With seven of eight events of the U.S Poker Open in the books, Matthew Wantman sat on top of the series’ leaderboard by winning winning Event #4, runner-up in Event #6, and a sixth-place finish in Event #5. Going into the second day of the final event, Wantman only had to fade two players in order to win the giant eagle trophy and the $50,000 buy-in bonus that comes with the title of series champion.
Unfortunately for the Massachusetts native, those two players were Shannon Shorr and Nacho Barbero.
If either of those men won the last event, the bonus would slip away, and that’s exactly what happened as Landon Tice bowed-out in third, leaving Shorr and Barbero heads-up to fight for duel titles.
Shorr, who is surging like a tidal wave in 2025, scored his third win in a row since the end of March in the finale event of the 2025 USPO, adding another $529,250 to his pile of tournament winnings that just moved into the $8 million neighborhood by beating Barbero heads-up. He won nearly 1/10th of his lifetime tournament earnings in just about the last three weeks.
The current run started at the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event in Las Vegas, which he won for $207,615. It was his first Circuit ring. He then took down the fifth event of the USPO for $220,400, before wrapping up the series championship in the finale.
“To win a tournament, I always say you have to run good, which I did, but I’m feeling pretty dialed in. I’ve been working really hard on my mental game,” Shorr said in the post-match interview with Jeff Platt.
Eyeballing the giant eagle trophy he that came with the title of series champion, he said: “This is awesome. I can’t wait to show it to my kids.”
Shorr gave being a father and having to provide for them as reasons of motivation after he won the WSOPC ring. He also said he pretty much removed alcohol from his life after waking up hungover last New Year’s Eve, and has been training his mind and body for the vigors that come playing high-stakes tournaments as seriously as possible.
The work, as they say, is paying off for the 39 year-old from Alabama, who now makes Las Vegas his home.
The PokerGO Tour heads to the Champions Club Texas in Houston for the PGT Texas Poker Open April 23-28. Most of the events have $2 million guarantees, so expect some of the biggest fields in PGT history. Click here for the schedule.
| Event | Entrants | Winner | 1st Prize | Runner-Up |
| Event #1: $5,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 129 | Kristen Foxen | $158,025 | Ping Liu |
| Event #2: $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 108 | Kazuomi Furuse | $275,400 | Nacho Barbero |
| Event #3: $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 109 | Michael Rossitto | $277,950 | Andrew Moreno |
| Event #4: $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 103 | Matthew Wantman | $231,300 | Yifu He |
| Event #5: $10,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 76 | Shannon Shorr | $220,400 | Eric Blair |
| Event #6: $15,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 98 | Brandon Wilson | $382,200 | Matthew Wantman |
| Event #7: $15,100 No-Limit Hold’em | 81 | Alex Foxen | $340,200 | Neil Warren |
| Event #8: $25,200 No-Limit hold’em | 73 | Shannon Shorr | $529,250 | Nacho Barbero |
