The RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition returns to Caesars New Orleans in September with $330,000 in guaranteed prize pools across 14 ring events, including a Main Event with a $200,000 guarantee and multiple specialty tournaments
The RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) has confirmed its Golden Expedition season will return to Caesars New Orleans from September 3 to 13, 2026, offering a total of $330,000 in guaranteed prize pools. The series will feature 14 ring events over 11 days, with the $800 Main Event headlining the schedule and carrying a $200,000 guarantee. This marks a significant commitment to the Louisiana poker market, with PokerNews set to provide live coverage of the Main Event.
Key Events and Schedule
The RGPS Golden Expedition New Orleans stop opens with a $400 Series Kickoff event, which includes five starting flights and a $100,000 guarantee. The schedule also features a $200 Tag Team event, a $250 Seniors Event, a $300 Ladies event, and a $300 Big Stack No-Limit Hold'em ring event. Mixed game players will find a $400 Pot-Limit Omaha event on the lineup. The $800 Main Event begins on September 11, offering four starting flights and concluding with a winner on September 13. The final day will also see the $400 Black Chip Bounty and $200 Sendoff Turbo NLH events.
Historical Context and Recent Results
Last year, RGPS returned to New Orleans for the first time since 2015, drawing 307 entries for the Main Event and generating a $200,000 prize pool. Jeremy Gaubert secured the title and his first RunGood ring, earning $45,897 after defeating Zackary Poll heads-up. Other notable final table finishers included Brian Senie, Charles Bartlett, and Ronald Inman. The event's turnout and prize pool set a benchmark for this year's guarantees, reflecting growing interest in regional poker series.
Regional Poker Activity and Broader Trends
The RGPS team is maintaining a busy schedule, with concurrent events at Graton Resort and Casino for the NorCal Poker Championships and at Caesars Southern Indiana. Following the New Orleans stop, the series will move to Kentucky for RGPS Golden Expedition The Barrel Franklin. This pattern of multi-state activity mirrors broader trends in the U.S. poker landscape, where regional series are expanding their reach and increasing prize guarantees. For comparison, high-stakes events like the Onyx High Roller in Cyprus have also drawn attention, as seen when Mikalai Vaskaboinikau claimed a $450,000 prize at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, detailed in this recent coverage.
Tournament guarantees represent the minimum prize pool that organizers commit to paying out, regardless of the number of entries. If player registrations exceed expectations, the actual prize pool can surpass the guarantee, but if turnout falls short, the organizer covers the difference. For players, guarantees provide a level of certainty about potential payouts and can influence decisions about which events to enter, especially in competitive regional markets.
