British poker pro Gavin “gavz101” Cochrane added another major accolade to his résumé over the weekend by winning the PokerStars New Year Series $5,200 No-Limit Hold’em Titans event. Known primarily as a Pot-Limit Omaha specialist, Cochrane proved his all-around ability by outlasting an elite field and banking $73,348 for the victory.
The Titans event attracted a small but formidable lineup of just 40 entries, creating a $200,000 prize pool packed with some of the biggest names in online poker. With such a hefty buy-in, the tournament lobby read like a roll call of high-stakes regulars.
Among those taking a shot were Pascal “Pass_72” Lefrancois, Samuel “€urop€an” Vousden, Dimitar “KuuL” Danchev, and Ole “wizowizo” Schemion, who exited painfully on the final table bubble. Despite their presence, none managed to reach the paid positions.
Only the top five finishers earned a slice of the prize pool, making sixth place particularly brutal. That fate fell to Spanish superstar Adrian “Amadi_017” Mateos, who bowed out on his second bullet just before the money.
Once the payouts began, Brazil’s “ferkovsk” was the first to depart, finishing fifth for $15,206. Dejan “dejanlc357” Kaladjurdjevic, an Austria-based Montenegrin, followed in fourth place, collecting $24,639.
The tension eased slightly when the tournament reached three-handed play, as Mikita “fish2013” Badziakouski—widely regarded as one of the most dangerous tournament players in the world—was eliminated in third. His deep run was rewarded with $36,282.
That set up a heads-up duel between Cochrane and Canada’s “777acenace77.” The Canadian grinder had already come close to a major title recently, finishing fourth in the $1,050 WCOOP Main Event in 2025 for $176,444. This time, however, they had to settle for second place and $50,523, as Cochrane closed out the match to secure the title and $73,348—an ideal way to kick off 2026.
$5,200 NLHE Titans Final Table Results
- Gavin “gavz101” Cochrane (United Kingdom) – $73,348
- 777acenace77 (Canada) – $50,523
- Mikita “fish2013” Badziakouski (Ukraine) – $36,282
- Dejan “dejanlc357” Kaladjurdjevic (Austria) – $24,639
- ferkovsk (Brazil) – $15,206
Elsewhere in the New Year Series, several familiar names also found success. Ognyan “cocojamb0” Dimov took down the $109 Progressive KO Warm Up for $27,262, continuing his hot streak after winning the first Sunday Million of 2026 for $138,494. Canada’s “roo_400” captured the $530 Warm-Up for $27,868, while Germany’s “Sintoras” claimed the $530 Bounty Builder High Roller, adding $26,079 to their bankroll.
Lucky Dip Promotion Heats Up
Alongside the on-table action, PokerStars is ramping up the value of its New Year Series Lucky Dip promotion, giving players the chance to win thousands of dollars in tickets, satellites, and Power Path Passes during the final week.
Every player who enters a New Year Series event is assigned a random number between 1 and 1,000,000 after playing their first hand. Playing more events means receiving more numbers, but only the highest score counts toward prizes.
From January 12–15, the top 491 scores will earn rewards ranging from $5.50 New Year Series tickets up to a $1,050 ticket.
The stakes rise further on January 16–17, when the top 631 scores will be rewarded. Prizes include New Year Series Main Event tickets at all levels, with first place earning a coveted $5,200 Main Event High ticket.
January 18 is the biggest day of all, with PokerStars handing out Power Path rewards. A total of 698 places will be paid, including a $10,300 Gold Power Pass for the top finisher. For players choosing just one day to grind the New Year Series, January 18 offers the most lucrative upside.
