Celebrity Poker Tour rolled back into Vegas on May 10 with another CPT Invitational showdown. A massive field of athletes, influencers and entertainers swarmed the CPT tables to compete for $50,000, an engraved Rémy Martin Louis XIII Cognac bottle with matching baccarat glasses, a CPT belt, and the coveted first place title. One athlete ultimately took out one of the night’s betting favorites to claim their first CPT title.

‍

Each player began with 100,000 starting stacks with a second bullet in play, which could be used either as a rebuy or an add-on. 

‍

Our competitors were also treated to mouth-watering fare from Emmitt’s Vegas, who graciously served small plates throughout the Invitational. Special thanks to Emmitt’s, who you can find on Las Vegas Blvd at the Fashion Show Mall. 

‍

The night’s field included a roster of 50 NFL players, two of which were Las Vegas Raiders’ Alex Bachman and Dylan Laube. The teammates made an ill-fated bet before the tournament began, agreeing if one or both of them didn’t finish in the top half of the field, that player (or players) would get their final losing hand and the CPT logo tattooed on their body. Celebrity Poker Tour leader and CEO Blake Wynn would get to decide on the placement.

Sadly for both NFL players, they blew their stacks early. Tattoo time for Bachman and Laube! Those tattoos will soon be available for you to gawk at on CPT’s socials. 

‍

One of the night’s most satisfying hands came when UFC welterweight Colby Covington played musician and actor Ray J like a fiddle. Covington went All In with 375,000 in his stack after pulling A-9. Ray J called with a suited K-10, leaving the odds close, but in Colby’s favor. 

‍

“This might be it for me,” Ray J exclaimed as he flamboyantly stalked his way around the table. Ray J was right… an Ace high gave Colby the win and his first massive chip stack of the night. Ray J didn’t face his elimination quietly, playing up the drama for the cameras and live audience. “He might not leave,” said our hilarious CPT commentators. 

‍

Another absolutely stunning hand came when Cleveland Brown Jerome Ford pulled A-2, while NFL icon Adrian Peterson pulled a suited A-7 and Covington was served a suited A-K. A cocky Peterson went All In with 100,000, which Ford matched, then went All In with 350,000. Of course, Covington also called. 

Peterson and Ford both sulked as Colby flipped his A-K, but the flop added 7-A-10 to the board, giving Peterson the lead with Aces and Sevens. A second 10 suddenly erased Peterson’s lead, giving all three players Aces and Tens and allowing Covington to steal the win thanks to his pocket King. Both running backs were sent back to the locker room. 

‍

“That’s fucking crazy, dog,” a heartbroken Peterson said. 

‍

As the field narrowed, Gordie Gronkowski finished in Eighth Place, taking home a $2,000 prize. UFC favorite and CPT regular Mackenzie Dern also had a strong showing, pocketing $2,500 for her Seventh Place spot. 

‍

The Final Six turned out to be TV personality (and wife of Ray J) Princess Love, Philadelphia Eagle Nick Muse, L.A. Ram John Johnson III, golf YouTuber Garrett Clark, MLB legend Jose Canseco and Colby Covington.

‍

Lady Luck seemed to immediately grab onto Johnson’s shoulder, giving him A-J in the pocket and whispering into his ear, “Go All In!” Canseco called Johnson’s full stack with A-Q. The odds looked good for Canseco… damn good… but Johnson didn’t just land the Jack he needed. He landed two Jacks!

‍

Johnson’s luck kept rolling into the next hand… A-A… pair of bullets in the pocket! Canseco pulled Tens and fatefully went All In. Bad, bad beat. In just two hands, Johnson went from a measly 325,000 — the only sub-million stack at the final table — to chip leader with over 3.2 million. It was a cruel elimination for Canseco, who finished in Sixth. 

‍

With just 150,000 left in her stack, Princess Love made a fairly smart All In call with A-10. She had the best starting hand against Johnson’s A-9 and Clark’s K-5, but Clark pulled a Five on the flop while Johnson and Love got a fat load of NOTHING. Princess Love went bankrupt, finishing in Fifth Place.

‍

Muse saw victory in his sights after Love’s elimination. He made a gut call and played with incredible aggression, pushing 1.175 million chips forward with a suited 9-8. Sadly for him, Covington had a suited A-Q in the pocket while Johnson had K-J. Muse thought he was mercifully saved by a Nine on the flop, but two out of three cards were spades, giving Covington an Ace-high flush draw. Turns out Covington didn’t even need the flush. A Queen on the turn gave him top pair.

‍

Covington immediately went in to crush Clark’s dreams. The golf YouTuber sent in his full stack with K-5, but Covington had K-9 in his hands. With no Five appearing on the board, Clark was unceremoniously eliminated and took Fourth Place. 

‍

Then, there was another wildly bad move from Muse – the Eagle went All In with 10-4, one of the worst hands you could possibly start with. No surprise that he went home, but it was a fantastic run for someone who’d only played poker a few times before. 

‍

“I was having some fun. I know how [poker] goes, but I don’t know what’s going on,” Muse admitted. “I played some Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em in casinos. Usually I lose, so it was fun to win a little bit.” 

‍

He won more than just a little bit! Muse pocketed $5,000 for his Third Place finish.

‍

Covington, who began as one of the tournament favorites, had only one man left to take out. Unfortunately, that one man was John Johnson III. Covington leaned on his experience and went All In with K-9 in the pocket, but Johnson pulled K-Q. It was all downhill from there. 

‍

With the board showing 4-7-10-8-7, Johnson’s pocket Queen gave him the victory — First Place and the grand prize of $20,000. Covington didn’t go home a loser, though. He pocketed $10,000 for his Second Place finish. 

‍

Make sure you don’t miss Celebrity Poker Tour’s next event – CPT Invitational VII – on July 25. You can stream the event on Instagram, Youtube, X, Facebook, Twitch, DirecTV, PlutoTV, Fubo, Tubi, Freevee, Sling, and Plex. Find more information on CPT’s Instagram @celebritypokertour and cptnews.com.