Welcome to the 2022 Unibet Malta €1,100 Main Event
Live poker in Europe is returning back to its usual strength and all major operators have recommenced their activities with Unibet becoming the latest brand to get back underway. After a hiatus of more than two and a half years, the popular mid-stakes tour Unibet Open heads to the Mediterranean island of Malta for a five-day festival packed with poker tournaments and activities away from the tables.
The brand celebrates Unibet’s 5th anniversary as well as the Unibet Open’s 15th anniversary during the stop at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel in St. Julians and the highlight on the schedule is certainly the 2022 Unibet Open Malta €1,100 Main Event. It is the fifth time the operator visits the island after stops in 2011, 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Two of the former champions here on Malta have etched their name into the history books of the tour already as Martin Soukop and Mateusz Moolhuizen have two Main Event titles under their belt. Only Dan Murariu has achieved the same feat in the live arena since the inception of the Unibet Open and it remains to be seen if any further former champions will be able to double their tally.
During the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Unibet Open moved their competitions to the virtual arena and that's where another two-time champion was crowned. Irishman Padraig O'Neill became the first back-to-back Unibet Open Online winner for more than €130,000 in combined cashes.
Unibet Open Malta Stops at a Glance
| Year | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Top Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 293 | €417,525 | Mateusz Moolhuizen | Netherlands | €117,000 |
| 2016 | 292 | €292,000 | Martin Soukup | Czech Republic | €65,000 |
| 2018 | 273 | €273,000 | Daniel Jacobsen | Denmark | €60,090 |
| 2019 | 327 | €327,000 | Alan Carr | United Kingdom | €53,400 |
With three starting days available in the €1,100 Main Event, all participants can enter a maximum of two times and those running out of chips on Day 1a and Day 1b can re-enter into the turbo heat 1c on Friday, September 30 as of 9pm local time. The late registration for both regular starting days is open until the start of level seven at approximately 7.40pm local time following a 60-minute dinner break.
More than 100 players have won their entry into the flagship tournament via online satellites on Unibet Poker and they will be joined at the tables by the brand ambassadors David Lappin, Dara O'Kearney, Monica Vaka and Alexandre Reard as well as popular Twitch streamer and Instagram influencer "CasinoDaddy".
While Day 1a kicks off at noon local time and wraps up around midnight, players can also look forward to the Unibet Open Welcome Party and an entertaining “Blingo” session at the Intercontinental Hotel. The following day, there is a Drinks Party at Casino Malta which is situated on the ground floor of the same venue. Last but not least, Saturday night features a Players Party at the Sky Club only a short walk away in the heart of Paceville.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be on the floor to cover all the poker action in the €1,100 Main Event from start to finish. Live stream action with cards-up coverage and commentary on a delay will also be available as well.