One of the live tournaments I have been trying to get into is the Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival. Boasting a €250,000 guaranteed prize pool (last years pool soared to €400,000 with 1st place securing a cool 100k), the event is taking place from 2nd – 4th of October at the best poker venue in Europe, the Irish National Events Centre (INEC) in Killarney, Co Kerry, Ireland. Laddies are offering online players the chance to win a €950 package which includes the €550 buy in to the Main Event with 15,000 starting chips and 1 hour blinds. Also included is a 3 night bed and breakfast stay at the picturesque Gleneagle hotel, situated adjacent to the INEC, with the accommodation suited for two people so you can bring a guest. The festival also includes two side tournaments, and all package winners will have access to Ladbrokes hospitality facilities which includes a games room with pool and darts. Exciting stuff.

So how do you win a package?!?! Ladbrokes state you can win a seat for as little as €3. But the €3 satellite doesn’t offer a seat to the winner – they win a seat to a following satellite, and if you win that satellite.. a seat to another satellite.. whooopeeee!!! Then you are fighting for the package. You can of course buy in to the final satellite, for a €110 fee. I haven’t played any of those satellites, can’t see myself winning 3 in a row.. but I guess you have to be in it to win it as they say! The Ladybrokes freeroll offered a package to the winner however I came 15th out of 400+ players – gutted. Oh well always next year! Although there’s still plenty of time to nab a seat, with the satellites running every Monday – Friday up to the 20th of September. Good luck!

If you haven’t already signed up to Ladbrokes and would like the chance to secure a seat, click here and download the software. With Ladbrokes offering new players a welcome bonus up to $1,000, there has never been a better time to sign up.