IOwnU888 Wins PokerNews Online Championship Main Event

The 2026 PokerNews Online Championship Mystery Main Event concluded in an exciting final on October 27 on the 888 platform. The multi-flight tournament attracted 1,091 entrants, and the total prize pool reached $254,203. After three days of intense competition, 888 player IOwnU888 won the title by beating 888 ambassador Aaron Barone in heads-up play and took home the $25,522 first prize.

The eight-handed final table was broadcast live on 888's Twitch channel. Nick Eastwood handled commentary alone, as Barone was playing at the final table and could not appear on the broadcast. Two players were eliminated early in the first hours of the final table. Romania's 01tdr's all-in move with ace-queen ended when his opponent's pair of eights held.

In the later stages of the final, Barone faced difficult moments during the four-handed and three-handed phases. However, when the cards turned in his favor at three-handed, he rebuilt from a short stack and reached heads-up play. In heads-up, IOwnU888 started with the lead, but Barone could not stop his opponent's progress with a flush draw after his ace-king move, as his opponent improved with jack-ten.

Barone finished second and earned $17,211. With this result, IOwnU888 became the new champion of the PokerNews Online Championship Mystery Main Event.