Victorian Poker Championship 2026: the largest poker series in Melbourne

From October 12 to 27, 2026, the Victorian Poker Championship will take place at Crown Casino Melbourne—a major poker event with a rich program for players of all levels.

From October 12 to 27, 2026, the long-awaited Victorian Poker Championship series will take place at the famous Crown Casino in Melbourne. This is one of the largest poker events in Australia, traditionally bringing together the region’s strongest players and guests from around the world. This year, the organizers have prepared a packed schedule: players can look forward to not only classic tournaments, but also a variety of formats, affordable buy-ins, and daily satellites, making the series attractive to a wide audience. Victorian Poker Championship 2026 Schedule: Variety of Formats and Levels The main feature of the Victorian Poker Championship 2026 schedule is its versatility. The centerpiece is the Main Event with a $2,500 buy-in , which will have four starting days (October 21–24). This gives players more chances to choose a convenient day to participate and increase their chances of a deep run. In addition to the Main Event, the schedule includes: $5,000 Challenge — a tournament for higher-stakes enthusiasts; $10,000 Super High Roller — an event for professionals and high rollers; Mixed games: H.O.R.S.E. , 8-Game , PLO (Pot-Limit Omaha), 2-7 Triple Draw , and other formats; A Mystery Bounty tournament, where part of the prize pool is awarded randomly for knocking out opponents. Such a schedule allows everyone to find a tournament to their taste and skill level. In addition to major events, there will be daily tournaments with lower buy-ins and specialized formats, making the series accessible to players with different bankrolls. Daily Satellites: Your Path to Major Tournaments with Minimal Investment A key part of the Victorian Poker Championship 2026 will be daily satellites — qualifying tournaments that allow you to win a ticket to the main events of the series for a small amount. The most affordable satellite will cost just $240 , and regular satellites for $300 will run throughout the series. Satellites give you a chance to qualify for: Main Event with a $2,500 buy-in; $5,000 Challenge; Mystery Bounty; H.O.R.S.E., PLO, and other scheduled tournaments. This way, even players with a limited bankroll can compete for big prizes and gain experience playing on the big stage. Satellites will run almost throughout the entire two-week festival, increasing your chances of winning a ticket to your event of choice. Main Event of the Series: $2,500 Victorian Championship Main Event The main event of the series — the $2,500 Victorian Championship Main Event — kicks off with four starting flights from October 21 to 24. Each participant receives a starting stack of 60,000 chips , and the levels in the early stage will last 40 minutes, giving plenty of time for decision-making and strategic play. As the tournament progresses, the level duration increases to 60 minutes, allowing players to showcase their skills in the deeper stages. The tournament allows one re-entry , giving a second chance to those who bust early. Day 2 will be held on October 25, and the final table will take place on October 27. Throughout the Main Event, the PokerNews team will provide live coverage from the venue, publishing key hands, chip count updates, and the main highlights of the tournament right up to the crowning of the champion. Main Event Structure: Buy-in: $2,500 Starting stack: 60,000 chips Days 1A–1D: October 21–24, 40-minute levels Day 2: October 25, 60-minute levels Final table: October 27 One re-entry per player Satellite Schedule: More Chances to Enter Major Tournaments The organizers of the Victorian Poker Championship 2026 have paid special attention to the satellite schedule. There will be daily qualifiers with buy-ins starting at $240, as well as regular $300 satellites. This gives you the opportunity not only to enter the Main Event, but also to win tickets to other key festival events, including the $5k Challenge, Mystery Bounty, H.O.R.S.E., PLO, and other formats. This approach makes the series as accessible as possible to a wide audience and allows players to build their tournament schedule based on their personal preferences and budget. Series at a Glance: Victorian Poker Championship - At a Glance The Victorian Poker Championship is a two-week festival taking place from October 12 to 27, 2026, at Crown Casino, Melbourne. The schedule features both prestigious tournaments with large buy-ins and affordable satellites and mixed games. The main event of the series is the $2,500 Main Event with four starting days and a re-entry option. In addition, players can look forward to the $5,000 Challenge, $10,000 Super High Roller, as well as tournaments in H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, PLO, and 2-7 Triple Draw. There’s something for everyone, and daily satellites will allow you to enter major events with minimal investment. The entire festival will be covered by the PokerNews team, who will provide fresh news, reports, and key moments from the venue. Among the editors is Eliot Thomas, a poker industry specialist who has covered major global series such as the World Series of Poker and the European Poker Tour. Tournament Schedule and Prizes (as per schedule) Key events schedule for the Victorian Poker Championship 2026: $2,500 Main Event — October 21–27, four starting days, 60,000 starting stack, one re-entry, 40/60-minute levels $5,000 Challenge — date and structure to be confirmed $10,000 Super High Roller — date and structure to be confirmed Mystery Bounty — date and structure to be confirmed H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, PLO, 2-7 Triple Draw — dates and buy-ins to be confirmed Daily satellites from $240, regular satellites for $300 Exact prize pools and payout structures will be determined after registration for each tournament and announced immediately before the events begin. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how major live series build their schedules to attract players of all levels. The variety of formats and buy-ins, as well as the presence of daily satellites, is a trend that can also be used in online clubs. Organizers of club series on PPPoker can adopt the idea of regular, affordable-entry satellites to boost engagement and give more players a chance to enter major events. Moreover, the Victorian Poker Championship schedule shows how important it is to offer not only standard No Limit Hold’em tournaments, but also mixed games, unique formats like Mystery Bounty, and high roller events. This helps expand the club’s audience and makes the game more interesting for experienced players. Keep an eye on the news from major live series — they are a source of ideas for developing your club and increasing player interest. Finally, live coverage of events, as PokerNews does, can also be implemented for club online series: track chip counts, share key hands and tournament results — this will create extra excitement and raise the prestige of your events on the PPPoker platform.