The first edition of The Festival Series in Bratislava exceeded all expectations. It was a week filled with poker tournaments, blackjack, roulette, and sports betting. The event took place at Banco Casino, running 24 hours a day from September 20th to 26th. Take a look at this brief overview of the inaugural festival.
There were 621 participants and a total prize pool of 300,000 euros.
In partnership with Banco Casino, the €550 Poker Main Event showcased an impressive total prize of €300,000. This inaugural edition proved to be a triumph with an astounding number of 621 participants. The organizers boldly set the bar high, and the resounding success of the event surpassed all expectations.
71 seats were filled at the final table, which ended up being predominantly represented by Austrians. The top three runners came from Austria and reached an agreement that granted the winner almost €60,000. Martin Mauthner became the first champion of The Festival Series. Known as "The Austrian Sammy Farha," he has been part of the poker scene for decades and used to work as a dealer at European Poker Tour events. Now, he plays for fun and has just achieved the highest score of his career.
These are the outcomes of the final table:
- Buy-In: € 550
- Registration: 621
- Total prize: €304,245
# Player | Country | Award | Agreement |
---|---|---|---|
1 Martin Mauthner | Austria | €59.000 | €56.870 |
2 That's Rajakovic | Austria | €43.000 | €45.130 |
3 Vedral David | Austria | €38.270 | €38.270 |
4 Henry Mania | Germany | €20.500 | |
5 Photios Konstantinos | Greece | €14.000 | |
6 Peter Hanke | Austria | €10.000 | |
Bogovski Dushko St | Macedonia | €7.500 | |
8 Viktor Eriksson | Sweden | €5.975 | |
9 Erik Seffer | Slovakia | €4.600 |
Check out the conversation with the first champion of The Festival Series.
Poker tournaments
The event primarily centered around poker tournaments, featuring a variety of unusual variants such as Drawmaha (or Sviten Special), Open-Face-Chinese, Heads-Up, and multiple PLO events.
The Festival Series' primary media partner, PokerListings, successfully sponsored the €220 PokerListings Deepstack event, which garnered the participation of 194 individuals and awarded over €36,000 in prizes. Emerging as the victor was the renowned British poker player, JJ Hazan, who has also made frequent appearances as a commentator during live broadcasts.
Enjoyment in roulette and blackjack
The Festival Series not only provides poker championships but also other casino games. In Bratislava, blackjack and roulette tournaments took place, with the roulette tournament being particularly thrilling. A grand total of 34 participants battled it out for a prize pool exceeding €7,000. The event unfolded during the early evening hours, featuring complimentary beers and a lively atmosphere. Emerging victorious and pocketing €2,500 was none other than Tommi Heimonen, a renowned Poker Pro and Twitch streamer.
Sports betting
The event featured three sports betting tournaments, showcasing three prize categories - Freeroll, Lowroller (€35), and Highroller (€250). Each aimed to outpace their opponents' bets across multiple sports championships taking place on the same day. Martin "Franke" von Zweigbergk, the festival's founder, emerged victorious in all three categories.
Swimming pool, wine tasting, and cabaret
It wasn't solely a poker and casino event; players also had the opportunity to indulge in additional activities. During the initial days of the festival, a billiards tournament took place at a local pool club, followed by a delightful wine tasting dinner for all event participants, culminating in an unforgettable evening at a cabaret club.
Next stop
With the successful conclusion of this first edition, the festival team is already gearing up for the next event in the series. The upcoming destination in Europe will be unveiled in the coming months. The team is committed to going the extra mile to ensure that the second edition surpasses the success of Bratislava. Stay tuned to the official website for updates.
Check out the interview with Gerard Serra, the tournament director.
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