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European Poker Tour

Event Organizer
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Founded
2004-01-01 in Barcelona, Spain
Headquarters
Isle of Man

The European Poker Tour (EPT) is a premier series of live poker tournaments, widely regarded as Europe's richest and most popular poker tour. Established in 2004 by professional poker player and television producer John Duthie, the EPT quickly rose to prominence during the global poker boom. The tour's first event was held in Barcelona, Spain, with 229 entrants and a modest €80,000 top prize. Over the past two decades, the EPT has expanded significantly, hosting events in iconic European destinations such as Monte Carlo, London, Berlin, Prague, and Paris. Since 2011, the tour has been wholly owned and sponsored by PokerStars, the world's leading online poker platform, ensuring its continued growth and prestige. The EPT is known for its high-quality production, deep fields, and substantial prize pools, including the prestigious €100,000 High Roller for One Drop charity event. After a brief rebranding as the PokerStars Championship in 2017, the EPT returned in 2018 due to popular demand and continues to thrive. The tour now includes a series of annual stops, with the 2026 season featuring events in Paris, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague, reaffirming its status as a cornerstone of the international live poker circuit.

Detailed Review

The European Poker Tour (EPT) was conceived in 2004 by John Duthie, winner of the inaugural Poker Million tournament, who saw an opportunity to create a high-stakes, televised poker tour across Europe. The first season consisted of seven events, including stops in Barcelona, London, Dublin, Copenhagen, Deauville, Vienna, and a Grand Final in Monte Carlo. The tour's success was immediate, with fields growing rapidly as online qualifiers from PokerStars fueled participation. By Season 4, the main event buy-in was increased to €8,000, making the EPT the largest poker tour in the world in terms of prize pools, surpassing even long-established events.

The EPT has been instrumental in shaping modern poker, launching the careers of numerous professional players like Liv Boeree and Sebastian Ruthenberg, while attracting established stars such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Gus Hansen. The tour's television production, initially produced by Sunset + Vine and later by PokerStars, brought the excitement of European poker to a global audience. In 2010, the tour made headlines for a robbery at the Berlin event, but quickly recovered. In 2017, PokerStars briefly rebranded the EPT as the "PokerStars Championship," a move that proved unpopular, leading to the restoration of the EPT name in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of multiple live events in 2020, but PokerStars launched an innovative "EPT Online" series on its platform, featuring a $5,200 Main Event with a $5 million guarantee. Today, the EPT is owned and operated by PokerStars (a Flutter Entertainment brand) and remains the gold standard for live tournament poker in Europe. Its 2026 schedule includes stops in Paris, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague, with the tour continuing to attract thousands of players from around the world.

Key Products

  • EPT Main Event

    The flagship tournament of each stop, typically a €5,300 buy‑in, with deep‑stack structures and multi‑million‑euro prize pools.

  • EPT High Roller / Super High Roller

    High‑stakes side events with buy‑ins of €25,000 and €100,000, attracting top professionals and celebrities.

  • EPT Online

    A digital series held on PokerStars, introduced in 2020 as a response to the pandemic, featuring a $5,200 Main Event and $25,000 High Roller events.

  • EPT National & Regional Tours

    Feeder events such as the UKIPT, France Poker Series, and Italian Poker Tour, which contribute satellite winners to the main EPT.

  • EPT Merchandise

    Official playing cards (100% plastic PVC by COPAG) and apparel (hoodies, caps, t‑shirts) sold through the PokerStars Store.

  • EPT Broadcast

    Television coverage produced by Sunset + Vine, with commentary by James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton, aired across European markets.

  • One Drop Charity Event

    An annual €100,000 High Roller at EPT Monte Carlo, with a portion of buy‑ins donated to the One Drop Foundation for global water access.

  • PokerStars Open

    A lower buy-in side event (€1,650 Main Event) running alongside EPT festivals, providing a pathway for recreational players.

  • Spin & Go Championship Live

    A live adaptation of PokerStars’ popular three-player hyper-turbo format, held during EPT stops since 2023.

  • EPT Main Event Tour Stops

    Flagship series of live poker tournaments held annually in four European cities: Paris, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague.

  • EPT High Roller Events

    High-stakes tournaments (typically €10,000–€100,000 buy-in) at each stop, including the prestigious €100,000 High Roller for One Drop charity event at EPT Monte Carlo.

  • EPT Branded Merchandise

    Official EPT playing cards and apparel available through third-party retailers.

Key Persons

Notable past members

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