Lancaster Wins Peppermill Reno Player of Series

Mike Lancaster final tables Event 29-of-29, earning enough points to slip past Duy Ho and become the first ever two-time winner of the Player of the Series at the Poker Palooza Festival at Peppermill Reno.

Lancaster records 14 cashes in the 26 points-eligible tournaments across 10 days, earning 570 total points to take the Spring 2026 title and the $15,000 cash prize.

Ho – the points leader for the first nine days – takes home $10,000 as runner up, with Adam Saven – the only person to make the Leaderboard Top-10 every season – receiving $7,000 for finishing third in this $50,000 rake-free competition.

All in-the-money finishers in all open tournaments during the Spring 2026 Poker Palooza Festival received Player of the Series points during the April 3-13 Festival. The Top-10 overall finishers earned a share of the $50,000 prize money, down to $1,000 for 10th.

Player of the Series rules are as follows.

• Points increase based on field size only, there is no points increase based on tournament buy-in.
• No points are awarded for ‘Paying the Bubble’, so a person who earns a cash that is not among the originally posted payouts does not earn player of the Series points.
• Points are ‘frozen’ if players in any tournament agree to a chop. For Example: if the final five players agree to chop in any manner, all five players-for purposes of the player of the Series race-finish tied for fifth place. No 1st – 4th place points are awarded. Players cannot alter the tournament payouts, then finish a tournament to ‘play for the points.’
• All tournaments must play to the posted pay table to award points. If players choose to terminate the competition before the they have reached the payouts, no points will be awarded.
• Players may play multiple tournaments simultaneously; however, players may not slow down the action or run in the tournament area. Players must be able to touch their chair when the last card comes off the deck. Hands will be considered dead for players away from their table.
• In case of a tie for first place or 10th place, the person who earns the most overall money during the series earns the higher finish place. For places 2-9, ties combine the payouts and are divided equally.

Here is the entire Points Table so players could calculate their own points throughout the series.

About The Author

Dan Ross

Dan is the founder of PokerLiveUpdates, a veteran poker tournament reporter who can be found wandering somewhat aimlessly through tournament arenas worldwide. As a founding member of FunTour2.0, he searches for the best in craft beer at all locations in the poker world.

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