PokerStars is delighted to announce that it will sponsor the Irish Poker Open, one of the world’s most prestigious and longest-running poker festivals, at its next event.

The festival will be held in the RDS Ballsbridge Dublin from April 3-10, 2023 and will have sponsorship from both PokerStars and Paddy Power, both part of Flutter Entertainment.

This partnership not only means that satellites for the event will take place on both PokerStars and Paddy Power platforms, but that there will also be live streaming akin to what you see on the European Poker Tour (EPT).

Moreover, PokerStars will run an online Irish Poker Open series ahead of the event, details of which will be announced soon.

The Irish Poker Open Main Event has a €1K buy-in and a guarantee of €1M, plus there will be other tournaments and plenty of activities on and off the felt.

The full Irish Poker Open schedule will be revealed soon.

THE HISTORY OF THE IRISH POKER OPEN

The Irish Poker Open has been a must-visit stop on any poker player’s travel list for decades. 

It’s not just the incredible Dublin location or the festive community spirit that makes it essential on the international poker calendar, however. This is an event steeped in history.

The Irish Poker Open is the longest-running no limit hold’em tournament outside of Las Vegas, with a history dating back more than 42 years. It firmly established itself on the world stage in 1984, when 25 American players–including the legends Stu Ungar, Chip Reese and Doyle Brunson–made the journey to Dublin. That tournament was televised, the interest was huge, and the Irish Poker Open hasn’t slowed down since.

More recently, the likes of Steve O’Dwyer (who has lived in Dublin for the past 10 years) and PokerStars commentator Griffin Benger have taken down the Main Event. O’Dwyer, the reigning champ, beat a field of 2,040 entries in his home city to win the first-place prize of €318,700. The Main Event prize pool this year was close to €2 million, well surpassing the €1 Million Guaranteed which remains in place for the 2023 Main Event.

RECENT WINNERS

2022 – Steve O’ Dwyer – €318,700
2020 – Pablo Silva – €462,100
2019 – Weijie Zheng – €300,000
2018 – Ryan Mandara – €250,000
2017 – Griffin Benger – €200,000
2016 – Dan Wilson – €150,000
2015 – Ioannis Triantafyllakis – €200,000
2014 – Patrick Clarke – €200,000
2013 – Ian Simpson – €265,000
2012 – Kevin Vandersmissen – €420,000
2011 – Niall Smyth – €550,000
2010 – James Mitchell – €600,000
2009 – Christer Johansson – €600,000
2008 – Neil Channing – €801,000

ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP

Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann, CEOs of The Irish Poker Open, said: “We are very proud to announce PokerStars and Paddy Power as the official sponsors of The Irish Poker Open and we are looking forward to bringing our players another epic Irish Open Poker Festival, whilst welcoming new players from around the globe! 

“We have exciting plans in place for the growth of The Irish Poker Open, Europe’s longest-running poker festival, and we believe, with PokerStars and Paddy Power as the new sponsors, this aligns perfectly with our vision for the growth of The Irish Poker Open over the coming years. This can only be a great thing for players.”

Kevin Harrington, Chief Commercial Officer at PokerStars, said: “Ireland is the home of Flutter and we are truly delighted to partner with the already well-loved Open and work with our colleagues at Paddy Power and The Irish Poker Open to make this a very special event for all our players, not only for those in Ireland but for players from across the world. ” 

Spokesman Paddy Power said: “Paddy Power have over a decade of heritage as former sponsors of The Irish Poker Open, so the opportunity to make a comeback bigger than Boris Johnson (we could tell he was bluffing) by going all in with our colleagues in Flutter made us royally flush with excitement. 

“By the very nature of its warm hospitality, Dublin – which bears a remarkable resemblance to Vegas if you crank up the central heating – always attracts a full house. And we’re at full tilt with plans to ensure the 2023 Irish Poker Open is the greatest poker tournament Europe has ever witnessed. On a more personal note, I’ve vowed to brush up on my poker puns before we return to the table.” 

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