Mike Kosowski, a first responder on September 11th, 2001, took down the “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” final table, defeating Daniel Negreanu heads-up and winning the $1 million grand prize.
The season finale does not air until this Sunday, December 27th, but the final results were leaked to the New York Post and confirmed independently by Poker News Daily. Kosowski, who is 53 years old, was trounced by model Joanna Krupa on the December 13th installment of the poker game show, ultimately falling with 6-9 against Q-J when he was running low on chips. Kosowski won a four-man single-table satellite to the finale after filming of the fourth show was completed.
A representative of the “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” told Poker News Daily via e-mail, “The biggest winner from every show got a seat. Since everyone on show four got knocked out in the first round, they played a consolation sit and go among the four contestants (two who made air, two who didn’t) to determine who would fill the final seat in the sit and go.” Kosowski emerged as the champion and went on to play against three other show winners for the opportunity to face Negreanu heads-up for $1 million.
According to the Post, Kosowski was an alternate to appear on the show in the first place and competed on his wedding anniversary. His wife was present at the taping, cheering the somewhat timid firefighter on. With his winnings, Kosowski told the Post that he would pay off his mortgage and donate a portion to an unnamed charity. Poker News Daily has arranged an interview with the game show’s winner on Monday afternoon, six days before the “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” Season 1 finale airs on FOX.
Season 2 of the show has already been green-lighted and any applications submitted after the Season 1 deadline will roll over to the new installment. Text found on PokerStars’ official website triumphantly declares, “Season 2 is on the cards! After the unprecedented success of our TV show, the powers that be have declared we will film a second season of the Million Dollar Challenge. Which means we’ll need more contestants – so more freerolls and more auditions. Stay tuned for further details.” The franchise went head-to-head with NBC’s “Face the Ace,” sponsored by Full Tilt Poker, a series that received lackluster reception and ratings.
The “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” premiered on October 11th, with Father Andrew Trapp taking home $100,000 and a chance to face the other show’s survivors for a shot heads-up against Negreanu. Trapp, a preacher from South Carolina, made waves as a religious figure competing on a poker game show. Celebrities like Super Bowl champion Jerome Bettis, Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Tito Ortiz, and former Playboy Playmate of the Year Jayde Nicole took to the stage to play contestants in the first round, with Negreanu seated alongside for advice and moral support.
If the challengers could make it past the PokerStars-sponsored celebrities, they’d face off against pros of the site in the second round. Those who appeared included GoDaddy Girl Vanessa Rousso, 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker, and PokerRoad’s Barry Greenstein. Beat a pro and contestants moved on to face Negreanu heads-up for $100,000 and a seat at the Table of Champions, which will air on Sunday.
The “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge” will air following NFL on FOX coverage on Sunday, which is football’s next-to-last week of the season. Viewers are advised to check their local listings for station and airtime information.
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for an interview with Kosowski and a complete recap of the final episode of the season.