PokerStars NAPT 2024 Confirmed: Package on Offer at Mixed Game Festival

2024 NAPT will be releasing scheduled stops for their 2024 events later this year Ever since PokerStars revived its storied North American Poker Tour last November, we’ve been left wondering — what’s next? The operator has made no further mentions of its return, whether in Nevada or elsewhere. As a tour, one would expected multiple stops — but for the last three months, the operator has kept quiet.

Finally, it looks like future NAPT stops have been confirmed, through a backdoor route: An NAPT 2024 package will be given away later this month during the upcoming Mixed Game Festival, a popular poker tour for mixed game enthusiasts.

Excitement is palpable for more NAPT following a triumphant return in Las Vegas last November. It marked its return after more than a decade. The operator is expected to disclose the dates for its cherished North American tour soon.

Despite this lack of clarity, someone will soon win an NAPT package. The package winner will be free to choose any stop from the schedule — wherever they may be. The 2024 NAPT “will be releasing scheduled stops for their events later this year,” according to the host of the Mixed Game Festival, Cardplayer Lifestyle — certainly hinting at more stops than just Las Vegas.

NAPT in 2024: Likely to Return to Las Vegas

Ever since the tour returned last year, we’ve been wondering what the future might hold. Will the operator run events in other US states? What about Ontario? Could it return to the Caribbean? We’'re mostly still left to speculate, but two things seem likely:

1. The operator will return with NAPT Las Vegas in November, but
2. There will be other stops prior to that elsewhere under the NAPT banner.

The stop in Nevada certainly made sense: As Steve Preiss, VP at PokerStars North America, told us last year, Las Vegas is the global capital of poker. “If you want to re-introduce a brand, it’s one of the best markets to do so,” he said.

Its relaunch also took place right before the F1 Vegas Grand Prix. “Being able to tie our live events closer to F1 and our partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing provides the opportunity for generating more exposure for the tournament and ability to capture more unique content,” Preiss added.

With the Red Bull Racing deal still in place, and F1 Las Vegas returning November 21-23 this year, it seems a cert that NAPT 2024 will return then too. But that’s over nine months away.

For Other 2024 Stops, Look Towards Regulated Online Poker States

Between now and then, we think PokerStars will slot in at least one or two other festivals. We’re left to speculate where, but it seems that past locations won’t be a good barometer.

When the series debuted back in 2010 — just before Black Friday — it hosted stops in the Bahamas, Connecticut and California. But these seem unlikely locations now. PokerStars put its Bahamas stop — the PCA — on ice, missing the usual January slot this year. The decision may have been, at least in part, because of WSOP Paradise — which would would have overshadowed the PCA with its debut on the Island last November.

When asked this possibility of the PCA returning to the NAPT fold, Preiss said it was “always a possibility” and that they were “always looking at locations that would be great fits for the PokerStars Live brand and our tours.” But that’s far from a firm commitment.

As for the other origin locations, California poker is huge, but there’s no online poker. There’s also no online poker in Connecticut, despite it being regulated.

2024 NAPT Location Predictions

I’m so grateful to be working with PokerStars once again … with the company returning some serious focus to the US, I’m glad to be able to have an NAPT prize package to offer Instead, we’d look towards states where PokerStars now has an online poker presence. It operates in Michigan and New Jersey (on the so-called PokerStars US network, as the pair combine player pools), and stops there would certainly make sense. And it runs the segregated PokerStars PA. Live events here would allow the operator to run online satellites into these live events for locals, while also advertising their online sites to live poker patrons.

Then there’s PokerStars Ontario, the new regulated online poker site in Canada’s largest province. Could the tour expand north into Canada for the first time?

Mixed Game Festival Returns for Seventh Outing

The Mixed Game Festival is organized by Robbie Strazynski, owner of the long-standing Cardplayer Lifestyle site and an avid mixed games aficionado himself.

“I’m so grateful to be working with PokerStars once again,” Strazynski told pokerfuse. “With the company now in the process of returning some serious focus to the US after a lengthy absence, I’m glad to be able to have an NAPT prize package to offer our players.”

The mixed-game special poker festival will return for its seventh iteration on February 25 at the luxurious Resorts World Las Vegas, offering five days packed with mixed game entertainment, featuring cash games, giveaways, trivia contests, and additional attractions.

The Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival VII will feature two mixed game tournaments: a $300 Omaha 8/Stud 8 event on February 26, followed by the $300 H.E.R.O.S tournament (played similarly to H.O.R.S.E) on February 29. The latter will include a NAPT prize package for the winner, in addition to the regular prize pool. The coveted package includes:

• A $550 buy-in for a non-Hold’em tournament during the NAPT
• Four nights’ accommodation at the festival’s venue
• A flight to the NAPT stop from any North American airport

The total estimated value of the prize package exceeds $3000. Although PokerStars hasn’t disclosed the schedule for NAPT 2024, players will have the flexibility to utilize this package for entry into any NAPT stop — assuming PokerStars announces multiple stops.

This is not the first time that the Mixed Game Festival has offered prestigious packages to major live events. Previously, the festival has awarded EPT packages, WPT packages, and even a Platinum Pass to the PSPC back in 2021.

“This is now our fifth time partnering, and in the past we’ve given away EPT prize packages to Cyprus and Prague and even a Platinum Pass to the PSPC,” Strazynski told pokerfuse.

The sixth edition of the Mixed Game Festival, held in November, presented a WPT Voyage package valued at more than $5000.

As always, Robbie’s festival promises plenty of excitement and enjoyment. In addition to the two scheduled tournaments and cash game action, attendees can look forward to a Pizza Party on the opening day, followed by a Poker Trivia contest with hundreds of dollars in giveaway prizes on February 27. Day 3 will feature Women’s Wednesday in partnership with the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS). And on Day 4, a free-to-enter “Last Longer Competition” will offer a coaching membership as the prize.

The festival will reach its climax on February 29th with the H.E.R.O.S tournament, where the winner will secure a NAPT package valued at over $3000.

Beyond the tournaments and fun activities, there will be cash game action around the clock as seen in the previous festivals. Staying true to its name, the festival will spotlight less conventional game formats, with cash games dealt in a Dealers Choice style. These games will be offered at limits spanning from $4/$8 to $8/$16, with the option for higher stakes upon request.

The Mixed Game Festival runs from February 25 to 29 at the Resorts World Las Vegas.