20 Dec
The European Poker Tour (EPT) will have a new destination next year as it will hold its first ever live poker event in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta.
The move was announced earlier this week, with the EPT and PokerStars stating that the EPT Malta is set to take place between March 18 and March 28.
Portomaso Casino in St. Julians, a seaside resort in the northeast of the country, will be the location for the upcoming festivities, which are set to feature over 40 tournaments.
EPT President Edgar Stuchly welcomed the move, and said its location coupled with its attractive climate and desirable activities for tourists would help make the EPT Malta a success.
We decided that it was time to add a fresh and exciting stop to the EPT schedule. Malta is a great destination for an EPT and we expect strong participation numbers (at future events). Edgar Stuchly, EPT President;The big focus of the EPT Malta will be on the €5,300 EPT Malta Main Event, which is set to run over the last six days of the series. However, that will likely not be the only event worth watching or competing in, since two high roller events (€10,300 and €25,500 buy-ins) are also set to take place at the series.
A €1,100 Italian Poker Tour (IPT) Main Event will also be held at the EPT Malta as the EPT Sanremo will no longer be held, which has resulted in the merger of the IPT with the EPT Malta.
The major size of the event means that PokerStars and the EPT see Malta as a significant location in the context of poker in Europe.
By putting on a high number of prestigious poker tournaments in a new, but attractive island destination, it aims to attract some big names in European and global poker in order to further boost its reputation and reach.
Those wanting a chance to participate in some EPT Malta tournaments on the cheap can try and do so through a number of satellites running on PokerStars.
