The World Poker Tour will visit the casino from September 18 through October 1
The World Poker Tour (WPT) is returning to Australia this month, but this time the action shifts from the Gold Coast to Sydney. From September 18 through October 1, The Star Sydney casino will host the WPT festival, the first time the city has seen the series since a WPTDeepStacks stop in March 2022.
The festival kicks off with the $1,000 Australian Poker Cup, running September 18–21. Last year’s equivalent opener at the Gold Coast drew 408 entries, with Mishel Anunu winning $72,438. This year’s schedule features dozens of events and satellites, with buy-ins ranging from $99 to a hefty $13,200.
High-stakes players will eye the $13,200 Super High Roller on September 24–25. At last year’s Gold Coast edition, Corey Kempson and Hamish Crawshaw split the prize after battling through a 77-player field, each walking away with $234,000.
Another highlight is the $6,600 WPT World Championship Warm-Up, beginning September 29 and concluding on October 1. In 2024, Kareem Kilany won this event at the Gold Coast for $151,900 after outlasting 87 opponents.
The spotlight, however, falls on the $3,630 Main Event. Day 1A starts on September 25, with two more starting flights before the final table crowns a champion on October 1. Last year’s Gold Coast Main Event had a $5,280 buy-in and drew 396 entries for a $1.93 million prize pool.
Australian poker star James Obst captured the title and $386,336 in prize money. With this year’s buy-in set at a lower amount and plenty of affordable satellites, organizers expect an even larger field at The Star Sydney.
Players may re-enter as many times as they wish during the opening levels of each Day 1 flight, but once they bag chips, they cannot enter again. With its mix of high rollers, mid-stakes grinders, and satellite qualifiers, the WPT’s Sydney return looks set to deliver one of the largest poker festivals Australia has ever seen.
