FIREKEEPERS CASINO HOTEL DELIVERS ANOTHER STANDOUT MSPT MICHIGAN POKER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (May 18, 2026) — FireKeepers Casino Hotel once again delivered one of the Midwest’s top poker experiences as the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Michigan Poker State Championship returned to Battle Creek from May 12 - 17 for another high-stakes week of tournament action.
The nine-Gold Card Series was headlined by the $1,110 buy-in, $1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event, which was one to remember, with 2,551 entries generating an impressive $2,472,970 prize pool, further solidifying FireKeepers Casino Hotel as one of the standout stops on the MSPT circuit.
After an action-packed weekend, it was Lansing, MI native Sai Mudduluru who emerged victorious to claim his first MSPT title along with a career-best $357,936 first-place prize.
“This is my home casino,” Mudduluru stated, “I honestly only play five or six tournaments a year, so when you guys come here, I make sure to play it every time.”
The win marked Mudduluru’s seventh Main Event cash on the tour, all of which have come from FireKeepers, with his first dating back in 2013 when he made the final table back in Season 9.
This year’s championship continued FireKeepers’ tradition of hosting large-scale poker events that attract elite competition alongside recreational players looking for a Vegas-style tournament atmosphere in the Midwest. The property’s dedicated poker room and expanded tournament space once again provided the stage for one of the MSPT’s marquee events.
Final Table Results:
1st – Sai Mudduluru – $357,936
2nd – Grant Juric – $225,858
3rd – Huy Dinh – $172,920
4th – Brett “Pops” Reichard – $130,832
5th – Todd Wildig – $102,938
6th – Howie Guo – $78,993
7th – Kirby Rogers – $59,245
8th – Bhanuchandar Sadineni – $48,136
9th – Raymond Mancini – $38,262
“The MSPT Michigan Poker State Championship continues to showcase why FireKeepers is considered one of the leading poker destinations in the Midwest,” said Steven Senk, Vice President of Gaming Operations at FireKeepers Casino Hotel. “The energy throughout the weekend was incredible, and our poker team once again delivered an outstanding experience for players and guests alike.”
Beyond the MSPT, FireKeepers Casino Hotel continues its year-round poker action with daily games, High Hands promotions, and seasonal tournaments for all levels of play. Upcoming highlights include Memorial Day High Hands on Monday, May 25 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., where players can earn $500 every 30 minutes in qualifying Texas Hold’em games, and the Fifth Sunday $500 Tournament on Sunday, May 31 at 12 p.m., featuring a $500 buy-in and 30,000 starting chips.
FireKeepers will continue its major tournament schedule with the return of the Great Lakes Poker Classic in August, featuring 45 events and more than $300,000 in guaranteed prize pools. Qualifiers begin July 4, giving players multiple opportunities to earn their way into the action. The excitement continues this fall as the MSPT returns October 13–18 for the Spade Poker Championship.
Complete rules are available in the FireKeepers Poker Room.
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FireKeepers Casino Hotel, located just off I-94 at Exit 104 in Battle Creek, MI, is a premier Midwest gaming and resort destination. The property features 2,500 slot machines, 63 table games, a 21-table live poker room, and a AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel offering 446 rooms, a multi-purpose event center, six restaurants, and multiple lounges. FireKeepers has been voted one of the Best Casinos Outside of Las Vegas in the USA Today 10Best Awards, as well as Best Casino by audiences in Michigan and Indiana, and has earned the Players Choice award in both Casino Player and Strictly Slots Magazines in the Native Midwest category for the most first-place wins. Its signature restaurant, Nibi, is a AAA Four Diamond winner and multiple recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Reflecting its strong service culture, FireKeepers has earned top honors for customer and VIP service from Strictly Slots, Gaming & Destinations, and Casino Player magazines. It has also been recognized as a top workplace by Glassdoor, Forbes, and the Michigan Works! Association. FireKeepers is the title sponsor of the FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR Cup Series race and host of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, an EPSON Tour-Road to the LPGA golf event. For more information, visit FireKeepersCasino.com. FireKeepers Casino Hotel is owned and operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi. For more information on the NHBP, visit nhbp-nsn.gov.