2025 PGT PLO Series: Fourth PGT Title For Red-Hot Jesse Lonis in Event #9: $15K PLO ($308,850)

Let’s say it: Jesse Lonis (cover image) is operating on another level right now. The poker pro from Little Falls, New York, who only seriously jumped into the tournament scene around mid-2018, continues to add to his impressive track record on the high-stakes poker circuit. His latest achievement went down in Event #9: $15,100 Pot-Limit Omaha at the 2025 PGT PLO Series. He navigated a tough 71-entry field to snag the $308,850 top prize and his fourth career PGT trophy.

🦍 on the loose!@JesseLonis tops a field of 71 entries in Event #9 to win $308,850. He’s now second on the PGT PLO Series leaderboard behind @WAFoxen.

Recap: https://t.co/18idp6ObwD pic.twitter.com/qJKBxW7jw8

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 4, 2025

It’s hard to overstate Lonis’s phenomenal ascent. He started 2021 with about $116,000 in live earnings; that number now stands at an incredible $15.60 Million. This recent win represents his 16th career title overall and his second big one this year – he took down a $10,500 NLHE event at the Wynn Millions for $173,160 earlier this spring.

The 2025 season is already shaping up to be huge for Lonis. With six final tables and over $816,000 earned, he’s vaulted into the top 30 of the Global Poker-sponsored Player of the Year standings. Within this PLO series, you could see him getting closer: he took third in Event #2 and then second in Event #7 before finally getting over the hump in Event #9. This win lifts him to second place on the PGT PLO Series leaderboard and slots him into eighth in the overall PGT season rankings.

While Lonis got the win, Chino Rheem keeps making a strong statement in the Player of the Year conversation. Rheem’s runner-up finish earned him $202,350, and crucially, those points pushed him into the Number 1 spot on the overall PGT season leaderboard. He’s also holding down third place in the PLO Series standings. With eight cashes this year, bringing his total to over $908,000 (getting close to that $1 Million mark in PGT earnings for the season!) and two titles already in the bag – the most recent in Event #4 for $295K – Rheem remains a constant danger in any field he enters.

PGT PLO Series Leaderboard

Event Highlights

Event #9, the final $15K buy-in PLO contest of the series, definitely delivered the goods. The 71 entries created a $1,065,000 prize pool, paying out the top 11 finishers. The pressure cooker atmosphere around the money bubble finally burst when Daniel Negreanu eliminated Jim Collopy, sending Collopy home just shy of a payday while guaranteeing the rest of the field at least $31,950.

Jim Collopy eliminated on the Event #9 money bubble by @RealKidPoker. Now 11 remain and they’re all guaranteed $31,950.

Final table streaming Friday on @PokerGO.

Follow the live updates: https://t.co/10lRtoA9gz pic.twitter.com/7SmPztllSB

— PGT (@PokerGOTour) April 4, 2025

Several well-known players made the money but couldn’t reach the final day. John Riordan (11th for $31,950) and Nick Schulman (9th for $31,950) were among the early in-the-money exits. Event #8 champion Bryce Yockey and Dylan Weisman followed closely behind, earning $42,600 apiece for their eighth and seventh-place finishes—all four falling short despite strong showings late on Day 1. Richard Gryko just missed the official final table, finishing sixth for $53,250 near the end of the day’s play.

The final table action was all caught on the delayed livestream on PokerGO’s YouTube channel. You can rewatch it below.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Jesse Lonis – 3,475,000
2. Lautaro Guerra – 2,235,000
3. Chino Rheem – 1,435,000
4. Alex Foxen – 1,095,000
5. Daniel Negreanu – 640,000

Final Table Recap

The final five returned on Day 2, with Lonis holding the chip lead, facing off against Lautaro Guerra, Chino Rheem, Alex Foxen, and Daniel Negreanu.

A lot on the line for player of series with Foxen leading and Lonis, Chino, and yours truly close behind.

I’m coming in short, but PLO is my jam. https://t.co/CAz5mHN7BN

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) April 4, 2025

It took exactly one hand – the very first hand of the day – for the fireworks to ignite. Daniel Negreanu found himself all-in holding from the big blind against Chino Rheem’s . The flop landed . Negreanu picked up middle pair (sevens) and a big open-ended straight draw, while Rheem flopped top pair (eights). The turn brought the , giving Rheem a flush draw to go with his pair, while Negreanu’s straight draw was still live. But the river was the , pairing Rheem’s Jack to give him a winning two pair and Negreanu’s day ended swiftly in fifth place. It was still another strong showing for ‘Kid Poker,’ his third final table of this PLO series and sixth of the year. His career earnings edged closer to $54.70 Million, keeping him at #7 on poker’s all-time money list.

Out in a flash! ⚡️ @RealKidPoker eliminated in 6th on the very first hand of the final table.

🔗 https://t.co/CL89Z3d67q pic.twitter.com/Tg4PiOUveA

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) April 4, 2025

Four-handed play saw some unexpected drama for the start-of-day leader. Lonis hit a skid, losing a couple of medium-sized pots, particularly to Lautaro Guerra. Chips started flying around the table; Guerra briefly snatched the lead, then Rheem took control as the table aggressor. Suddenly, Lonis was grinding the short stack.

But champions often find a way back. Lonis managed a crucial double-up through Guerra when his hand (a pair and straight draw overcoming Guerra’s overpair, ultimately making two pair and a rivered straight) connected, launching him right back into the thick of things and near Rheem at the top.

That double-up completely flipped the script. Only a few hands later, Lonis flopped a full house, a devastating cooler for Lautaro Guerra, who had turned the Broadway straight. All the chips went in, and Guerra, the 2023 PGT PLO Series Champion, saw his run end in fourth place, collecting his fifth cash of the series.

With Guerra gone, Lonis stormed into a commanding chip lead three-handed. Alex Foxen, the Event #7 champion who started the day second shortest but managed to ladder up, was the next to fall victim to Lonis’s surge. In a blind-versus-blind limped pot, the action exploded on the turn. Foxen made a nine-high straight, only to discover Lonis had turned a superior ten-high straight. Foxen got his last million chips in, needing a ten on the river for a chop. The final card was a blank, however, ending Foxen’s impressive series run in third place. This was his third podium finish of the series, adding to his runner-up finish in Event #5. With this result, he rocketed to the top of the PGT PLO Series leaderboard with 564 points and also broke into the top ten in both the PGT and POY standings.

Straight over straight! 🫣 @JesseLonis turns the nuts to end @WAFoxen run in 3rd place.

🔗 https://t.co/CL89Z3d67q pic.twitter.com/BFGefeNnt7

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) April 4, 2025

This left just two: Jesse Lonis versus Chino Rheem for the title. Lonis had the slight advantage with 4.97 Million chips to Rheem’s 3.91 Million. Rheem managed to land a couple of early jabs, but Lonis didn’t waste much time pressing his edge.

The final hand went down quickly. Lonis opened to 200,000 from the button holding . Rheem looked down at in the big blind and put in a three-bet to 600,000. Lonis made the call. The flop came down , pairing Rheem’s queen but giving Lonis top two pair, queens and fives. Rheem led out for 400,000, and Lonis responded with a pot-sized raise. With about 2.40 Million behind, Rheem decided to made his stand, moving all in. Lonis quickly called with his two pair. The on the turn provided Rheem with additional outs to a potential straight. But the river brought the , a brick that changed nothing. Lonis’s two pair held, eliminating Rheem and with that, he sealed the win.

No slowing down! 🏆 @JesseLonis wins his 4th PGT title in Event #9 of PGT PLO Series for $308,850.

🔗 https://t.co/CL89Z3d67q pic.twitter.com/ESiNBeX0ys

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) April 4, 2025

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jesse Lonis – $308,850
2. Chino Rheem – $202,350
3. Alex Foxen – $143,775
4. Lautaro Guerra – $101,175
5. Daniel Negreanu – $74,550

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerGO

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