Keith Lehr Wins Poker Masters Event No. 8 for $277,200 and Second PGT Title
Keith Lehr Closes Out 2026 Poker Masters With Event No. 8 Title
Keith Lehr delivered one of the standout performances of the 2026 Poker Masters series, capturing the $15,000 buy-in Event No. 8 for $277,200. The 62-year-old from Bossier City, Louisiana, bested a field of 56 entries to secure his second PokerGO Tour title, following his first PGT victory in a pot-limit Omaha event at the very same festival back in 2018.
The win adds another milestone to an already decorated resume. Lehr, a two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, now has 117 recorded tournament cashes dating back to 2002, and his career earnings have climbed past $6.3 million. While this score falls just outside his personal top five, it stands as one of the most meaningful titles of his long career given the strength of the field he had to navigate.
Points Race Boost
Beyond the prize money, Lehr’s win earned him 360 Card Player Player of the Year points and 222 PokerGO Tour points. It marked his second cash of the series, having also finished sixth in Event No. 5 for $42,500. With 265 total points now on the board, Lehr has climbed to eighth place in the race for the purple jacket.
Early Eliminations After the Bubble
The eight-handed final table shared in a prize pool worth $840,000. Several notable names fell just after the money bubble burst on Day 1. Event No. 7 champion Jeremy Ausmus finished eighth, Daniyal Gheba followed in seventh, and Event No. 2 winner Nicholas Palma rounded out the early departures in sixth place.
Soverel Falls in a Coin Flip
Vitalijs Zavorotnijs, winner of Event No. 4, carried the chip lead into Day 2 action, with Lehr sitting fourth in the counts to begin the final stretch. The pace picked up quickly, with two eliminations arriving inside the first hour.
Seventeen-time PGT champion Sam Soverel made his stand with King-Queen of diamonds and hearts, moving all-in and finding a caller in Lehr, who tabled Ace-King. The board ran out ten-high, with neither player connecting, sending Soverel to the rail in fifth place for $67,200. The four-time bracelet winner’s lifetime earnings now sit above $33.9 million.
Seward Runs Kings Into Aces
Nicholas Seward was next to exit, finishing fourth for $84,000 after a blind-versus-blind confrontation with Justin Vaysman. Seward’s King-ten ran into Vaysman’s pocket Aces, and although Seward flopped top pair along with a gutshot straight draw, the turn and river brought no help. The result marked Seward’s third cash of the series and pushed his career earnings beyond $4.9 million, adding to a resume that already includes a World Poker Tour title and a WSOP bracelet.
Vaysman’s Heater Continues, But Falls Short
Justin Vaysman arrived at this final table still riding the momentum from a historic chip-and-a-chair comeback in Event No. 6 just two days earlier, where he rallied from roughly a quarter of a big blind to win. He backed up that run with another deep finish, ultimately placing third.
With about 30 big blinds behind him, Vaysman’s tournament ended in a hand against Zavorotnijs. Vaysman limped in from the small blind for 50,000 holding Ace-six of spades and diamonds, and Zavorotnijs raised to 210,000 from the big blind with pocket tens. Vaysman responded by shoving for 1,475,000, and Zavorotnijs made the call. Vaysman picked up an open-ended straight draw along the way but was unable to complete it, sending him to the rail in third place and handing Lehr a heads-up matchup he would go on to close out for the title.
FAQ
How much did Keith Lehr win at the 2026 Poker Masters?
Lehr earned $277,200 for winning Event No. 8, the $15,000 buy-in finale of the series, after defeating a 56-entry field.
Is this Keith Lehr’s first PokerGO Tour title?
No, it is his second. His first PGT title came in a pot-limit Omaha event at the 2018 Poker Masters, held at the same festival.
Where does this result leave Lehr in the Player of the Year race?
The win pushed Lehr to 265 total points and eighth place in the race for the purple jacket, built on two cashes this series.
Who else made a deep run at this final table?
Justin Vaysman finished third after his historic comeback in Event No. 6, while Nicholas Seward and Sam Soverel rounded out the final four.
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Featured image: Triton Poker Series.
