The $1,600 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event awarded over $1 million in prize money
The 2025 Card Player Poker Tour Venetian Main Event wrapped up with intense action and a dramatic finish. The $1,600 buy-in No-Limit Holdem tournament, which carried a $1 million guarantee, attracted 588 entries. Although the turnout resulted in an overlay of over $160,000, it didn’t take away from the high-stakes battles at the final table.
Dan Stavila emerged as the champion, securing $167,076 for the victory. The Moldovan poker pro, who previously finished second in the 2024 World Poker Tour Montreal Main Event, added another major score to his resume. With this win, his total live earnings now approach $1 million. The victory also earned him 840 Card Player Player of the Year points, pushing him further up the leaderboard in the 2025 standings.
The final day of play began with six contenders, and Stavila started with the biggest stack. The first elimination came when Paul Lozano Martin’s ace-seven couldn’t hold against bracelet winner Ryan Laplante’s ace-jack. From there, the action heated up with big hands, including a one-outer on the river that gave Stavila a straight flush to knock out Evan Sandberg in fifth place.
Laplante put up a fight but ultimately fell in fourth after running into a flush, while Victor Shih exited in third place after losing an all-in battle with pocket sixes against pocket jacks. That set up a heads-up showdown between Stavila and Cody Wiegmann, with Stavila holding a slight lead.
The final hand saw Wiegmann river a straight, only for Stavila to complete a higher straight and move all-in. Wiegmann called, realizing too late that his tournament run had come to an end. He finished as the runner-up, earning a career-best $120,054. Stavila’s victory capped off an eventful tournament filled with wild hands and high-pressure moments.
