Friday, February 21, 2025

Phil Ivey & Family Headline Charity Series of Poker Awards in Las Vegas

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The third annual Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) Awards took place in Las Vegas and had some heavy hitters in attendance. Eleven-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Ivey headlined the Feb. 12 ceremony at Via Brasil Steakhouse in Las Vegas alongside a few family members.

Ivey, widely regarded as one of the greatest poker players of all time, attended the ceremony with his sister, Cheyanne Ivey, the founder of the Las Vegas-based consulting firm Ivey Solutions, a new presenting sponsor of the CSOP. Their mother, Pamela Ivey, also attended.

The Poker Hall of Famer, who won his 11th bracelet last summer in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship, left shortly after the award ceremony but his mom and sister stuck around for the charity poker tournament action.

The tournament awarded $5,000 cash and $10,000 in donated prizes. Some of the players in the event included 2006 WSOP Player of the Year Jeff Madsen, PokerNews Podcast co-host Kyna England and PokerStars commentator Joe Stapleton.

Kyna England
Kyna England

Nate Gelinas of DexaFit Las Vegas took down the event, which raised more than $60,000 for charity.

Nate Gelinas
Nate Gelinas

Check Out the CSOP Award Nominees!

Matt Savage & Joey Ingram Among Award Winners

Ten awards were handed out at last week’s ceremony, including the Mike Sexton Ambassador Award and Emcee of the Year, which respectively went to poker content creator Joey Ingram and World Poker Tour (WPT) Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, who beat out Stapleton, Gabe Lopez and Alex Just.

Other winners included Greg Anderson for Volunteer of the Year, Gorilla Gaming and Bar Poker Open for Sponsor of the Year, Dave Freeston for the Daniel Negreanu Extra Effort Award and Cops 4 Kids for the People’s Choice Award/Event of the Year.

The Rookie of the Year award went to the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, a South African wildlife nonprofit run by actress and conservationist Shannon Elizabeth. The American Pie star spoke about her charity work in a July 2024 episode of the Life Outside Poker podcast.

A full list of nominees and winners is available below. For more information about the CSOP and how to donate, visit charityseriesofpoker.org.

2024 CSOP Awards Winners

Category Winner
Rookie of the Year Shannon Elizabeth Foundation 67
Breakout Event of the Year St. Jude VIVA 71
Volunteer of the Year Greg Anderson
Sponsor of the Year Gorilla Gaming/Bar Poker Open
Photo of the Year Gettting Lucky (QuickStyle Photography)
Daniel Negreanu Extra Effort Award Dave Freeston
Mike Sexton Ambassador Award Joe Ingram
Emcee of the Year Matt Savage
Earner of the Year St. Jude VIVA 71
People’s Choice Award/Event of the Year Cops 4 Kids 66 & 72

People’s Choice Award/Event of the Year

  • St. Jude VIVA 71
  • Cops 4 Kids
  • Families for Effective Autism Treatment
  • Shannon Elizabeth Foundation

Emcee of the Year

  • Matt Savage
  • Joe Stapleton
  • Gabe Lopez
  • Alex Just

Mike Sexton Ambassador Award

  • Joey Ingram
  • Mike Matusow
  • Allen Glatts
  • Jesse Capps

Daniel Negreanu Extra Effort Award

  • Joey Ingram
  • Dave Freeston
  • Ricardo Aker
  • Allen Glatts

Photo of the Year

Winner: Getting Lucky (QuickStyle Photography)

CSOP Photo of the Year Nominee
CSOP Photo of the Year Nominee
CSOP Photo of the Year Nominee
CSOP Photo of the Year Nominee
  • Cirrus Aviation
  • Gorilla Gaming/Bar Poker Open
  • Lexicon Bank
  • SKC Group

Breakout Event of the Year

  • Cops 4 Kids
  • Make-A-Wish of Southern Florida
  • The Ability Center
  • St. Jude VIVA

Rookie of the Year

  • Hundley Foundation
  • UNLV Hockey
  • Shannon Elizabeth Foundation
  • Williams-Marshall Cares Leadership Program
Connor Richards

Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

Connor Richards is an Editor & Live Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for two Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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