One of the biggest high roller poker tournaments is set to get underway next week, as the Poker King Cup will begin on September 20 at the Venetian Macau. The exciting event will feature 10 high stakes events with some very impressive buy-ins that are sure to attract high rollers from around the world.

High Stakes for High Rollers

The Poker King Club poker room at the Venetian Macao casino resort has been relocated close to the Red Dragon Noodles outlet on the casino main floor, from its previous home in the Phoenix-themed zone of the floor. So said a press release issued on behalf of the room’s promoter.

Venetian Macau Website

This isn’t a poker tournament for the light-hearted – or, the light-walleted. The least expensive buy-in for the Poker King Cup is 2000HKD (about $250 USD). While that doesn’t sound like it would break the bank for the average poker player, the buy-ins go all the way up to 200 000 HKD (about $25 000).

Poker King Venetian Macau Buffet

Fortunately, there is the opportunity for players to earn entry into the tournament without spending that much money. Satellites are being held, which will provide players with the chance to win buy-ins into all of the tournaments. Players can take part in these at the Venetian Macau, and it is unlikely that online satellites will be held.

The 2017 Poker King Cup provided players with the chance to win big – but the buy-ins were significantly lower. For example, the most expensive event was the $80 000 HKD ($10 0000) No Limit Hold ‘em tournament. It was won by Chung-chi Yu, who won over $130 000. This time around, the winner of the 200 000 HKD will be cashing in on a much more generous grand prize.

Poker in Macau

The poker market in Macau is becoming very popular among high rollers and poker pros. You’ll often find players like Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan and Jake Cody spending time in the city’s casinos.

Poker King Club has moved to the Phoenix Hall at The Venetian Macao, next to Bellini Lounge. The move was mulled since the poker club moved to The Venetian last September. Before, Poker King Club was situated in Galaxy s StarWorld Hotel property. Inside the new room the club hosts around seven cash tables and approximately 26 tournament tables. Poker King Club at Venetian Macao. While Venetian Macau always offered one of the few steady poker rooms on the island, the previous 10 table venue left a few things to be desired by many players. And while the Poker King Club when it was located elsewhere had a reputation for big and crazy play, not everyone could get a seat or afford to play. Poker King Club in Venetian Macao Casino Macau, Live Poker Opened in 2007 by Sheldon Adelson, The Venetian is located on the Cotai Strip, covers 10.5 million square feet, and is one of Macau’s major hot spots.

While Macau is marketed as an entertainment destination, the city is primarily known for its collection of luxurious casinos. As such, Macau attracts more serious poker players than travellers or tourists, so it’s no wonder pros enjoy playing here. They get to compete against the best of the best, and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in some juicy pots.

Poker King Venetian Macau Hotel

That being said, Macau poker rooms still offer a wide range of tables. You can still find $1/$2 tables, but it’s more likely for the minimum to be $30/$60. Most of the pros have stated that they prefer at the $100/$200 – and it is rumoured that there are even super high roller games with $25K/$50K stakes.

Macau Venetian Shows

As such, Macau is the perfect place for the Poker King Cup to be held. There are plenty of high rollers and poker pros who frequent the city’s poker scene, so the pool of runner in this year’s tournament will make for some very exciting poker action on the felt.

Poker King Venetian Macau Casino

Sands Venetian Macau

The Poker King Club (PKC), famous for hosting Macau’s Big Game, moved from the StarWorld Casino last September to a brand new location inside The Venetian Macau. However, the brand was given a temporary space until a spectacular new dedicated poker room was ready to open. On May 22th, the full time poker finally opened to great fanfare with more than one hundred distinguished guests attending its launch, including Poker King Club President Winfred Yu, Suncity Group President of Marketing Strategy YM Choong, Venetian & Plaza Operations Director Ciaran Carruthers, and Venetian Macau Limited VP of Casino Operations Harold Tsakmaklis.
Also in attendance at the opening ceremony was a number of top poker pros, including Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, and Tom Dwan, who the Poker King Club hired to help promote the game to a mass market, and ultimately grow poker in Macau. Interestingly, the Venetian Macau is also owned by a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands, whose CEO Sheldon Adelson is one of the USA’s leading campaigners against online poker.
As a rule, poker compares unfavorably to other casino gambling games in terms of its relatively slow speed and the revenues generated from the game. However, the game is also viewed as an important way of attracting new customers to casinos, and commenting on his ambitions for the Poker King Club,
Winfred Yu said:
“It has not always been the most profitable game among the casino games. But due to the slowdown in the revenues coming, poker becomes a bit more recognized as a way of bringing in traffic and gaming customers.”
At the opening night, a special charity poker tournament took place to raise money for Caritas Internationalis, an international Catholic relief organization, and Johnny Chan eventually triumphed over an eight man field, which included the likes of Ivey, Yu, Stanley Choi, Raymond Chow, Takeda Tsuneaki, and Yong Wai Kin.