In a move that signals its continued commitment to live poker in the United States, PokerStars on Fanduel has announced its title sponsorship of the Maryland State Poker Championship.
From August 26 to September 7, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland will play host to the festival and its 16 trophy events.
The $500K GTD, $1,700 buy-in Main Event headlines the schedule – running from September 3-7.
Alongside the Main Event, there are three highlights on the schedule that players can look forward to:
- $250K GTD Opening Event
- $100K GTD Mini Main Event
- $10K GTD Women's Event
Plus, one lucky participant will win a Player's Choice European Poker Tour (EPT) package valued at €10,000 – including a €5,300 EPT Main Event buy-in, hotel accommodations, and travel and expenses money.
Maryland: a state of greats
There's more than one notable name in the poker world who calls Maryland home – setting the scene for a potential showdown in the 'The Old Line State' complete featuring some of poker's best.
Tony Gregg leads the state with a little more than $13M in earnings, followed closely by 2012 WSOP Main Event winner Greg Merson.
Justin Liberto also hails from Maryland, sitting third on the state's money list – and he's in the midst of a serious summer heater in Las Vegas. With a runner-up finish and a second bracelet already in the bank, LIberto might be headed into the Maryland Poker Championship with a serious dose of momentum.
Oh, and then there's a guy named Phil Galfond – ever heard of him? While he's far from guaranteed to show up at the festival, you just never know.
If you're headed to Maryland later this year, steer clear of Greg Merson if he's at your table. "PokerStars has always been committed to delivering world-class poker experiences and, following on from PokerStars launch on FanDuel in April, we're excited to bring that commitment and welcome players to the Maryland State Poker Championship," said Aaron Dugan, General Manager, PokerStars.
“We are very excited to welcome PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel as the title sponsor of the 2026 Maryland State Poker Championship,” said Christopher Angelo, Director of Poker for Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland.
“With our premier poker room as the backdrop, this prestigious annual event continues to draw many of the world’s top players and solidify its place as a marquee tournament series on the poker calendar.”
