Large Number of Online Participants Progress to Irish Poker Championship
Get Ready for the Biggest Irish Poker Open Yet!
Europe's longest-running live poker event, the Irish Poker Open (IPO), is back in action starting this week, beginning on April 10 at the Royal Dublin Society. This year marks an extraordinary milestone - the 45th anniverary edition! And if last year's record-breaking festival is any indication, the 2025 event is going to be even larger and more lavish.
For the third consecutive year, PokerStars and Paddy Power are teaming up with the IPO, with several iPoker skins joining the fun. Online satellites have been running since the beginning of the year, and with the number of online qualifiers on the rise, 2025 is shaping up to be no exception.
As of now, over 1,200 players have already secured their seats through online qualifiers this year - setting a new record. Last year, around 800 players qualified, meaning we've already seen a staggering 55% increase from year to year. And that's not all - online satellites are still running for a few more days, so there's still time to win your way into this special 45th-anniversary edition of the IPO!
Here's a glimpse of the record-breaking numbers so far:
- PokerStars: 764 qualifiers
- Paddy Power / iPoker: 467 qualifiers
Ready to dive in and join the action? Hop on to one of these networks and give it your best shot!
Looking for some amazing online poker offers? Check out:
- €600 Signup Bonus! - Play one hand and score €150 in bonus play funds
- Top-quality mobile app
- Best online MTT schedule
Claim your signup offer or read our full review below!
PokerStars
This year's IPO promises to be the largest and most exciting yet, with an extended schedule full of tournaments and huge prize pool guarantees. The festival, which runs for 12 days, boasts more than 60 tournaments - double the number from last year! Three headline events come with massive guarantees:
- €1,150 Main Event with a €2.5 million guarantee - more than double its usual €1 million.
- €1,150 Mystery Bounty, guaranteeing €1 million.
- €250 Mini Irish Open, keeping its status as Ireland's largest-ever tournament.
764
Several tournaments have been extended to two-day formats, prize pool guarantees have been increased, and new events have been added, including dedicated tournaments for women and the deaf community. A wider variety of mixed games, such as Pot Limit Deuce to 7 Triple Draw, Big O, Open Face Chinese, H.O.R.S.E., and Mixed 8-Game, have been introduced. In addition, a brand-new High Roller tournament has been unveiled.
The 2024 IPO shattered multiple records, with the Main Event breaking all-time highs for both attendance and prize money in Ireland. The flagship tournament attracted 3,233 entries, generating an incredible €3.15 million prize pool.
The momentum behind the IPO has been building since 2016, with consistent growth in both participation and payouts. This year, payouts could exceed €10 million, continuing the IPO's remarkable upward trajectory.
In 2024, the €200 Mini Irish Open made history as the largest live poker tournament ever held in Ireland, with 5,320 entries. It welcomed 3,325 unique players from over 55 countries.
Paddy Power / iPoker
Overall, the 2024 series drew more than 17,000 entries, up from around 10,000 the year before, and paid out nearly €7.5 million in prizes.
467
The IPO is renowned as one of the most prestigious live poker events globally, ranking second only to the World Series of Poker (WSOP). It was first launched in 1980 by Irish bookmaker Terry Rogers and has been a staple of the European live poker calendar ever since.
Paddy Power took on the role of main sponsor in 2005, and the partnership lasted for over a decade until 2016. Since then, Entain's PartyPoker has stepped in as the headline sponsor, while Paddy Power continued to support the tour through online satellites via the iPoker network. The collaboration with partypoker proved successful, with the site sending hundreds of online qualifiers to the Main Event year after year.
In 2023, PokerStars and Paddy Power took over as co-sponsors, replacing PartyPoker. Since then, both operators have significantly increased the number of online qualifiers, sending hundreds - if not thousands - of players to the festival. Online satellites are still running, and there's still time to qualify for the €2.5 million guaranteed Main Event, starting on April 13!
Looking for low-cost qualifiers? Keep an eye on partner poker platforms like PokerStars and partypoker, as they typically host qualifiers for major live events. And remember, a strict 18+ age rule applies, with valid photo ID (passport, driver's license) required for entry.
Let's make this year's Irish Poker Open the most talked-about event yet - join the action and win big! Good luck, poker fans!
[1] https://thepokerdb.com/tournaments/ipo-2025/43916[2] https://www.pokerstars.eu/tournaments/series/irish-poker-open/[3] https://www.pokerstars.co.uk/poker/tournaments/irish-poker-open/[4] https://www.pokernews.com/news/2024/04/irish-poker-open-main-event-2023-tops-3200-players-168617.htm[5] Irish Poker Open 2025 Schedule and Satellite Info- https://www.pokernews.com/news/2025/04/irish-poker-open-2025-schedule-and-satellite-info-173772.htm
- The 2025 Irish Poker Open (IPO) is expected to be even larger and more lavish, following the successful record-breaking festival in 2024.
- PokerStars and Paddy Power are teaming up with the IPO for the third consecutive year, with several iPoker skins joining the event.
- Online satellites for the 2025 IPO are still running, giving players a chance to win their way into this special 45th-anniversary edition.
- The 2025 IPO is planned to take place in Dublin and features a wide variety of casino-games, including poker, sports, and casino-and-gambling events, with an extended schedule and huge prize pool guarantees.
