Giuseppe Iadisernia Wins Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
Giuseppe Iadisernia captured the 2026 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, taking home $611,700 and a seat in the WPT World Championship.
Iadisernia, a Tallahassee-based player, outlasted a 1,229-entry field in the marquee event of the 58-tournament series to secure the top prize from a prize pool that exceeded $3.9 million – well above the $3 million guarantee. In addition to the cash, his victory earned him a $10,400 entry into the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
"This was one of the toughest final tables I’ve played. The field was deep, and the structure rewarded patience. I stuck to my game plan, picked my spots, and managed to avoid big mistakes when the blinds mattered most. Winning here at Seminole Hard Rock means a lot – both for the prize and for the confidence heading into larger WPT events this year.”
The Lucky Hearts Poker Open began on January 6 and ran through the month with a packed schedule that attracted professionals, regional tour regulars, and recreational entrants. The Championship’s robust turnout reflected continued strength in live tournament poker in Florida following a busy start to the national tournament calendar.
Related: Seminole Hard Rock Launches 35-Day ‘Hard Rock the Holidays’ Light Spectacular
Series Winners and Key Results
The 58-event festival opened with a $100,000 guaranteed $300 Quad Stack No-Limit Hold’em event that drew 736 entries and produced a $23,360 payday for Michael Tarafa of Davenport, Florida. Beyond the Championship, several signature tournaments delivered notable winners and large payouts.
Justin Datloff, competing from Hollywood, Florida, won the $600 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em for $232,848. Asher Neaman of Elmhurst, New York, took down the $2,200 Deep Stack event for $47,000. In a high-profile victory that drew attention outside the poker community, film producer Randall Emmett of Beverly Hills, California, won the $5,000 Deep Stack for $141,300.
High-roller action was led by Thomas Boivin of Charleroi, Belgium, who prevailed in the $25,500 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em for $310,255. Justin Saliba, a Las Vegas-based pro, added the $10,000 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em title to his résumé with a $236,925 payday.
Seminole Hard Rock’s poker operations director noted the strong mix of entrants and added: "We saw players from across the United States and Europe, which made for dynamic tables and high-quality play. The attendance and prize pools speak to the health of the live circuit and our commitment to delivering first-class events in Hollywood, Florida."
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The Lucky Hearts series illustrated several broader trends in the live poker market: healthy guarantees, deep-stack formats that reward endurance over hyper-aggression, and continued crossover interest from celebrities and high-net-worth entrants. The presence of international winners such as Boivin underscores Florida’s pull for overseas high rollers during the winter months.
A WPT representative welcomed Iadisernia’s qualification for the World Championship: "Earning a seat to the WPT World Championship is a milestone for any tournament player. Performances like this highlight the strength of the regional festival scene as a launchpad to global events in Las Vegas and beyond."
Seminole Hard Rock’s next major festival, the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, is scheduled for April 8-28. The showpiece schedule includes a $400 Deep Stack opener carrying a $1 million guarantee and the $3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship with a $3 million guaranteed prize pool – promising another substantial run of live tournament action at the Hollywood property.
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