Live tournaments offer not only the best excitement of poker but also the world’s biggest prize pools. We guide you to the biggest live poker tournaments, how to qualify and how to watch the events via livestreams online in 2023.
While online poker is perfect for getting thousands of hands in and playing from the comfort of your own home, there’s nothing quite like a live poker tournament. From the dizzying hum of shuffling chips to the sudden outbursts of joy (or anguish) when a river card hits, live poker tournaments can be straight shots of pure poker adrenalin.
WSOP, Battle of Malta, WPT, and The Festival Series are the go to Live tournaments every year, where best players around the world meet face to face and see who wins the biggest prizes from epic prizepools.
If you are looking to earn your spot and play or just want to enjoy the games through live stream. On this page you find information on top live poker tournaments, how to qualify, and where to watch the most thrilling live events online.
Where: Multiple live tournaments across US and wordwide.
When: Las Vegas main event from May 31 - July 20
Prize pool: $5 000 000 guaranteed
Entries: Over 6500 players
Games: Texas Hold'em
World Series of Poker, also known as WSOP, is the greatest and most iconic Texas Hold'em live poker tournament series in the world. Originally WSOP started hosting live poker events in the 1970’s Las Vegas with just a few poker tables. Today, millions of players every year bet their chances and try to qualify into the main event with millions in prize pools.
2023 WSOP qualifying online events are now available on popular poker sites and you can also watch the action via their official streaming partners - PokerCentral and PokerGO.
HD live streams are available for most of the events throught the summer and are equipped with professional commentary and best action-cam camera angles. Every aspect of this game gets broadcasted which makes WSOP the main spectacle of poker for online audiences.
If you want to watch the best WSOP live events online. Montly fees are around $10 with small discounts on yearly subscriptions.
You can also watch the WSOP Main Event play out live (and on delay) every summer on ESPN.
If you'd like to learn more about this live tournament, check the link below, where you find WSOP hands reviewed and analyzed, links to results and recaps from each year, plus interviews and videos with legendary WSOP champions.
The Battle of Malta was the flagship live poker tournament series run by PokerListings before the brand was sold to the Eden Group and Casino Malta in 2018.
Founded in 2012 the first-ever Battle of Malta live poker tournament drew 349 players for a single-elimination freezeout at the Portomaso Casino in Malta. Retired Italian doctor Nicodemo Piccolo claimed the first-ever BoM champions trophy and €35,000.
Since the beginning, the Battle of Malta has reached unforeseen heights and broken its record for biggest-ever poker tournament held in Malta every year of its existence.
It's also blossomed into a full-on poker festival that draws players from virtually every country in Europe and beyond.
Qualification: Through online and live satellites
What to expect:
Thousands of entrants for the BoM Main Event
Over $1 million guaranteed prizepool
Big payouts - over $100k for 5 players in the Final Table
The Festival Series is a new live event tour run by PokerListings in conjunction with many casino and live casino brands. This weeklong celebration brings you the best live poker tournaments and cash games, roulette and blackjack tournaments and competitive sports betting. All in one scene.
The premier event will take place in Tallinn, Estonia 27th of June till 3rd of July. From there, The Festival Series will make several stops in various cities around the world including €500k GTD Bratislava event starting in 10th of October.
The venue for the Tallin live poker tournament is Olympic Park Casino where all kinds of poker will be played 24/7 around the clock.
What makes this live event unique is that there is also live roulette and blackjack main event tournaments running in parallel across multiple days. You’ll compete against other players instead of just the house to run up the biggest stacks at the end of each day.
Full live streams with commentary and live reporting will be available for most events via The Festival Series social channels, including Twitch.
If you’d like to learn more about the event itself, you can follow on Facebook and check out the article below.
Where: Multiple live tournaments across US and worldwide
When: Las Vegas main event - June 12th - June 17th
Prize pool: Guaranteed $4 000 000
Entries: Over 3000 players
Games: Texas Hold'em
World Poker Tour hosts authentic live poker tournament experience. Here Hold’em skills get tested by the true masters and of course winners get to enjoy outstanding cash prizes. WPT live events are held all over the world. From Vietnam to the Gold Coast Australia, around the world and back to the roots of Las Vegas, WPT delivers live poker experiences for the players on the spot and for all the fans via online live streams and televised live events.
In the 1990’s WPT was introduced to the wider audiences through their televised live poker tournaments and cash games. These spectacles draw millions of spectators all over the world till this day. Total prizepools in the main events goes from $2 000 000 to as high as $6 000 000 guaranteed.
If you feel like you got what it takes, WPT hosts multiple live events throughout the year. In order to join you need to pay the initial buy-in or qualify through satellite tournaments hosted on popular poker sites ex. PartyPoker.
If you're more interested in playing live poker tournaments than watching them online or finding out their results, there are dozens of ways - and dozens of live poker events - you can qualify for for online.
Virtually every major live poker tour runs qualifying online events at either their own branded online poker site or an online partner. Eg. PokerStars and the European Poker Tour, partypoker and the partypoker Live Tour, 888poker and the 888Live series ... the list goes on an on. Qualify for partypoker Live!
The most iconic live poker tournament series of them all, the World Series of Poker, also has online qualifiers for both the main series in Las Vegas every summer and the WSOP Europe, which is now held at the King's Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic.
If you live in the United States the only places you can currently qualify online to play the WSOP are at the official WSOP.com poker site and only if you live/visit the states of Nevada, New Jersey or Delaware. If you live/play in New Jersey you can also qualify for live PokerStars events on PokerStars.nj. Check our review pages below for more info:
If you live in most other countries of the world you can qualify for live poker tournaments, big or small, at most online poker sites all year round. Check the "tournaments" or "satellites" tab in your online poker lobby to see where seats and packages are being offered right now. See our list of the Best Poker Tournament sites here:
Most packages you can win to play live poker tournaments are worth $1,000+ and include:
Full buy-in to the main event or side events
Money for travel to the poker tournament
Accommodation for several nights
"Swag bag" of poker merchandise to wear/use at the table
Winning a package online for a live poker tournament is the best way for an amateur or recreational poker player to experience the thrill of a major live poker event or series!
Watch Live Poker Tournaments Online
If you can't be at the table (or on the rail) of a major live poker tournament the next best thing to being there is watching all of the action live online via a live stream. In fact it may even be a bit better as it's hard to catch most of the action from the rail of the tournament but online you can see it all (or at least the feature table) in extensive detail.
Live streams from live poker tournaments are better than they've ever been these days with:
Amazing table graphics and HD quality streams with few glitches
Exposed hole cards and winning percentage as the hand progresses
in-depth analysis and (often hilarious) commentary from expert poker players
Pro interviews and replays of major hands or past events
In short: it's a poker fan's dream and truly one of the greatest innovations the poker tournament industry has ever seen. And it's not only the high-stakes, High Rollers events you can watch online as mid and low-stakes poker series have jumped into the streaming games as well.
If you want a full picture of where to watch the best live poker tournaments, check our poker live stream page here:
Among the rotating streams you'll find featured there with daily live tournament coverage:
WSOP
WSOP Europe
European Poker Tour
888Live Tour
partypoker Live
Triton High Roller Series
Aria Super High Roller Bowl
Unibet Live Tour
WSOP Circuit
WPT Deepstacks
US Poker Open
Battle of Malta
If you have a poker live stream you'd like featured on the live streams page, let us know via our Contact Us Page.
How Live Poker Tournaments Differ From Other Types of Poker?
Live poker tournaments are the pinnacle of poker where every element of this game plays its part. Wits, odds, strategy, luck, and body-language are all part of live poker tournaments. The live atmosphere brings new angles into poker gameplay which makes it differ greatly from other types of poker. That is why some players only play live poker tournaments, where the rush of adrenaline can be felt straight at the poker table with other players. Through the screen and internet you don’t get to feel everything poker has to offer.
Live poker tournaments are more entertaining even though rules are almost the same. Being there in person makes a huge difference, also for entertainment purposes, which is why televised and now streamed events have always been a big part of poker.
Live Tournaments FAQs
What are live poker tournaments?
Live poker tournaments are the best face-to-face poker events, where even thousands of players compete from the biggest prize pools. Every year there are multiple live poker tournaments worldwide hosting poker games such as Texas Hold’em, PL Omaha, Drawmaha, and many more.
Who can play in live poker tournaments?
Live poker tournaments are open for all players legally allowed to play. For some live tournaments, you can play by paying the sign-up fee (buy-in) or by winning entry from the qualification tournament. Depending on the legislation, the legal age to play is 18 to 21 years old. Players from certain states and countries where it is illegal to gamble are not allowed to play from that legislation.
How can I qualify for a live poker tournament?
How can I qualify for a live poker tournament?
You can qualify for live poker tournaments through online qualification events and win your place at the main tournament. Another option is to pay the buy-in or buy a tournament package that includes 1 or more buy-ins for different live tournaments. More information on how to qualify can be found on this page.
What are the most popular live poker tournaments in the world?
The most popular live poker tournaments in the world are WSOP, Battle of Malta, The Festival Series, and WPT live tournaments. During the year, there are multiple live tournaments running all over the world with millions of dollars in guaranteed prize pools.
Where can I watch live poker tournaments online?
You can watch live poker tournaments via online live streams. All the biggest live tournaments are streamed online and the biggest events also get televised and aired on ESPN. All the live tournaments have official streaming partners who deliver Full HD streams with professional commentary and action-cam camera angles.
What poker games are played in live tournaments?
Most common live poker tournament poker game is Texas Hold’em, but also other poker games like Omaha, 8-Game, are played. All poker games also come with different styles and so do live tournaments. Different styles are ex. Progressive Knockout, Bounty, Open Face Chinese and many others.