The Borgata Big Big Buy-In Series added a new chapter to its history with the debut of E-Tay’s Big Big 9-Game Mix, a $2,500 event hosted in partnership with third-place Poker Players Championship finisher Esther 'E-Tay' Taylor and BetMGM. It marked one of the first big buy-in mixed events on the East Coast in years, and the inaugural running of E-Tay’s namesake tournament drew plenty of attention from the poker world.
A total of 90 entries registered, and while the number narrowly missed the guarantee, BetMGM made up the difference to ensure players battled for the full $250,000 guaranteed prize pool. The field was stacked with mixed-game junkies from across the country, including Bin Weng, Mike Leah, Allen Kessler, and Darren Elias, to name a few. Bracelet winner Dan Zack, along with stars like Chance Kornuth and Michael Gagliano, also found their way into the money.
No stopping Glantz
When the dust settled, it was Matt Glantz who emerged victorious, running over the final table and ultimately defeating Jaimmy Hager heads-up after a grueling two-hour duel. The win marked a special return to Borgata for Glantz, who hadn’t played here since before COVID. “It was a really long heads-up — she played really tough,” Glantz said. “The tournament overall was kind of soft with 90 players, but the final table was tough. Some young guys played really well, and I’m super stoked to win it.”
Glantz credited E-Tay for pushing him to show up and play. “She was staying at my house about a month ago while she was playing the Hard Rock Main in Florida,” Glantz explained. “One night at dinner she said, ‘I’m running this tournament up here, and I’m not asking you — I’m telling you, you have to go.’ So I didn’t really have a choice. Her name’s on the tournament, so of course I had to support her.”
“I’m not really great at any of the games,” he admitted. “But I don’t have major leaks in any of them either. In these tournaments, almost every player is weak in one or two of the games. I’d say I’m just solid across the board, and that consistency is an advantage.”
E-Tay’s Big Big 9-Game Mix final table results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Glantz | $67,661 |
| 2 | Jaimmy Hager | $43,658 |
| 3 | Matt Beinner | $30,060 |
| 4 | Ross Hoffman | $21,508 |
| 5 | Michael Gagliano | $16,047 |
| 6 | David Dicarlo | $12,703 |
| 7 | Luigi Santoro | $10,739 |
Follow the PokerOrg live updates from Borgata's Big Big Buy-in festival through the end of the series on September 16.
