If you are a poker player who loves any chance to mix it up in a large tournament, your options are rapidly growing throughout the UK. Online poker rooms are hosting an increasing number of tournaments in traditional land-based casinos. The influx of Internet players combined with the existing pool of primarily land-based tournament players all but guarantees big fields and big payouts.
Great future for Online Poker
The newest tournament coming to the UK is the inaugural MADchester Poker Open. This is a £550 tournament with a guaranteed prize pool of at least £100,000. The tournament itself will be held at the Manchester235 casino from November 21 through 23, and is expected to be a huge draw for the popular casino. Patrick Thornton, the head of Paddy Power Poker, who is spearheading the MADchester Poker Open at Manchester235, feels that North West England in general (and Manchester in particular) is one of the hottest and fastest growing markets for both online and live gaming. Manchester235 is, according to Thornton, the best-run venue in the area for this inaugural tournament.
The MADchester Poker Open represents what is likely to be the future of poker tournaments in the UK (and likely in other places where online poker is legal). For online poker players, the opportunity to win five- or even six-figure payouts in live tournaments from an inexpensive buy-in is quite appealing. For traditional gamblers who do most (or all) of their gambling in live casinos, the addition of online players gives them the opportunity to play in significantly larger fields with equally large payouts.
For gamblers who will be in the Manchester area during the fourth weekend in November, the inaugural MADchester Poker Open is an opportunity to make history in what is likely to be one of the most popular and fastest-growing tournaments in the region. Keep your eyes peeled for even more online-to-live tournaments throughout the UK in the near future.
