Poker needs no introduction. The popular game was invented in the late 18th century, making it one of the oldest international card games. In 2023 alone, the digital Indian poker market was capped at $115 billion. This data clearly shows how frequently one can run into people playing poker on the streets of Mumbai or in bus terminals in New Delhi.
Although the average Indian enjoys the game without expecting huge financial rewards, poker tournaments have created an opportunity for players to win grand prizes. As a result of these growing opportunities, thousands of Indian players can now compete for a share of these prize pools. Some international tournaments can raise a prize pool of $90 million and award over $12 million to the winners.
This article discusses popular international poker tournaments. We’ll also identify indigenous poker tournaments so players can choose the one they prefer. Take a look.
International Poker Tournament
Poker tournaments began in the early 1970s, with players from different countries competing for stipulated prize pools. Over the last 50 years, there has been a significant increase in cash prizes and player participation. Some of the most popular international poker tournaments include:
The World Series of Poker (WSOP)
This tournament needs no introduction in the professional poker circle. The WSOP is to poker players what the Cricket World Cup is to cricketers, and the WWE is to wrestlers. The tournament has a record-breaking annual attendance that has exceeded 10,000 participants in 2024.
The history of WSOP can be traced back to 1969 in Las Vegas. The game between Johnny Moss and Nick “the Greek” Dandolos at the Horseshoe Casino birthed the WSOP. The tournament is held between May and June in Las Vegas. It’s open to players from any country; hence, even amateurs have a fair chance. With an average payout of $100,000 per event and $10 million for the world champion, the WSOP is the ultimate poker dream.
World Poker Tour (WPT)
This annual tournament began in 2002. Its creators aimed to crown exceptional poker players as world champions. While winners are automatically awarded a membership in the Champions Club, players in recent times have won well over $4 million.
Over 2,500 players choose to participate in this annual event. With an entry fee of over $10,000, the prize pool is more than enough to compensate the top winners handsomely. WPT has no entry restrictions, so “amateurs” and experienced players get a fair chance at the poker table. Although the first tournament was held in April 2023, it is now held between November and December at different locations.
Triton Super High Roller Series
The word “series” was rightly added to this title to indicate the frequency with which this tournament occurs. The Triton Super High Roller Series can be held as often as four times a year.
The Triton Super High Roller series began in 2016 and has seen a single player, Jason Koon, win ten titles. It’s exclusive to players who can afford the over $10,000 entry fee. This explains why the tournament has had a limited number of participants. This figure is often capped at 200.
In 2019, the Triton Super High Roller Series awarded the winner a historic $20 million cash prize. The buy-in ticket at that time was pegged at $1 million. This year, the tournament is reported to have reached a prize pool of approximately $66 million, with the winner receiving over $33 million.
Indigenous Poker Tournaments in India
With an average minimum wage of ₹178 ($2.13) a day and ₹5340 ($63.97) per month, a $10,000 entry fee at some of the most popular international poker tournaments is unattainable for most Indian players. Hence, some groups decided to create indigenous poker tournaments. Three of the most prominent tournaments are:
Baazi Poker Tour (BPT)
The BPT was launched by PokerBaazi, one of India’s poker online platforms, in 2016. The aim was to promote poker among locals. The tournament has since become an avenue for PokerBaazi to reward skillful players.
The BPT is hosted annually at the Majestic Pride Casino in Panjabi and has over 1,000 participants. Given the country’s standard of living, BPT is considered a high-roller tournament, with buy-ins sometimes as high as 1 lakh.
Indian Poker Championship (IPC)
This championship was launched by the popular online poker company Spartan Poker in 2010. The annual tournament is hosted in Goa. IPC reportedly has a prize pool of 5 crores and has also hosted “Player of the Year honours” with a prize pool of 28 crores since 2011.
Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT)
DPT is the collaborative brainchild of the Deltin Group and Adda52 Poker. The tournament was launched with a prize pool of 1 crore in 2016. Today, it is a high-roller game with about $1 million in prize pools. There is also a DPT Xpress with a smaller prize pool to accommodate other Indian poker players. The winner is awarded less than 10 lakhs.
Final Thoughts
Every Indian poker player can rest assured that there is at least one tournament for them. As more operators and casinos continue to look into the lucrative opportunities of these poker tournaments, players will have multiple and cheaper options to play poker online and offline. 7bet is one of these example platforms to provide such opportunities for poker players to win bigger prizes.
With frequent practice and determination, even an “amateur” poker player can go on to win huge cash prizes at different tournaments. Remember always to gamble responsibly. All the best!
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