Returns to San Jose, Costa Rica, April 3rd to 6th
Pack your bags for San Jose, Costa Rica, because The Cage Live is here to stay! After a triumphant return last summer following a pandemic pause, this event will now take its rightful place as a staple among all our exciting live events.
The Cage Live is an intense multi-day cash game that uses a time-based tournament format. It’s scheduled from Wednesday, April 3rd to Saturday, April 6th. Prize package winners will begin their adventure on Tuesday, April 2nd, with a dinner featuring other players, poker pros, and company staff.
Want in? Then win 1 of 20 travel prize packages online and you’ll be on your way to Costa Rica for the poker adventure of a lifetime. Don’t forget that as the blinds rise, so does the pulse-pounding intensity that The Cage Live is renowned for.
*** Cage Live packages are non-transferable and must be used by the satellite winner for the April 2024 event.
Online Satellites
- 20 packages (worth $8,700 each) are guaranteed through the Sunday Beast and Sit & Crush tournament. That’s a minimum of $174,000 in total packages up for grabs.
- Win your seat for as little as $0 by ranking on one of our weekly leaderboards. You can also qualify through our freerolls and $11 Super Satellites.
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- Sunday, March 3rd at 6:05pm ET ($95 buy-in) 10 packages guaranteed
- Sunday, March 10th at 6:05pm ET ($95 buy-in) 10 packages guaranteed
- Each $8,700 package includes:
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- One Entry to a Day 1 of the Cage Live (valued at $5,250)
- $1,000 spending money plus $800 for airfare credited directly to your account
- $400 for cash games provided to you in Costa Rica
- A 5-night double occupancy stay (April 2nd-7th) at the coveted San Jose Sheraton Hotel
- Complimentary airport transportation
- Free breakfast
Live Event Satellites (in Costa Rica). This takes place on Wednesday and Thursday and players can win an additional buy-in for the following Day 1.
- Daily Starting Time: 8:00pm
- Starting Chip Stack: 5,000
- Buy-in: $400+40
- Blind levels: 12-minute blinds
- 2-hour late registration
- Players buy in directly for $5,250 and receive 5,000 in chips.
- Blinds increase as the event goes on, just like in a tournament.
- Limit of 1 entry per person allowed during each Day 1.
- Players may enter multiple Day 1 flights and combine their stack for Day 2. Any player who earns chips on Day 1 will be required to play on Day 2.
- The Cage Live is a time-based tournament. At the end of Day 2, players cash in their chips, and every chip is worth $1. (For example, a player with 42,430 in chips will receive $42,430).
- Players can’t cash out until the end of Day 2. It’s called The Cage because your cash is locked in and can’t be removed from play until the event is over.
Day 1 Details (Wednesday to Friday)
- Buy-in $5,250 ($250 Reg fee), 5,000 in chips
- Three 3-hour levels
- Starting Time: 11:00am (no late registration)
- Level 1: $15/30. 15-minute breaks between times
- 11am-12:30pm
- 12:45pm-2:15pm
- Level 2: $25/50. 15-minute breaks between times
- 2:30pm-4:00pm
- 4:15pm-5:45pm
- Level 3: $40/80. 15-minute breaks between times
- 6:00pm-7:30pm
- 7:45pm-9:15pm
- Finish Time: 9:15pm
Day 2 Details (Saturday)
- Three 3-hour levels
- Starting Time: 11:00am (no late registration)
- Level 1: $50/100. 15-minute breaks between times
- 11am-12:30pm
- 12:45pm-2:15pm
- Level 2: $75/150. 15-minute breaks between times
- 2:30pm-4:00pm
- 4:15pm-5:45pm
- Level 3: $100/200. 15-minute between times
- 6:00pm-7:30pm
- 7:45pm-9:15pm
- Finish Time: 9:15pm
Second Chance Tournament
- Starting Time: 1:00pm
- Starting Chip Stack: 10,000
- Buy-in: $600+60
- Mystery Bounty
- Blind levels: 12-minute blinds
- 3-hour late registration
- Late registration is not allowed during the Cage Live in Costa Rica.
- Cage Live prize packages have no cash value.
- March 3rd and 10th Satellite winners who win their package must use it for the April 2024 Cage Live event. Unused packages will be forfeited.
- Cash won during the Cage Live in Costa Rica will be credited directly to the winners’ WPN accounts.
- Package winners are responsible for securing their own travel arrangements to and from San Jose, Costa Rica.
- To streamline ground transportation, your travel itinerary must be sent to the travel coordinator by March 18th at events@winningpokernetwork.com.
- Players who win more than one package online will only receive spending money for one package at a time. The spending money will be credited during each separate visit to Costa Rica.
- Any extra expenses are the responsibility of the package winner.
- The Cage Live uses a Big Blind Ante format.
- The Cage Live will have a shot clock & players will all have Time Bank buttons.
- All decisions made by the Tournament Director for Cage Live events are final.
August 16-19, 2023
Following a break of three and a half years initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Cage Live made its much-awaited return to Costa Rica in mid-August of 2023.
In an exciting show of skill and luck, 36 satellite winners secured their spot in the heart of San Jose, where they competed in the Cage with distinguished figures such as our Chief Executive Officer, Phil Nagy, and an array of Team Pros including Ana Marquez, Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero, Chris Moneymaker, and Jeff Boski.
The Cage Live gave players three Day 1 options and 50 players advanced to Day 2. By the end of the event, only 30 participants stood victorious, each pocketing an average of $22,000 in winnings.
Below are the nine winners.
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Elliot Peterman | $54,985 |
| 2. Christian Roberts | $41,820 |
| 3. Zenny Petrous | $38,565 |
| 4. Bruce Peery | $36,795 |
| 5. Joseph Antar | $31,985 |
| 6. Phil Nagy | $30,420 |
| 7. Dan Stavilla | $30,115 |
| 8. Ana Marquez | $27,285 |
| 9. Randall Hernandez | $26,925 |
January 24-27, 2020
The sole Cage Live event of 2020 saw Troy Quenneville triumph as the big winner, pocketing an impressive sum of $41,330.
Here’s a rundown of the seven players who left the table with earnings:
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Troy Quenneville | $41,330 |
| 2. Thomas Cannuli | $23,685 |
| 3. Ryan Depaulo | $20,905 |
| 4. Edson Mario Perez | $8,495 |
| 5. Michael Loncar | $7,175 |
| 6. Joe Williams | $5,755 |
| 7. Andrew Milonakis | $2,655 |
December 6- 9, 2019
At the Taormina Casino & Hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica, the final Cage Live event of 2019 saw 16 determined players advance to compete on Day 2. Emerging at the forefront was Melad Marji, who garnered a cool $35,755 for his efforts.
Here is a list of the players who won cash in this Pot Limit Omaha cash game:
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Melad Marji | $35,755 |
| 2. Michael Fosco | $22,050 |
| 3. Josh Borders | $13,560 |
| 4. Rene Nezhoda | $13,150 |
| 5. Mitesh Anjaria | $13,010 |
| 6. Kevin Napadow | $10,950 |
| 7. Dan Kent | $10,490 |
| 8. Priestley Leng | $9,090 |
| 9. Scott Ball | $9,085 |
| 10. Jiri Jarey | $7,860 |
November 30-December 1, 2018
In the final Cage Live event for 2018, 30 entrants competed, of which 19 progressed to Day 2. Ultimately, 12 contenders earned cash prizes in this Pot Limit Omaha clash, distinguished by its unique time-based tournament structure. Nick Boll topped the list, not just as the winner with $50,485, but also as the highest earner in Cage Live history up to that point, a record that remained unbeaten until 2023.
These are the players who won cash:
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Nick Boll | $50,485 |
| 2. Jeff Boski | $30,260 |
| 3. Corey Kennel | $28,245 |
| 4. Leif Force | $20,460 |
| 5. Joe Williams | $19,310 |
| 6. Phil Nagy | $17,020 |
| 7. Jeff Gross | $15,610 |
| 8. Svetlana Gromenkova | $9,665 |
| 9. Jenia Sigal | $5,450 |
| 10. Lewis Murray | $3,695 |
| 11. Tomas Kvapil | $2,865 |
| 12. Dan Stavila | $1,935 |
September 28-October 1, 2018
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Thomas Cannuli | $30,745 |
| 2. Alexander Popp | $17,410 |
| 3. Voitech Cervink | $15,440 |
| 4. Jeff Gross | $13,525 |
| 5. Farjad Sinael | $13,455 |
| 6. James Harvey | $13,000 |
| 7. Christopher Oliver | $12,450 |
| 8. Juan Pastor | $12,405 |
| 9. Aaron Mermelstein | $9,985 |
| 10. Eric Greenberg | $8,940 |
| 11. Joe Williams | $8,575 |
| 12. Andy McComb | $7,995 |
| 13. Ofir Schmuel | $7,820 |
| 14. Brandon Merrill | $6,725 |
| 15. Ronny Coto | $6,205 |
| 16. James Ladeira | $5,755 |
| 17. German Beckford | $4,650 |
| 18. Aleksandar Tojcic | $2,890 |
| 19. Kevin McCormack | $2,030 |
July 27- 30, 2018
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Dan Stavila | $42,115 |
| 2. Phuc Ly | $18,420 |
| 3. Alex Brenes | $14,640 |
| 4. Anthony Diotte | $14,025 |
| 5. Phil Nagy | $12,950 |
| 6. Dan Kent | $12,265 |
| 7. Joe Williams | $11,720 |
| 8. Humberto Brenes | $9,665 |
| 9. Jason Howe | $7,415 |
| 10. Troy Quenneville | $7,125 |
| 11. Vitalie Stavila | $6,785 |
| 12. Juan Pasto | $4,370 |
| 13. Elliot Peterman | $3,505 |
May 25-29, 2018
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Christopher Roberts | $21,825 |
| 2. Charles Horrocks | $18,890 |
| 3. Jeff Gross | $15,435 |
| 4. Dan Stavila | $13,100 |
| 5. Tyler Sumrall | $11,460 |
| 6. Samuel Horrocks | $9,850 |
| 7. Alex Brenes | $9,820 |
| 8. Phil Nagy | $9,490 |
| 9. Owen Gaines | $7,665 |
| 10. Juan Martin Pastor | $7,325 |
| 11. Jose David Sanchez | $5,425 |
| 12. Aleksandar Tojcic | $5,350 |
| 13. Semen Virovlyanskiy | $4,365 |
March 16-19, 2018
| Name | Cashed |
|---|---|
| 1. Stanley Lee | $19,875 |
| 2. Hugo Barboza | $13,810 |
| 3. Diego Montezuma | $13,065 |
| 4. Phil Nagy | $10,785 |
| 5. Alex Brenes | $9,640 |
| 6. Joe Williams | $9,430 |
| 7. Brandon Merril | $8,830 |
| 8. Jose Sanchez | $7,045 |
| 9. Farhad Sinari | $6,415 |
| 10. Nick Niegarth | $6,105 |
