MGM claims a message about a guarantee with the event was erroneous
Players at the RunGood Poker Series Grand Prix at MGM National Harbor in Maryland were left frustrated after discovering a key event’s guaranteed prize pool was not being honored. The $2,200 Purple Chip Bounty tournament had been listed online with a $40,000 guarantee, but participants were informed upon arrival that no such guarantee existed. Many players said the promise had been “advertised for over a month,” sparking backlash across social media and within the poker community.
There was a mix-up on our National Harbor website calendar for Event #9 on Nov 3, and a flyer with the same error briefly circulated, corrected in advance of the event. Correct info was posted in-room, on receipts, and tournament clocks. Appreciate everyone’s understanding.
— Sean McCormack (@ThePokerBoss) November 5, 2025
Professional player Mac Chatham, who has over $300,000 in live tournament earnings, was one of the first to call attention to the issue. He posted that MGM “refuses to honor the $40k GTD” despite it appearing on the official event page. His complaint quickly spread online, with players questioning how such a mistake could occur during a major poker series. Several attendees also pointed to other organizational problems throughout the RunGood Poker Series stop.
MGM Resorts’ Executive Director of Poker Strategy and Development, Sean McCormack, responded to the controversy on X. He claimed the situation was the result of a “mix-up” involving the casino’s website and a promotional flyer that was “briefly circulated.” McCormack’s explanation did little to calm the outrage, with many players demanding that MGM cover the posted guarantee to make things right.
Well-known poker pro Todd Witteles criticized MGM’s handling of the situation, arguing that honoring the $40,000 guarantee would have cost less than $16,000. He noted that since the advertising error originated from MGM’s side, the casino should have assumed responsibility to maintain trust with players.
The incident has raised questions about communication between casino operators and tournament organizers. For many in the poker world, a guaranteed prize pool is a promise—not a suggestion—and failing to honor it risks damaging the reputation of both MGM and the RunGood Poker Series.
