of ways to win. The turn was the , which left Schulman drawing dead. Yockey was ahead with his two pair but had to fade numerous outs on the river. The was a safe card for him; his sixes and fives were enough to scoop the massive pot. All three of his opponents were sent to the rail without a cash.

PLO chaos at the @PokerGO Studio!

Four-way all-in results in a TRIPLE KNOCKOUT for @SuddenlyBryce, winning Yockey three bounties. 🎯🎯🎯

Live updates: https://t.co/10lRtoA9gz pic.twitter.com/6Zh1LYsTFt

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

Event Highlights

John Riordan was the first player to finish in the money, eliminated in 12th place for $19,500. Tyler Brown earned the bounty for Riordan’s knockout and, after collecting the chips, turned to ask, “Has Bryce pulled his bounties yet?”

At that moment, Yockey hadn’t yet opened any envelopes from his earlier triple KO. After folding the next hand, Brown strolled over to the bounty drum for his first pull in this inaugural event… and ripped out the $125,000 top prize right away! What a start.

VERY FIRST BOUNTY PULL OF THE PGT’S FIRST-EVER MYSTERY BOUNTY! 🤩🤑🚀

Final table streams Thursday on @PokerGO. pic.twitter.com/AH0QQ4EOH2

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

Amazingly, every one of the $390,000 in bounty payouts went to just two players: Bryce Yockey and Tyler Brown. They were the only players to register knockouts during the mystery bounty phase, which began when 15 players were left.

• Bryce Yockey: 8 knockouts for $105,000, including two $25,000 pulls
• Tyler Brown: 7 knockouts for $280,000, including the $125,000 and both $50,000 bounties (plus a later $25k pull)

More BIG bounty pulls for Tyler Brown!

Live updates: https://t.co/10lRtoA9gz pic.twitter.com/QNll1Oz9sI

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

.@SuddenlyBryce with a late-night bounty pull.

Live updates: https://t.co/10lRtoA9gz pic.twitter.com/sGHSfQ6ccm

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

Tyler Brown and @SuddenlyBryce wrap up the night with the final bounty pulls.

Live updates: https://t.co/10lRtoA9gz pic.twitter.com/ctcbM3pdui

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

The $200,000 man! With his first three bounty pulls, Tyler Brown pulls the three biggest amounts available.

✅ $125,000
✅ $50,000
✅ $25,000

Live updates: https://t.co/10lRtozBr1 pic.twitter.com/Ds9NACUSbF

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

Others who cashed in the tournament included Jim Collopy (9th for $23,400) and Lautaro Guerra (11th for $23,400).

Following the elimination of Sam Soverel in eighth place for $31,200, the seven-handed final table was set.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Tyler Brown – 3,025,000
2. Bryce Yockey – 2,650,000
3. Daniel Negreanu – 1,025,000
4. Chino Rheem – 930,000
5. Taylor Wilson – 840,000
6. Dylan Linde – 540,000
7. Brian Breck – 470,000

Final Table Recap

Chino Rheem might have started with a middling stack, but his tournament ended in a tough cooler. Holding , Rheem ran into Tyler Brown’s . The board ran out , giving Brown a wheel straight and sending Rheem out in seventh place.

Not long after, Dylan Linde found himself all-in with , but Bryce Yockey’s found help on the board, pairing Yockey’s seven and five to end Linde’s run in sixth place.

Then came a monster clash! With around 280,000 in the pot and the board showing , Brian Breck jammed for 1.20 Million with . But Brown was lurking with a sneaky drawing hand – — and a flush came home on the river! Breck’s run ended in fifth place as Brown claimed another scalp.

The Day 1 carnage wrapped up with Taylor Wilson‘s elimination. His stood no chance against Yockey’s when the board came , pairing Yockey’s tens and sixes. Wilson headed out in fourth place.

Final Day Chip Counts

1. Tyler Brown – 4,315,000
2. Bryce Yockey – 3,900,000
3. Daniel Negreanu – 1,535,000

The first-ever PGT mystery bounty event was a wild one, and now just three players remain for tomorrow’s final table. 🏆

Tyler Brown 4,315,000@SuddenlyBryce 3,900,000@RealKidPoker 1,535,000

🥇 $218,400
🥈 $140,400
🥉 $101,400

Still remaining are bounties worth $50,000,… pic.twitter.com/iqG7XMlnpe

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 3, 2025

The final day was live-streamed on a delay on PokerGO’s YouTube channel. You can watch the replay below.

Final Day Recap

Day 1 wrapped with just three contenders left standing — and Tyler Brown holding the lead. Daniel Negreanu, the seven-time WSOP bracelet winner and 11-time PGT champ, entered the final day as the definite short stack. He lost more ground early but found a vital double-up to stay in contention.

The momentum then swung against Bryce Yockey. A bold bluff attempt failed, leaving him nursing the shortest stack. But Yockey fought back, landing a big double-up through Negreanu when his aces and sevens cracked Kid Poker`s top pair and flush draw in a turn-shove pot. A blank on the river rocketed Yockey into the second chip lead.

Then came Daniel Negreanu’s last stand. Holding , he called a three-bet from Brown(holding , leaving himself with just over seven big blinds. The flop came . Brown bet and Negreanu called off his stack with his flush draw. The turn and river were no help, and Negreanu was eliminated in third place at the hands of the seemingly unstoppable Brown.

What a run! 👏 @RealKidPoker eliminated in 3rd from the PGT PLO Mystery Bounty. pic.twitter.com/cpCbuYjZlt

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) April 3, 2025

Heads-up play kicked off with Tyler Brown enjoying a better-than-2:1 chip lead over Bryce Yockey. But the advantage didn’t last long. Yockey picked up a juicy pot without showdown — he led out on a paired board with an open-ended straight flush draw, then went for the jugular with an effective three-bet jam over Brown’s raise. That power move vaulted Yockey into the lead.

With a 2.75:1 chip advantage, Yockey dealt the final blow. Brown limped the button with , and Yockey raised with . The flop came . Yockey check-called Brown’s bet. The turn gave Yockey a ten-high straight. He checked, Brown bet 525,000, and Yockey called. The river was the , improving Yockey to a jack-high straight. He checked one last time. Brown pushed all-in for 1.555 Million on a bluff, but Yockey wasn’t buying it and snap-called with the goods to become the first-ever PGT PLO Mystery Bounty champion!

It’s all over! 🏆 @SuddenlyBryce wins his 2nd PGT title in Event #8 of PGT PLO Series for $218,400

🔗 https://t.co/3H9a7CjDBu pic.twitter.com/NA650948US

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) April 4, 2025

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Bryce Yockey – $323,400 ($105,000 in bounties)
2. Tyler Brown – $420,000 ($280,000 in bounties)
3. Daniel Negreanu – $101,400
4. Taylor Wilson – $74,100
5. Brian Breck – $54,600
6. Dylan Linde – $39,000
7. Chino Rheem – $31,200

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerGO

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