Alexandra Botez Calls Down the Bluffs and Wins $250K Poker Champs Title

Alexandra Botez has spent enough time around poker in recent years that calling her victory another streamer cameo would undersell it by a long shot.

The Canadian chess star and content creator won ClubWPT Gold’s eight-player Poker Champs tournament, defeating Thomas “Sodapoppin” Morris in the final to collect $250,000. 

The creator-only heads-up competition carried a $500,000 prize pool and barred professional poker players, but Botez looked increasingly comfortable as the bracket progressed, particularly when opponents tried to bluff her.

Poker Champs used a single-elimination heads-up bracket, with each match played as a best-of-three.

The eight-player field was built around major online creators rather than established poker professionals. Alongside Botez were Félix “xQc” Lengyel, Tyler1, Emiru, YourRAGE, Erobb221, PaymoneyWubby and Sodapoppin. Doug Polk provided cards-up commentary for the event, while the participants streamed their own matches. Spadepoker

Botez opened her run by beating Eric “Erobb221” Robbins Jr. on September 24, immediately locking up at least $50,000.

The semifinal against PaymoneyWubby proved more involved. Botez built a lead of better than two-to-one before one of the biggest pots of the match developed with her holding K♥3♠.

After aK♦10♠4♥ flop, Wubby continued betting before committing almost all of his remaining stack on the10♥ turn. Botez used her time bank before moving all-in, and Wubby called with pocket queens. The2♦ river changed nothing, sending Botez through to the final.

Sodapoppin came through the opposite half of the bracket to set up the final, but Botez never allowed the match to reach a deciding third game.

In the opener, Botez turned a jack-high straight and let Sodapoppin keep firing with king-high. Her call gave her the first match and left her one victory from the title. 

The second game ended with another bluff running into a hand Botez was prepared to trust.

On anA♦A♠2♠ flop, Sodapoppin moved all-in holding king-high. Botez had pocket tens and made the call. Neither the6♦turn norJ♣ river improved him, leaving Botez with the pot, the title and the $250,000 first prize.

The victory is the largest recorded tournament payday of Botez’s poker career.

She already had several notable live results before Poker Champs, including a cash in the 2023 WSOP Main Event, a pair of cashes at WSOP Paradise 2024, and a trophy from a $550 freezeout side event at the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. 

Her poker résumé also includes a very different kind of result: Botez won $456,900 during the heavily watched 2022 Hustler Casino Live creator game featuring Phil Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, Alan Keating, MrBeast and Ninja.