Two of Flutter Entertainment’s giants, PokerStars and Paddy Power, have come together to sponsor the 2023 edition of the long-running Irish Poker Open. The 2023 Irish Open runs from April 3-10 at the RDS Ballsbridge Dublin in the Irish capital.
Part of the sponsorship deal sees both PokerStars and Paddy Power run online satellites, with the primary focus being the €1,050 buy-in Irish Open Main Event, which carries an impressive €1 million guarantee on its prize pool. With players able to qualify online at PokerStars and Paddy Power Poker, there is every chance that the 2023 edition of the Irish Open Main Event could be the largest on record.
CEOs of The Irish Poker Open, Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann, are delighted that players now have two online poker sites to try and win Irish Open seats. While Paddy Power mostly focuses on the United Kingdom and Irish markets, PokerStars having its hat in the ring means players from far and wide can win their way into Europe’s longest-running poker festival.
“We are very proud to announce PokerStars and Paddy Power as the official sponsors of The Irish Poker Open and we are looking forward to bringing our players another epic Irish Open Poker Festival, whilst welcoming new players from around the globe. We have exciting plans in place for the growth of The Irish Poker Open, Europe’s longest-running poker festival, and we believe, with PokerStars and Paddy Power as the new sponsors, this aligns perfectly with our vision for growth of The Irish Poker Open over the coming years. This can only be a great thing for players.”
In addition to a bustling schedule featuring 39 live events and satellite, PokerStars is set to host an online edition of the 2023 Irish Open. Dates and details of the online series will be published in due course.
2023 Irish Open Schedule
Irish Open Main Event Champions Since 2010
Dozens of household names have got their hands on the Irish Open Main Event’s trophy and bankroll-boosting top prize over the years. Colette Doherty won the first Irish Open Main Event back in 1980, and is one of only four players to have won the tournament twice. Noel Furlong, Mickey Finn, and the late Liam Flood are the other two double Irish Open Main Event champions.
Other champions include Joe Beevers, Neil Channing, Ian Simpson, and Griffin Benger. Pablo Silva and Pavel Veksler won the two Irish Open Main Event’s held online.
Steve O’Dwyer is the reigning Irish Open Main Event champion, having outlasted 2,039 opponents in 2022, and receiving €318,700 of the €1,989,000 prize pool. O’Dwyer, an American superstar that has adopted Dublin, Ireland, as his home, defeated popular Scotsman Kyle Maguire heads-up.
| Year | Entrants | Prize Pool | Champion | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,040 | €1,989,000 | Steve O’Dwyer | €318,700 |
| 2021* | 1,880 | €1,880,000 | Pavel Veksler | €265,999 |
| 2020* | 2,945 | €2,945,000 | Pablo Silva | €462,100 |
| 2019 | 1,807 | €1,805,870 | Weijie Zheng | €300,000 |
| 2018 | 1,340 | €1,347,164 | Ryan Mandara | €250,000 |
| 2017 | 1,120 | €1,128,295 | Griffin Benger | €200,000 |
| 2016 | 802 | €801,500 | Dan Wilson | €150,000 |
| 2015 | 321 | €1,027,000 | Ioannis Triantafyllakis | €200,000 |
| 2014 | 411 | €822,000 | Patrick Clarke | €200,000 |
| 2013 | 505 | €1,010,000 | Ian Simpson | €265,000 |
| 2012 | 502 | €1,606,400 | Kevin Vandersmissen | €420,000 |
| 2011 | 615 | €1,968,000 | Niall Smyth | €550,000 |
| 2010 | 708 | €2,265,200 | James Mitchell | €600,000 |
*hosted online due to COVID-19-related restrictions