According to our editor research, The World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, European Poker Tour, Triton Series and Asia-Pacific Tour are the most well-known live poker tournaments. The WSOP is the largest poker series and hosts the most prestigious events. The WPT is known for televised poker. The EPT owned by John Duthie and dominates Europe regions. The Triton Series offers the highest buy-ins and organize various locations around the world. The APT is the largest series in Asia.
Live poker has a worldwide following and each live tournament provides a different experience. Many players have questions about each series and this guide will help provide those answers.
Quick Comparison of the Top 5 Live Poker Tournaments
| Tournament | Launched | Main region | Signature feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP | 1970 | USA | Gold bracelets and the $10,000 Main Event |
| WPT | 2002 | Worldwide | Televised final tables with hole-card cameras |
| EPT | 2004 | Europe | PokerStars stops in major European cities |
| Triton Series | 2016 | Asia and Europe | High-stakes buy-ins and short-deck poker |
| APT | 2008 | Asia-Pacific | Manila and Macau main events |
1. WSOP – The World Series of Poker
What is the WSOP?
The World Series of Poker is the most popular and largest poker tournament in the world. Winners of the WSOP events earn a gold bracelet. The Main Event is $10,000 No-Limit Texas Hold’em, and the event is nicknamed the World Poker Championship.
WSOP history
According to a news, Benny Binion started the first WSOP in 1970 at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. He invited 7 poker players to the Horseshoe Casino that time and players voted Johnny Moss as the best player that year. In 1971, the event became a freezeout, and Moss won it again.
The event gets a new life in 2003, when Chris Moneymaker won a seat in the event. It was through an $86 online satellite, went on to win it and the $2.5 million first place prize. The WSOP event became so popular in 2006, the Main Event drew 8,773 entrants. The record was broken again in 2022, with 10,112 entries. The winner was Jonathan Tamayo, and he won $10 million.
What is the location of the WSOP?
Every year, the WSOP happens in Las Vegas during the summer months. Since 2022, the series has been held at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Prior to that, the series was held at the Rio for many years. The brand also runs the WSOP Europe and WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas.
Why do people love the WSOP?
There are a ton of events at the WSOP and they are at different price points. Amateurs are able to play against the best in the world. Every player who wins an event gets to keep a bracelet to commemorate their win for a lifetime.
2. WPT – World Poker Tour
The WPT is a tour that is designed to be a televised tournament circuit. The final tables on the WPT are filmed using hole card cameras. Poker fans have been able to see players’ cards in real time and helped poker gain popularity.
History of the WPT
The ‘World Poker Tour’ tournament was founded in 2002 by Steve Lipscomb. The first season of this tournament was filmed and aired on the Travel Channel in 2003. Strong ratings helped skyrocket poker into pop culture. Since Lipscomb sold the WPT, there have been a few other owners of the WPT. In 2022, the WPT and Seminole Gaming signed a deal to help the WPT continue to grow and host live tournaments.
Where is the WPT held?
The WPT is held at a variety of different casinos all over the world. One of the more notable stops on the WPT is the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic. The WPT World Championship is held at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Why do people love the WPT?
The WPT gives a more “finished” and “polished” product for players. People love the deep fields and the production of the events. Fans are also able to watch final tables online.
3. EPT – The European Poker Tour
What is the EPT?
PokerStars operates the EPT and hosts stops throughout Europe. The main events come with a €5,300 buy-in. This tour typically attracts the best live players in the world as well as country qualifiers.
EPT History
PokerStars launched this tour in 2004 and later rebranded it in 2017. They then brought back the EPT name.
Where does the EPT take place?
The EPT stops in London, Paris, Prague, Monte Carlo, and Barcelona. Barcelona is the home stop of the tour. The final stops of the tour in Monte Carlo are renowned for being glamorous.
Why do players love the EPT?
This series allows poker players to travel and experience different cultures while playing poker. Satellite events make it easy for players to qualify for main events online.
4. The Triton Poker Series
What is the Triton Series?
This is the premier high roller series where buy-ins reach and go beyond $100,000. Triton is the only series that consistently guarantees seven figure prizes. Like the EPT, this series allows players to travel and experience new cultures. Like the PokerStars series, satellites allow players to win seats. This series also popularized short deck hold’em.
Triton History
This series was launched in 2016. The series originally hosted events only in Asia, but quickly grew and popularized huge prize pools. In 2019, the Triton Million in London had a buy in of £1,050,000. This was the first million pound buy-in event. Aaron Zang won this event and earned £10,500,000.
Where does the Triton Series take place?
Triton Series stops include Macau, Montenegro, Jeju, Cyprus and London. The Series moves between the more high end casinos in Asia and Europe.
Why do players love Triton?
Triton attracts the best players in the world due to its high prize pools. Players enjoy the luxury locations and competition. Fans are able to enjoy the action from high quality live streams.
5. APT – Asian Poker Tour
The APT is one of the major poker tours in the Asia/Pacific region. It runs major events and smaller side events. Buy ins range from low to high to accommodate all levels of players.
History of the APT
The APT’s first major event was held in Manila in May 2008. In 2010 the APT partnered with Resorts World Manila. And, in 2013 the APT ran the Iron Man Poker Challenge which is a record for the longest continuous poker tournament at 48 hours and 56 minutes. In 2013 the APT also extended its operations to South Korea with events in Jeju and Daegu.
Where does the APT take place?
The APT has events all over the Asia/Pacific region including the Philippines, Macau, South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Australia, London and New Caledonia. The APT considers Manila and Macau to be its major stops.
Why do players love the APT?
The APT is a more affordable option compared to some of the other major poker tours and is more of a friendly environment. It allows players to see new locations all around Asia. The APT also allows for players to compete in more internationally based tournaments.
Which is the world’s biggest live poker tournament?
The ‘World Series of Poker’ is the largest live poker tournament. In 2024, this event drew 10,112 entries.
Which poker tournament has the highest buy-ins?
The ‘Triton Series’ has the highest buy-ins. In 2019, its £1,050,000 buy-in million event had the highest buy-in of all time.
Which poker tournament is televised?
The World Poker Tour (WPT) has been televised the longest. Their use of hole-card cameras to stream live poker changed the game.
Which tournament is more beginner friendly?
Side events at the WSOP, EPT, and APT are less competitive and draw smaller fields.
How can I qualify for any poker tournament?
You can get entry by paying buy-in fee directly, by winning any small poker events and by earning subscription through out any program.
Where is the WSOP held?
The WSOP held annually at Horseshoe Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other international locations include Europe and the Bahamas.
Other Thoughts
Choosing which tour to play depends on bankroll management. The WSOP is the largest series and holds the most prestigious tournaments. The WPT and EPT draw smaller fields, but provide international travel. Triton hosts events in the Asia-Pacific region and draws the largest prize pools, but has the highest buy-ins. The APT is similar to the Triton Series. It draws more Asia-Pacific players, but has smaller fields and prize pools. The WSOP is geared towards all levels of players. The WPT and EPT slightly favor pros. The Triton Series favors the elite. The APT caters more to the recreational player. Enjoy the games and play within your means.
