Kings of Vilnius 2026 will run from December 4 to 13 at Olympic Casino Lietuva, with OlyBet bringing 35 tournaments and a €250,000 guaranteed €1,100 Main Event to the Lithuanian capital. The eleven-day festival is one of the last major live poker stops of the European calendar, and its mix of mid-stakes championships, mixed games and low-cost satellites makes it one of the most accessible series in the region.
Here is the complete guide to the Kings of Vilnius schedule, the key events, the satellite routes and what players should know before booking a trip.
Festival at a Glance
- Dates: December 4-13, 2026 (eleven days)
- Venue: Olympic Casino Lietuva, inside the Radisson Blu Lietuva Hotel, Vilnius
- Events: 35 numbered tournaments on the schedule
- Main Event: €1,100 buy-in, €250,000 guaranteed
- Cash games: Running 24/7 throughout the festival
The Kings brand is part of OlyBet's regional poker calendar across the Baltics. We covered a sister event earlier this autumn when Grantas Naujokas won the Kings of Tallinn, and Vilnius follows the same formula: affordable buy-ins, a strong regional player base and a schedule packed with variety.
The €1,100 Main Event
The Main Event is the centrepiece of the festival, and its structure is designed to accommodate a wide range of players.
- Buy-in: €1,000 + €100
- Guarantee: €250,000
- Starting stack: 30,000
- Day 1A: 16:00
- Day 1B: 12:00
- Day 1C (Turbo): 20:00
- Day 2: 12:00, with 60-minute levels
- Day 3: 12:00
- Late registration: Closes at Level 14 (14:20 on December 12)
The fee structure is worth noting. At €100 on a €1,000 contribution, the house take is 9.1% of the total buy-in, which is typical for a regional European festival at this price point. By comparison, PokerStars has just announced it will cut the EPT Main Event to €5,000 for 2027, though its fee breakdown is not yet known.
The Turbo Day 1C is a useful option for players who arrive late in the festival or want to minimise time at the table. Turbo flights trade depth for speed, so they reward players who are comfortable with short-stack play. If you plan to use the turbo flight, brush up on push-fold ranges and ICM fundamentals beforehand.
The €555 Kings of Vilnius Championship
For players who want a lower-cost alternative, the €555 Championship is the second-biggest event on the schedule.
- Buy-in: €500 + €55
- Starting stack: 30,000
- Day 1A: 12:00
- Day 1B: 17:00
- Day 1C (Turbo): 21:00
- Day 2 and Final Day: 12:00
- Late registration: Through December 6 at 14:40
Running early in the festival, the Championship gives players a chance to build a bankroll for the Main Event later in the week.
Other Notable Events
Kings of Vilnius has a strong mix of formats beyond Hold'em:
| Event | Buy-In | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NLH High Roller (8-max) | €2,000 (€1,850 + €150) | Two-day event, 50,000 stack |
| PLO4/PLO5 Championship | €555 | Four- and five-card Omaha mix |
| NLH OlyBet Special | €555 | Two-day event |
| HORSE Championship | €200 | 6-handed mixed game |
| PL Sviten Championship | €250 | Five-card PLO & Draw, 6-handed |
| Queens of Vilnius | €150 | Ladies only, 20,000 stack |
| Online Progressive Bounty | €150 | On OlyBet Online, €5,000 GTD |
There are also bounty, knockout, turbo, button-round and PLO events with buy-ins from €150 to €250.
The mixed game offering stands out. A €200 HORSE Championship and a €250 Sviten event (a variant mixing five-card PLO and draw) are rare at this price point. Mixed games have been gaining popularity across Europe, as shown by the recent EMPC Tallinn mixed games results. For Hold'em players who want to broaden their skills, Vilnius is a low-risk place to try.
Satellites: How to Qualify for Less
OlyBet has built a deep satellite structure to get players into the main events for a fraction of the price.
Live €80 Satellites (€70 + €10, 15,000 stack)
- To the €555 Championship: 5 seats guaranteed, 13:00
- To the €1,100 Main Event: 2 seats guaranteed at 21:30, with a further run at 21:30 guaranteeing 4 seats
- To the €2,000 High Roller: Multiple runs at 12:00 and 21:00 with 1 or 2 seats guaranteed
Live €30 Rebuy Satellites to the Main Event
These use a 5,000 starting stack with wild rebuys and an add-on, guaranteeing between 2 and 4 seats per run, with sessions at 12:00, 13:00 and 21:00.
Queens of Vilnius Satellite
A €10 satellite (€9 + €1) guarantees four €150 tickets at 12:00.
Online Qualifiers
Online satellites are already running on OlyBet Poker, with qualifiers from Centrolls feeding into weekly finals for the Main Event and Championship.
Satellite strategy differs significantly from regular tournament play. Because every seat is worth the same, survival matters far more than chip accumulation near the bubble. Rebuy satellites add another layer: with wild rebuys, early play is often loose and aggressive, so a proper bankroll management plan matters before you start firing bullets.
Why Vilnius Is Worth Considering
There are good reasons to look at Kings of Vilnius if you are planning late-year poker travel.
- Value for money. Vilnius is generally a cheaper destination than Western European poker hubs, and the buy-ins are pitched at mid-stakes players.
- Variety. Thirty-five events across Hold'em, Omaha, mixed games and ladies' events offer something for every player.
- Satellites for every budget. From €10 to €80, there are multiple routes into the main events.
- Late-calendar timing. In early December, many major tours have wrapped up their seasons, so Vilnius fills a gap.
What This Means for Players
For players based in the Baltics, Poland, Scandinavia and wider Northern Europe, Kings of Vilnius is a convenient and affordable stop. For players further afield, it is a chance to combine a winter city break with a serious festival.
If you are new to live poker, our guide to online vs live poker explains the key adjustments, from slower pace to physical tells. Our poker tells guide is also worth reading before your first live trip.
The Bottom Line
Kings of Vilnius 2026 offers 35 events, a €250,000 guaranteed €1,100 Main Event and some of the best-value satellites in European poker. With 24/7 cash games and a schedule that runs from ladies' events to HORSE, it is one of the most varied festivals of the late-year calendar. Players looking for a final live stop of 2026 should put December 4-13 in their diary.