The Malta Poker Festival returns to Portomaso Casino from October 23 to November 4, and the headline attraction is a €1,000,000 guaranteed Grand Event hosted by reigning WSOP Main Event champion Michael Mizrachi. For European players looking for a late-autumn live poker trip, the Malta Poker Festival offers a low-cost entry, a big guarantee and an unusually long list of side events with recognizable hosts.
PokerListings published the schedule details this week, and they paint a picture of a festival built around accessibility rather than the astronomical buy-ins of the Triton or Super High Roller circuits. Below we break down the key events, how the money is structured, and what players should know before booking flights.
Malta Poker Festival at a glance
- Dates: October 23 to November 4, 2026
- Venue: Portomaso Casino, Malta
- Headline event: €600 Grand Event with a €1,000,000 guarantee
- Largest guarantee: The IPS at €1,500,000
- Special guest: Michael Mizrachi, the 2025 WSOP Main Event champion, hosting the Grand Event from the first flight through the final table
For context, Malta has become a regular destination on the European live circuit. Our coverage of the Battle of Malta fall schedule shows how busy the island is this season, with a separate festival taking place at another casino at nearly the same time. Players who like Mediterranean autumn weather and low buy-ins have more than one option.
The Grand Event
The Grand Event is the centerpiece. The buy-in is €600 (€530 plus a €70 fee) with a €1,000,000 guarantee. The structure looks like this:
- Starting flights: October 23 through November 1
- Day 2: November 2
- Final table: November 3
Satellites run before most flights for €70 (€60 plus €10), giving players the chance to turn a small stake into a full entry. Mizrachi will be on site as host from the opening flights through to the end.
A €1,000,000 guarantee on a €600 buy-in needs a big turnout. If the full €530 prize-pool portion of each entry goes into the pool, which is how the buy-in is split in the listing, the guarantee takes roughly 1,887 entries to cover. That is the number to watch: re-entries are likely to push the total higher, and any surplus goes straight into the prize pool.
The IPS and the Mini IPS
The festival also has two other major tournaments:
- IPS: €390 total (€340 plus €50), with a €1,500,000 guarantee, running from October 29 with a final day on November 4. It carries the largest guarantee of the festival.
- Mini IPS: €250 total (€210 plus €40), with a €500,000 guarantee, starting October 23.
If the €340 portion of each entry goes to the pool, the IPS needs roughly 4,400 entries to cover its €1.5 million guarantee. That is a big target, so turnout and re-entries will decide whether the event runs with a surplus or an overlay. The lower buy-in at least means more people can take a shot.
High roller and specialty events
Not everything is a mass-market event. The schedule includes:
- High Roller Mystery Bounty: €1,150 total, November 2, hosted by Ivonne Montealegre
- High Roller: €700 total, November 3
- H.O.R.S.E. (5 Mix): €230 total, October 28, hosted by Jon Kyte
- PLO Knights: €300 total, October 26
- MPF Seniors (50+): €300 total, October 29, hosted by Paul "Rinty" Monaghan
- Ladies First!: €200 total, October 30, hosted by Kerryjane Craigie
- Halloween event: €260 total, October 31, hosted by Tanya Masters
- Sviten Special: €300 total, October 27, hosted by Sone Vanelderen
- The Hendon Mob Championship: October 27-28
- Midnight KO Hyper Turbo: €200 total, nightly from October 27 to November 3
That variety matters. The festival tries to cover every type of player: the mixed-game fan who wants H.O.R.S.E., the Omaha player who prefers PLO, the older player who would like a seniors field, and the bounty hunter who wants a Midnight KO each night. If you are new to Omaha, our Omaha guide and the Hold'em vs Omaha comparison are good primers before the PLO Knights event.
Why a celebrity host helps a festival
Mizrachi hosting the Grand Event is more than marketing. His 2025 WSOP Main Event victory made him the reigning champion, and having him present gives amateur players a chance to share a table, a photo or a bit of conversation with a champion. Festival organizers know that the experience matters as much as the prize pool, particularly at lower buy-ins where the money is not life-changing for most entrants.
The other hosts follow the same logic. Putting well-known names on the satellite and side-event calendar encourages players to plan an entire trip around the festival instead of a single day.
How Malta compares with other European stops
Europe's autumn calendar is crowded. Festivals such as the Unibet Open Marrakech have just wrapped, and the Malta Poker Festival follows with a €600 Grand Event. For a European player, a trip to Malta is a shorter journey than one to Las Vegas, and the festival's price points mean you can enjoy it without risking a large bankroll.
What this means for players
If you are thinking about attending, consider these points:
- Play a satellite first. At €70 each, satellites are the cheapest way to try for a €600 seat. Consider budgeting for a few attempts and set a firm limit; our bankroll management guide can help.
- Pick your flights wisely. The Grand Event has many starting flights, and late flights give you information about the field size and payout structure. Re-entry rules matter, so check them before you play.
- Understand the guarantee. A guarantee is the minimum prize pool, not a promise of the first prize. Check the payout structure so you know how much the winner will actually receive.
- Prepare mentally. Multi-day live events are long. If you are used to online tournaments, practice stamina and table talk. Brush up on the poker tells before you sit down with live opponents.
- Warm up online. Many players qualify through online rooms. Our online vs. live poker guide explains the key differences in play and strategy.
Bottom line
The Malta Poker Festival is an affordable, well-hosted festival with a respectable €1 million Grand Event, a €1.5 million IPS and enough variety to keep a visitor busy for two weeks. With Michael Mizrachi leading the Grand Event, it should attract both recreational players and regulars who want a relaxed European stop between bigger series.
If you cannot make the trip, there are plenty of ways to stay in the action from home, including the best online real money poker rooms and the safe poker sites we recommend. And if you do go, bring a sweater: October evenings on the Mediterranean can get chilly. Good luck at the tables.