PokerStars on FanDuel has announced its title sponsorship of the upcoming Maryland State Poker Championship, taking place in late August at the Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland.
With 16 trophy events and more than $1,000,000 in guaranteed prizes, the Maryland State Poker Championship stands to be one of the most exciting mid-stakes events for players in this part of the country in the upcoming months.
With the sponsorship, PokerStars on FanDuel continues to extend its investment in live poker across the regulated US poker markets, giving the players a chance to connect at live events and experience the thrill of online poker operator-sponsored live events that’s been missing in most of the US since the days of Black Friday.
PokerStars General Manager Aaron Dugan said: “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.”
- Special Launch Welcome Offer: up to $1000 deposit bonus for all players!
- FREE $30 in tournament tix at signup
- All new software and three-state online poker network
Maryland State Poker Championship As a Staple Event
Maryland State Poker Championship has been a part of the live poker calendar since 2020, but has not yet become the kind of poker festival that players anticipate all year long.
The most recent partnership with PokerStars on FanDuel is a step in that direction, as the online poker operator is world-famous for organizing some of the top live events and sponsoring tours like the European Poker Tour (EPT) and Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT), which dominate the poker schedule on their respective continents.
The 2026 edition of the Maryland State Poker Championship is set to be the most ambitious yet, offering 16 trophy events and more than $1,000,000 in guaranteed prizes, a number that will likely be blown out of the water by actual attendance.
The growing popularity of the festival, combined with the online poker operator’s presence across the regulated online poker markets, should make this a festival to remember for all the attendees.
MSPC Highlights and Schedule
The Championship will run from August 26 to September 7 and feature events with buy-ins starting as low as $400, and a $1,700 Main Event, on the program from September 3 to 7.
While the full schedule has not yet been announced, a handful of events and their guarantees have been fully disclosed, including:
- $250,000 Gtd Opening Event
- $100,000 Gtd Mini Main Event
- $10,000 Gtd Women’s Event
- $500,000 Gtd Main Event
These four events alone will carry $860,000 in guaranteed prizes, with the remaining 12 trophy events likely to bring the total guarantee to well over $1,000,000.
The full 2026 Maryland State Poker Championship schedule will likely be released in the coming days, giving the players a chance to plan out their visit and decide which events best fit into their schedule.
A Free EPT Package Up for Grabs
On top of all the guaranteed prizes and the kind of hospitality players are used to receiving at PokerStars LIVE events, PokerStars on FanDuel is also giving away a single Player’s Choice European Poker Tour (EPT) package worth €10,000.
The lucky winner will receive a €5,300 EPT Main Event entry, hotel accommodations, and travel expenses to an EPT festival of their choice. The full details of the promotion have not yet been disclosed, but what is clear is that one player will walk away €10,000 richer and with an opportunity to win a lot more at one of Europe’s most prestigious poker tournaments.
This promotion is an early sign of the kind of partnership we can expect to see between the recently launched PokerStars on FanDuel platform in the US and the international PokerStars operator, which should be great news for online and live poker players across the continents.
