PokerStars has released the complete schedule for its PokerStars Open Philadelphia tournament series. From March 16-23, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia will play host to an eight-day live poker festival, highlighted by the $500,000 guaranteed Main Event.
In 2025, the inaugural PokerStars Open Philadelphia smashed expectations as its Main Event drew a field of 1,154 entries to more than double the event guarantee. After an 18-hour final day of play, Pennsylvania's own Edward Leonard took the lion's share of the prize pool and the trophy as part of a three-handed deal with Guan Huang and Frank Funaro.
Following the success of last year, the 2026 PokerStars Open Philadelphia will feature seven trophy events, exclusive merch giveaways, and appearances from PokerStars Ambassadors Joe Stapleton, Arlie Shaban, and Jen Shahade.
Comedian and PokerStars Ambassador Joe Stapleton will be in attendance at the PokerStars Open Philadelphia. PokerStars players in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ontario can qualify online now in satellites starting as low as $10 that offer pathways to the $1,100 Main Event and other headline tournaments.
PokerStars Open Philadelphia key events
With seven trophy events on the schedule, the PokerStars Open Philadelphia offers you the chance to score big and take home a PokerStars spade.
- $1,100 Main Event (March 18 - 22), $500,000 GTD
- Women’s Event (March 20), $10,000 GTD
- PokerStars Cup (March 22), $40,000 GTD
In addition to the festival events, PokerStars and Live! sister brands in Maryland and Pennsylvania will host a special satellite event on Monday, March 23 to send players to the Live! Poker Classic Main Event in Maryland (March 26-30). PokerStars will add twenty seats to the $220 buy-in satellite, creating a perfect opportunity for for players to qualify.
“PokerStars Open Philadelphia has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting live stops on our North American calendar,” said RJ Peterson, Senior Director of Marketing, PokerStars. “After seeing the Main Event more than double its guarantee last year, we’re proud to return to Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia with bigger momentum and multiple ways for players to qualify and compete. Philly has proven it’s a fantastic poker city, and we’re excited to bring the Open back in March.”
