The victory came as Ozturk made his18th final table appearance since 2023
Umut Ozturk captured another title on the Major Series of Poker circuit, winning the 2026 Ohio Poker State Championship at JACK Cleveland Casino. The $1,110 Main Event drew 801 entries across three starting flights, building a $775,470 prize pool.
Eighty-nine players advanced to Day 2, all chasing the title and a share of the money. Ozturk, a Hall of Famer on the tour and back-to-back Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024, outlasted the field to secure his second MSPT crown.
A pivotal hand came against fellow standout Josh Reichard late on Day 2. The chips went in preflop with Ozturk holding ace-king against pocket queens. A king on the river flipped the script, sending Reichard to the rail and giving Ozturk the momentum he needed.
From there, Ozturk leaned on experience. As other big names such as Jake Bazeley and Frank Lagodich exited, he recognized an edge at the table. He later said that once the field thinned, he felt confident he was the most seasoned player remaining.
The victory marked Ozturk’s 18th final table appearance since 2023 and pushed him to fourth on the tour’s all-time earnings list. He dedicated the win to fellow Minnesota players, continuing a theme from an earlier state championship triumph.
Several familiar faces made deep runs, including Lagodich, Bazeley, and others who added to their MSPT résumés. The tour now heads to stops in Milwaukee, Larchwood, Riverside, and St. Louis, where more titles will be decided in the coming weeks.
