888Poker Starts 2019 with LIVE Schedule and WSOP Deal

Published on January 16th, 2019

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As 888poker began 2019, it did so with two big announcements, one pertaining to its relationship with the World Series of Poker and one announcing its 888poker LIVE stops in the new year.

The last months of 2018 left something to be desired for 888poker, as the newly-announced online poker platform called Poker 8 was still in testing mode at the end of the year with little information revealed, much less a date for the update to take place. The site also revealed its new game called Pick’em Poker, which was teased as a poker variation similar to the different games that PokerStars had been introducing throughout 2018. But its release showed it to be more of a casino game with little skill involved and to be played against the house, not fellow players.

But a new year brings a new outlook and positive developments. Players will be pleased that the WSOP relationship continues and the stops for the LIVE tour are now on the calendar.

#HappyNewYear from everyone at 888poker! 🥂 🙌 pic.twitter.com/U5k4IbvZoF
— 888poker (@888poker) January 1, 2019

Ongoing WSOP Relationship

As has been the case for several years, 888poker will continue its role as the official sponsor of the World Series of Poker. This means that players will be able to win seats to the summer WSOP – which will be its 50^th anniversary – via 888poker online exclusively.

In addition, players who win 888poker LIVE Main Event tournaments in the coming months will also be awarded a prize package to the 2019 WSOP that includes a $10K Main Event seat.

LIVE to Launch in February

The new season of 888poker LIVE is preparing to get underway in early February, with five stops on the schedule thus far and more to be announced throughout the year.

Check out all the# livepoker action we've got planned for 2019 at #888poker… https://t.co/x9e0nkCKqW pic.twitter.com/Xgxt7RM37p
— 888poker (@888poker) January 1, 2019

Action will start this year in London at Aspers Casino and end it with a November stop at the same location. In the middle, players can get their live tournament fix at Casino Barcelona in Spain from the end of May to early June, then at the Montesino Casino in Austria in early October, and quickly on to Casino Malta for the Battle of Malta in mid-October.

Shot clocks will return for this year’s LIVE tour by player demand, as well as the big blind ante, which proved very popular with many players in 2018.

The schedule for the season, as listed thus far, is as follows:

February 7-10 at Aspers Casino at Westfield Statford City in London, UK
Main Event buy-in: £440
Main Event guarantee: £120K
May 22-June 3 at Casino Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain
Main Event details: TBD
October 3-7 at Montesino Casino in Vienna, Austria
Main Event buy-in: €888
Main Event guarantee: €300K
October 15-21 at Casino Malta in Malta
Main Event details: TBD
November at Aspers Casino in Westfield Statford City in London, UK
Main Event details: TBD

The Vienna stop is back on the calendar from 2017 after a year break, but Barcelona and Malta have become regular stops. The 2018 Barcelona Main Event offered a €1,100 buy-in and €500K guarantee, but the 709 entries blew past that promise to create a prize pool of €709K. And the 2018 Battle of Malta offered a €550 buy-in and €1 million guarantee for its Main Event, which was also crushed by 3,816 entries for a €1,850,760 prize pool.