Pocket7 helped Joseph Ferguson win the RunGood Poker Series Gold Expedition Joplin Main Event.

Joseph Ferguson won the RGPS Gold Tour Joplin $700 Main Event, taking home the $48,516 and a RunGood ring. He won all three of his all-in bets with pocket sevens, defeating Robert Little heads-up.

Joseph Ferguson has a new favorite hand at the final table of the RunGood Poker Series Gold Expedition Joplin $700 Main Event today.

Ferguson went all-in with pocket sevens three times at the final table and won all three, ultimately defeating Robert Little heads-up in a marathon battle to win the RunGood championship ring and the $48,516 jackpot. This is the biggest prize of his poker career and his second major title after winning a WSOP Circuit ring in 2024.

"Seven is actually my favorite hand right now because I've hit three sets three times and doubled each time," Ferguson said. "It feels great. This is my second ring. My first RunGood ring. It's always fun to win one."

RGPS Joplin $700 Main Event Final Table Results

This Oklahoma native started playing poker over 30 years ago while studying in Iowa. He now works in valuation in the electrical industry and describes poker as a pure hobby. He previously had success at RGPS, reaching the final table of the Tulsa Main Event 10 years ago, and finishing 10th at Downstream Casino Resort in 2023. "They're fun. I like the people running them. These tournaments are just for fun. Not as serious as the World Series of Poker or the WPT. So it's more relaxed, and I enjoy it," he said.

Ferguson showed his playful side after winning. He arranged his cards and read 8-6-7-5-3-0-9 as the winning photo, paying homage to Tommy Tutone's 1980s hit. His victory today will bring his live winnings to over $100,000. That's a far cry from when he first started playing. "I'm a lucky box. All in and praying. At the beginning, I admit I was terrible. I was really terrible. Just learning a little bit here and there, not as much as I should have done if I wanted to play more seriously. But, yeah, just observing and learning from others," he said.

Daniel Lowery, Cody Hughey, and others were eliminated early on the second day.

Ferguson was one of 49 returning players who emerged from a field of 400. The earliest eliminations included Mostafa Ashkarkhizani, the chip leader from Day 1A, whose AA was crushed by Daniel Lowery's two pairs. RGPS veteran Papa Karn (32nd), defending champion Cody Hughey (26th), and Mostafa's son Evan (21st) also failed to reach the final table.

Heidi Erickson, who started the day as chip leader, lost a huge pot to Jeff Copeland after making three 10s only to run into Copeland's three aces, finishing in 17th place. Lowery, the all-time RGPS ring leader, lost his second consecutive all-in to Frederick Roll, ending his attempt to win another title in 15th place, while Little hit a straight on the river, eliminating Tim Black on the final table bubble.

Copeland led the final table with 2,300,000 chips, while Ferguson and Landon Mabe were tied for second with 1,400,000 each. Ferguson secured the first elimination with AQ against Josh Hawkins' QJ, sending Hawkins to ninth place. Tricia Wu then ran into Mabe's AK with AJ, finishing in eighth place, and Mabe became the chip leader.

Two quick eliminations followed. First, Michael Varnell went all-in for 265,000, only to be called by Mabe and Copeland. They checked to the river, where Copeland bet 250,000, eliminating Mabe. Varnell showed a straight, but Copeland made a full house on the river, winning the pot and finishing Varnell in seventh place. Shortly after, Craig Leopard finished in sixth place with AJ against Ferguson's AQ.

The last five people entered the marathon.

The remaining five players battled for over two hours without being eliminated. Each player seemed to have enjoyed a chip lead at some point, only to fall to a short stack and bounce back again, with momentum swinging wildly. Copeland flopped a straight to double up against Ferguson, while Little, who had dropped to less than 1,000,000, regained the chip lead after raising to Ferguson on the river.

After three full levels, the players were sent out for a breather. Upon their return, Copeland doubled up against Ferguson with two Aces, leaving Ferguson with a very short stack. Ferguson then went all-in with sevens against Little's AJ, watching an Ace appear in the window, followed immediately by a seven, giving him trips and allowing him to double up. A few hands later, he again went all-in with sevens against Copeland's KT, holding on once more.

Copeland's journey has come to an end, with Little hitting three eights to send the RunGood ambassador to fifth place. Little was the chip leader before a hand that clashed with Ferguson, who bet 500,000 on the river. Little raised to 1,000,000, and Ferguson went all in for 3,100,000. Little instantly called with a full house of six, but Ferguson had a full house of seven, winning the huge pot and taking a massive chip lead in the final four.

During his tumultuous final table run, Ferguson admitted he didn't handle the fluctuations well but tried not to let chip hits affect him. He knew luck would eventually change, and pocket sevens proved his redemption.

"Not very good. I got really short of chips, then doubled up, then doubled up again with seven. It's about staying in the moment, you know, dealing with setbacks. Take a deep breath, move on. Forget about it, move on," he said.

Mabe's end was facilitated by a family flat-call pot. He and Little both made straights, but Little doubled up with a flush on the river, leaving Mabe with less than two big blinds. Little then hit a straight on the river, finishing Mabe in fourth place. Connor Hayward, the chip leader for most of the final table, dropped to 1,200,000 before losing to Ferguson's 9 with KQ in a run, setting up a heads-up match.

Ferguson started heads-up play with a 9,700,000 lead over Little's 2,300,000. He was just one card away from the championship when Little went all-in with a flush draw against Ferguson's pair of 9s. The river didn't give Little a flush, but it improved him to a pair of queens, allowing him to double up and take the chip lead. However, Ferguson regained the advantage after calling Little with a pair of kings on the river.

The two players continued to battle in several small pots for nearly an hour, until Little called the final 2,000,000 with 6-5. Ferguson had AQ, a board that allowed him to maintain the lead and finally bring the marathon to the finish line.

Ferguson admitted that this victory wouldn't change his poker career much. "Not much. It's a tournament win. I'm by no means a pro. I basically only play tournaments here in Oklahoma, maybe once or twice in Vegas," he said.

He may call himself an amateur and a "lucky box," but 30 years of poker experience was put to the test today on Ferguson's path to victory. And he can think twice about those two sevens next time he folds.

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