European Poker Tour

Last Updated on June 16, 2026 by Bala Kumar

The European Poker Tour (EPT) is not just a series of card games; it is the pinnacle of international poker prestige. Since its inception in 2004, the EPT has transformed from a fledgling European circuit into a global phenomenon that rivals the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in terms of production quality, player talent, and sheer atmosphere.

The 2026 season has already delivered headline action at Paris and Monte Carlo, with EPT Barcelona in August set to be one of the summer’s biggest live poker festivals. Here is everything you need to know about the current EPT season, recent results, upcoming stops, and how to qualify for your seat.

1. Introduction

The European Poker Tour, operated by PokerStars, is one of the most prestigious live poker circuits in the world. It hosts televised poker festivals in the most glamorous cities across Europe, from the sun-drenched casinos of Barcelona to the snowy peaks of Prague and the high-roller paradise of Monte Carlo. The EPT offers an experience that feels more like a luxury vacation than a gambling trip.

Who should play: Passionate amateurs looking for a “bucket list” experience and professional grinders seeking the highest ROI in live poker.

Key Highlight: The EPT Main Event features a €5,300 buy-in and consistently attracts massive fields. EPT Barcelona 2026 is expected to feature one of the biggest Main Event prize pools in EPT history, with a projected €10 million guarantee.

2. Tournament Rating

Prestige & Popularity: ★★★★★ Widely considered one of the most prestigious live tours in poker. An EPT title is considered one of the major achievements for players chasing poker’s Triple Crown.

Prize Pool Value: ★★★★★ Massive prize pools and huge organic fields mean first-place prizes regularly exceed €800,000.

Competition Level: ★★★★☆ While the Main Events are softer due to many qualifiers, the side events and High Rollers are among the toughest in the world.

Accessibility (Buy-in/Entry): ★★★☆☆ Direct buy-ins are expensive (€1,100 to €250,000), but PokerStars runs an industry-leading satellite system starting at just a few Euros.

3. Tournament Overview

Category	Details
Organizer	PokerStars
Founded	2004
Tournament Type	Live Poker Festival
Primary Game	No-Limit Hold’em (with PLO, Mixed, and 8-Game side events)
2026 Stops	Paris, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Prague
Frequency	4–6 stops per year
Main Event Buy-in	€5,300
Tracking Body	The Hendon Mob, PokerStars LIVE

4. The 2026 EPT Calendar

EPT Paris — February 18 to March 1, 2026 (Completed) Held at Le Palais des Congrès. Featured 52 events. Main Event drew 1,474 entries and generated a prize pool just over €7 million. Champion: Jorge Abreu (Portugal).

EPT Monte-Carlo — April 30 to May 10, 2026 (Completed) Held at Sporting Monte-Carlo. The 21st anniversary of EPT Monte-Carlo. Main Event drew 1,011 entries for a prize pool of €4,903,350. Champion: Roman Stoica (Russia).

EPT Barcelona — August 16 to 29, 2026 (Upcoming) Held at Casino Barcelona. The 22nd edition of the tour’s oldest stop, with a projected €10 million Main Event guarantee.

EPT Prague — December 2026 (Expected, dates to be confirmed) Traditionally hosted at Hilton Prague. The 2024 edition drew 1,458 Main Event entries for a €7,071,300 prize pool.

Malta and Cyprus remain plausible additions, but neither has been officially confirmed for the 2026 calendar.

5. Recent Results

EPT Paris 2026 Main Event Winner: Jorge Abreu (Portugal) Entries: 1,474 Prize pool: Just over €7 million Notable side action: PokerStars ambassador Raul Mestre won the Spin & Go Championship Live for €92,539.

EPT Monte-Carlo 2026 Main Event Winner: Roman Stoica (Russia) First prize: €825,000 Runner-up: Bernhard Binder (Austria) Entries: 1,011 (including 309 re-entries) Prize pool: €4,903,350 Players paid: 151 (min-cash €9,200)

EPT Monte-Carlo 2026 — Other Notable Results €250,000 Super High Roller: Alex Kulev won €2.7 million from a prize pool of €9,310,000 (38 entries). €100,000 Invitational Sit & Go: High-stakes professional Jason Koon won €1,000,000 in a winner-takes-all format featuring nine of poker’s biggest stars. €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event: Joris Ruijs won €317,398 after a heads-up deal with Leon Sturm, beating a field of 1,634 entries. Mystery Bounty: Viacheslav Goryachev claimed his first major title.

6. EPT Barcelona 2026 — Upcoming Headline Stop

Dates: August 16 to 29, 2026 Venue: Casino Barcelona Season: XXII

The tour’s oldest and largest stop. EPT Barcelona 2025 produced one of the three largest Main Events in tour history, with French professional Thomas Eychenne winning over €1.2 million from a near €10 million prize pool. The 2026 edition is anticipated to attract a similarly massive field.

Confirmed buy-in tiers for Barcelona 2026:

PokerStars Open Main Event: €1,650 (August 16–22, the curtain-raiser) PokerStars Open Cup: €825 EPT Main Event: €5,300 (projected €10 million guarantee, starts around August 22) EPT Mystery Bounty: €3,250 EPT High Roller: €10,300 Super High Roller: €50,000 Ultra High Roller: €100,000

Based on previous EPT Barcelona prize pools, the winner could potentially receive a seven-figure payout, though final figures will depend on the actual size of the field.

What’s new in 2026: An expanded “Activity Calendar” with organized fitness sessions, city tours, padel tournaments, and exclusive player parties. The Spin & Go Championship Live is also expected to return.

The full event-by-event schedule is expected to be released by PokerStars in early-to-mid July 2026.

7. Buy-in & Entry Details

The EPT caters to a wide financial spectrum.

Main Event: €5,300 PokerStars Open / Cup: €825 to €1,650 Mystery Bounty: €3,250 High Roller: €10,300 Super High Roller: €25,000 to €50,000 Ultra High Roller: €100,000 to €250,000 Online Satellites: From as little as €1.10 via traditional qualifiers, or via the PokerStars Power Path system

8. Prize Pool & Payout Structure

Typical Main Event Pool: €4.9 million to €10 million range, depending on the stop Payout Percentage: Approximately the top 15% of the field gets paid (In The Money) Winner’s Share: Approximately 15–18% of total prize pool Min-Cash: Typically 1.5x to 2x the buy-in (around €8,000–€10,000 for a €5,300 Main Event)

Reference points from 2026 results: Paris Main Event winner: Approximately €900,000 (Jorge Abreu) Monte-Carlo Main Event winner: €825,000 (Roman Stoica) Barcelona Main Event winner: Historically in the seven-figure range based on past prize pools

9. Tournament Format & Structure

The EPT is famous for its Deepstack structures, which favor skilled players by allowing more room for post-flop play.

Game Type: Primarily No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE), with Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), 8-Game, and Mixed Game side events Starting Stack: 30,000 chips (approximately 300 big blinds deep) Blind Levels: 60 minutes for smaller events, 90 minutes for Main Events Speed: Standard Deepstack, with Turbo versions for one-day side events Re-entry: Typically allowed across multiple Day 1 flights

10. Special Features

Shot Clock: Used in High Roller events to speed up play Mystery Bounty: Now a staple at every EPT stop. Gold-envelope knockouts can be worth up to €100,000. Spin & Go Championship Live: A 3-handed multi-table tournament that brings online qualifiers to the live felt. Returned at EPT Paris 2026 with PokerStars ambassador Raul Mestre as winner. Platinum Passes: Occasionally awarded, giving winners a full package to the PokerStars Players Championship. Dynamic Stream Delay: Debuted at EPT Monte-Carlo 2026 to reduce in-tournament breaks during live coverage.

11. Player Field & Competition Level

The EPT field is a unique cocktail of players: high-net-worth amateurs in the High Rollers, online professionals in hoodies, and casual tourists who won a small satellite.

Skill Level Analysis: The Main Event is a marathon. Early on (Day 1), the play tends to be more recreational. By Day 3, the field is concentrated with professionals.

Practical Insight: It is generally softer than an equivalent online tournament because the physical element of live poker often causes casual players to play more conservatively.

12. How to Qualify Online

PokerStars runs one of the most accessible qualification systems in live poker.

Power Path System (Recommended for recreational players) A structured four-step program where players progress by winning tickets rather than buying in directly. In October 2024, the Step 4 buy-in was lowered from $109 to $55 to make qualification more accessible.

Pass Values: Spade Pass: $109 Bronze Pass: $530 Silver Pass: $2,300 Gold Pass: $10,300 (includes Main Event seat plus hotel and travel allowance)

Traditional Satellites PokerStars runs daily satellites starting from €5.50 (or even €1.10 for some feeder tournaments), with multi-step qualifiers leading up to the €530 final step for Main Event seats.

Live Satellites Available at Casino Barcelona during the festival, typically €100 to €500 buy-ins, awarding direct seats into Main and side events.

Important timing note: Online satellite volume typically ramps up significantly 6 to 8 weeks before each EPT stop. For EPT Barcelona, the heaviest schedule generally runs from late June through August.

13. Past Champions & Hall of Fame

The EPT has crowned legends throughout its 22-year history.

Roman Stoica: 2026 EPT Monte-Carlo champion (€825,000) Jorge Abreu: 2026 EPT Paris champion Thomas Eychenne: 2025 EPT Barcelona champion (over €1.2 million) Pedro Marques: 2024 EPT Prague champion (€963,450) Barny Boatman: 2024 EPT Paris champion, oldest-ever EPT winner Victoria Coren Mitchell: First and only two-time EPT Main Event champion Mike “Timex” McDonald: Won EPT Dortmund at age 18 Adrián Mateos: Won the Season 11 Grand Final in Monte Carlo at 20 Alexander Stevic: First-ever EPT winner (Barcelona 2004)

All results are tracked on The Hendon Mob and the PokerStars LIVE app.

14. Typical Festival Schedule Format

A typical EPT stop lasts 10 to 14 days.

Days 1 to 6: PokerStars Open events and lower buy-in side events Days 5 to 8: Mid-week side events including Mystery Bounty starting flights Days 6 to 12: EPT Main Event (Day 1A, 1B, Day 2 through Final Table) Final Weekend: High Roller and Super High Roller events alongside Main Event Final Table

15. How to Play (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Open an eligible PokerStars account where the service is available in your region. Always confirm that online poker is legally permitted in your jurisdiction before depositing.

Step 2: Navigate to the “Live Events” or “EPT” tab in the PokerStars client. Search for “EPT Barcelona” or “Power Path.”

Step 3: Choose your qualification route. Power Path is recommended for recreational players. Direct satellites work better for experienced satellite grinders.

Step 4: Win a package (seat plus hotel plus travel allowance) or a direct seat ticket.

Step 5: Sort your travel documents. Schengen visas for Spain typically require 6 to 8 weeks of lead time. Start the process well in advance if targeting Barcelona.

Step 6: Register on-site at Casino Barcelona with a valid passport and your PokerStars confirmation email.

Step 7: Arrive 15 minutes before the start. Phones must stay off the table when you are involved in a hand.

16. Pros and Cons

Pros: Strong production quality with established venues and professional staff Deep structure means very little luck is required in the early levels Networking opportunities with some of the biggest names in poker Online qualification makes it accessible to a global player base Live streaming with hole-cards-up coverage on YouTube and Twitch

Cons: Travel, hotels, and food in cities like Monte Carlo or Paris are very expensive Long days of play (10 to 12 hours) can be physically draining Visa logistics require lead time for non-EU players Buy-ins for direct entry are out of reach for most casual players

17. Strategy Tips

Beginner Tip: Respect the 90-Minute Levels In a turbo online game, you have to gamble. In an EPT, you can afford to wait. Don’t feel pressured to play marginal hands in Level 1.

Mid-Stage Strategy: The Bubble As the money bubble approaches, professional players will start raising more aggressively to steal blinds from shorter stacks. If you have a medium stack, don’t be afraid to stand your ground. But if you are a satellite winner just looking to min-cash, it is reasonable to tighten up.

Final Table Approach: ICM At the final table, the jumps in prize money are massive — often €100,000 or more between positions. Use an ICM (Independent Chip Model) mindset. Sometimes folding a strong hand can be the correct play if two other players are about to bust out and give you a major pay jump.

18. Devices & Accessibility

Live Access: Physical attendance at the host casino Digital Integration: The PokerStars LIVE App (iOS/Android) tracks blind levels, tournament clocks, chip counts, and your seat draw in real-time Streaming: Most EPTs are broadcast on YouTube and Twitch with hole-cards-up coverage Live Updates: PokerNews provides hand-by-hand reporting from every Main Event

19. Who Is It Best For

The Professional: For the high stakes action, deep structures, and pro-level competition in the High Rollers The Dreamer: For the satellite winner who wants to turn a small online entry into a major live cash The Enthusiast: For anyone who loves the sport of poker and wants to experience a world-class broadcast environment

20. Frequently Asked Questions

When is the next EPT stop after Monte Carlo 2026? EPT Barcelona, running August 16–29, 2026, at Casino Barcelona.

What is the buy-in for the EPT Main Event? €5,300 across every stop in 2026.

Are EPT Main Events guaranteed? Historically, EPT Main Events did not require guarantees because the brand drove organic fields. EPT Barcelona 2026 is projected to feature a €10 million Main Event guarantee, pending official confirmation closer to the event.

Who won EPT Monte Carlo 2026? Roman Stoica from Russia, defeating Bernhard Binder heads-up for €825,000.

Who won EPT Paris 2026? Jorge Abreu from Portugal, from a 1,474-entry field and a €7 million+ prize pool.

How can I qualify online? Through the PokerStars Power Path system or traditional satellites, with entry points starting as low as €1.10. Full Gold Pass packages include the €5,300 Main Event buy-in plus hotel and travel allowance. Players should confirm online poker is legally permitted in their region before participating.

Do EPT events offer re-entries? Most do,  typically with multiple Day 1 flights and one re-entry permitted per flight. Check each specific event structure on PokerStarsLive.

Where can I watch EPT live streams? PokerStars YouTube and Twitch channels stream final tables and feature tables with hole-cards-up coverage. The PokerStars LIVE app (iOS/Android) tracks chip counts, the tournament clock, and your seat draw in real time.

Will there be more EPT stops in 2026 beyond Prague? As of June 2026, only Paris, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague have been confirmed. Malta and Cyprus are plausible but unannounced.

Do I need a Schengen visa to play EPT Barcelona? Yes, for most non-EU passport holders. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for the application process.

21. Final Verdict

The European Poker Tour remains one of the gold standards of live poker for a reason. It balances the sport of poker with the spectacle of a festival.

With Paris and Monte-Carlo already completed in 2026, EPT Barcelona (August 16 to 29) is the next major stop on the calendar. The projected €10 million Main Event guarantee, combined with summer in Catalonia, makes it one of the must-watch festivals of the year. EPT Prague in December is expected to close the season with its traditional winter atmosphere.

If you only play one live tournament series in your life, the EPT is a strong contender. And if you can only play one EPT in 2026, Barcelona offers the most accessible structure and the largest projected field. Online satellites and Power Path qualifiers are active on PokerStars now, so players targeting Barcelona have approximately two months to qualify.

Key Strength: Game integrity, player experience, and broadcast production. Worth playing: Yes. Even the €1,100 side events offer competitive value and a strong festival experience.

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