Poker is one of the most popular casino games currently played, with millions playing every year all around the world. For regular players, the next steps for them could be participating in a poker tournament. Poker tournaments can be held either online or in person, with numerous players all trying to take home the jackpot prize money.
If you regularly play online poker real money, then joining in a local tournament could be a great way to test your skills against other local players to see how you match up with players of a similar skill level. If you’ve been playing poker for a while and you’re confident in your abilities, why not give a tournament a go to test yourself.
There are numerous places that host poker tournaments, and Ireland is no different, with a number of top poker tournaments being hosted here in 2025. Let’s take a look at some of the top poker tournaments happening in Ireland in 2025.
Glasgow Poker Festival
Although not based in Ireland, the Irish Poker Tour is taking a trip out of Ireland to Glasgow for one of the top tournaments of the year. Held between the 3rd and 9th March, the £400 buy-in tournament has an incredible £270,000+ festival guarantee. The tournament is sure to host some of the best casino players around, with a number of high profile players to be attending in hope of taking home the prize money and a nice jackpot.
Due to the competition in this tournament, you’ll need to bring your A game and be sure to be at your best if you’re looking to take home the top prize. If you don’t mind traveling for the tournament, this is one you’ll be sure to attend.
Saint Patricks Weekend
Held at the Greenisle Hotel in Clondalkin from the 12th to the 16th March, this one is much closer to home than the previous entry. Having said this, it’s still an incredible tournament that you’ll want to be involved in, as the buy-in is only 100 euros with a chance to take home 100,000 which to us seems like a no brainer.
As this one is a much smaller buy-in, you can expect a lot more varied levels of players and their experience, with newer players hoping to get lucky but also build up their tournament experience. Due to the smaller buy-in, it’s a great option for either first time tournament players or ones that have only been involved in a handful up to now.
The Monster 2025
Hosted at the same location as the previous entry, the Monster 2025 takes place between April 30th and May 5th. The tournament has a buy-in cost of 150 euros with a festival guarantee of a massive 350,000. This has all the hallmarks to be a top tournament and is one numerous professionals will be looking to win due to the large prize funds.
The Monster has been around for a number of years, being hosted in different locations but all being extremely successful, with a large number of players signing up each year in the hopes of being the player that will take home top spot.
Donegal poker festival
Coming up towards the latter stages of the year, the Donegal Poker Festival is being held between the 12th and 14th September. With a buy-in of 300 euros and a maximum festival take home of over 100,000, it’s sure to be a great summer for the winner of the tournament.
If you fancy your chances it’s worth giving this tournament a go as due to the smaller total payout, some professionals may wait out for a larger tournament to attend, giving you a potentially easier route to the final.
What to do if you can’t attend
For some people, they’re unable to attend these in person tournaments due to various reasons. If you’re unable to attend but still want to participate in a tournament, there are numerous online tournaments you can play from the comfort of your own home.
Many of these offer reasonable buy-ins with some great payouts available for the winning players. They’re also available much more frequently than in person tournaments due to them being held online, you also get the bonus of not needing to travel to these tournaments as you can play from anywhere you like!
Many people play poker casually as a way to pass the time, and for some they feel they’re ready to try their skills in a tournament but don’t know where to start. If you’re able to attend an in-person tournament they can be great fun with you also potentially winning some great prizes. However, if attending isn’t an option, then there are plenty of online tournaments available for players as well!