Kings of Tallin
Kings of Tallinn – or KoT, as it’s often abbreviated – is the popular recurring live poker event in Estonia’s beautiful capital. The first Kings of Tallinn was held in 2015, and since then the event has only kept on growing at a rapid pace.
Olympic Park Casino and Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel have always acted as host for Kings of Tallinn, and February 5 – February 15 2026, they will once again roll out the red carpet when the Kings of Tallinn poker festival celebrates its 12th anniversary. The event has grown over the years and is arguably the most popular live poker stop on North European soil.
Table of Contents
Kings of Tallinn – A Brief History
Since its inception in 2015, Kings of Tallinn has grown into one of Northern Europe’s most respected and eagerly anticipated live poker festivals. Created by OlyBet in collaboration with Olympic Group Entertainment, the inaugural Main Event attracted 140 players. Estonian Ranno Sootla claimed the very first title and €37,330, laying the foundation for what would become a flagship event on the European poker tournament calendar.
From those early beginnings, Kings of Tallinn has expanded year after year, drawing an increasingly international field to Estonia’s capital. Under the guidance of tournament director and founder Teresa Nousiainen, and with OlyBet Poker continuously pushing innovation, the festival has evolved far beyond a single headline tournament. By the mid-2020s, the schedule regularly featured 50+ events, catering to professionals, recreational players, and mixed-game enthusiasts alike.
A major milestone came in 2020, when the Main Event surged to 674 entries—nearly doubling the previous year’s field. That edition became legendary thanks to a dramatic heads-up battle, highlighted by Swedish pro Johan Karlsson pulling off one of the most talked-about bluffs in live poker history against Ermo Kosk. Karlsson went on to secure the title and a €126,900 payday, which remains the largest Main Event first prize to date.
Momentum continued to build in the years that followed. In 2023, Kings of Tallinn set a new participation record with 716 Main Event entries, underlining the festival’s growing prestige. Home favorite Priit Parmasto captured the crown, further cementing the tournament’s reputation for producing memorable champions and career-defining moments.
By 2026, Kings of Tallinn will stand as a must-play destination for players across Northern and Eastern Europe. The festival has welcomed many of the region’s most recognisable names, including Finnish legends Juha Helppi and Aki Pyysing, while continuing to attract new generations of competitors. What began as a modest local event has become a true celebration of live poker: combining scale, innovation, and a uniquely vibrant atmosphere in the heart of Tallinn.
Kings of Tallinn 2026
The Kings of Tallinn crew has once again raised the bar for live poker festivals, and Kings of Tallinn 2026 promises to be the most exciting edition yet. Held from 6–15 February 2026 at the Olympic Park Casino and adjacent Hilton Tallinn Park in Estonia’s capital, this year’s schedule features 70+ action-packed tournaments spanning almost every format a poker fan could want.
Beyond the legendary Main Event, the expanded schedule offers a wide variety of buy-in levels and game types, making KoT an inclusive festival for recreational players and seasoned pros alike. Events range from affordable satellites and mini-main flights to higher-stakes championships and diverse mixed-game offerings. Daily tournaments include No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, PLO5, and other popular variants, all complemented by 24/7 cash game action running throughout the festival.
At the heart of the series is the €1,100 Main Event, boasting a massive €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, one of the largest in Kings of Tallinn history. With multiple Day 1 flights and re-entry options, the structure is designed to be both deep and player-friendly, helping ensure a competitive field and an unforgettable final table.
Fans of bounty formats and exciting twists won’t be left out either: mystery bounty events and progressive bounty tournaments are featured across the schedule, offering plenty of opportunities for dramatic finishes and huge pay-outs. It does not matter if you’re chasing the Main Event crown or hopping between diverse side events, Kings of Tallinn 2026 has something for every poker enthusiast, setting a new standard for what players can expect from this renowned festival.
Qualify for Kings of Tallinn
There are excellent opportunities to qualify for Kings of Tallinn through OlyBet Poker. Olybet is a part of GGPoker, so essentially players are partaking in GGPoker satellites. Until the start of the Kings of Tallinn 2026 Main Event, a minimum 100 seats will be distributed through the OlyBet online satellites.
Every Thursday and Sunday, seat-only-satellites are running on the online poker client for the €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship and the €1 100 Main Event. There are also satellites running to other Kings of Tallinn tournaments on OlyBet Poker. Don’t miss out on your chance: qualify at GGPoker for the Kings of Tallinn!
There are also live satellites running for Kings of Tallinn on all Olympic Casinos. These are located in Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn.
Buy-In for Kings of Tallinn
Kings of Tallinn is played on the second floor of Hilton Tallinn, and this is where the registration desk is. Here, players can buy in for various Kings of Tallinn events. Online satellites winners must also collect their tournament tickets from the registration desk. Before players can access the second floor and the registration desk, they must register at the bottom floor where the casino is. Valid ID is a requirement.
A couple of years ago, Olympic Casino partnered up with Luxon Pay to create an effortless buy-in experience for poker players. Luxon Pay Tallinn users can use utilize Luxon Pay in order to register for all Kings of Tallinn tournaments, and this is the preferred option.
Every day, players are required to fetch themselves a new wristband from the casino floor that is valid for that day. This is a must in order to access the second floor of the hotel where all Kings of Tallinn tournaments will be played.
The Venue
Olympic Casino is, as previously mentioned, located at the bottom floor of Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel. The beautiful hotel is located about 10 minutes away from the nearest airport by car, and the view is astounding. Kings of Tallinn is played at the second floor of the hotel, while the casino bottom floor is a dedicated cash game area during the event. There’s also top-class spa facilities in the building, allowing poker players to relax after a hard day of grinding it out at the tables.
Previous Main Event Winners
| Event | Winner | Payout | Total Prize Pool | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings of Tallinn 2025 |  Kaspars Butans | €182,000 | €1,098,330 | 1181 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2024 |  Edgaras Kausinis | €120,910 | €859,160 | 914 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2023 |  Priit Parmasto | €97 400 | €673 040 | 716 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2022 |  Adam Kharman | €64 280 | €308 320 | 328 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2021 |  Claudio Di Giacomo | €58 440 | €280 120 | 298 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2020 |  Johan Karlsson | €126 900 | €640 300 | 674 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2019 |  Vitalijs Zavorotnijs | €85 300 | €356 250 | 375 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2018 |  Juha Helppi | €62 00 | €254 600 | 268 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2017 | Matias Knaapinen | €45 007 | €234 650 | 247 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2016 | Johan Creutz | €52 200 | €240 100 | 198 |
| Kings of Tallinn 2015 | Ranno Sootla | €37 330 | €137 200 | 140 |
Tournament Schedule Kings of Tallinn 2026
| Date | Time (EET) | Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 5 | 16:00 | Event #1: FREEBUY NLH Mega-Satellite, €20 Rebuys & Add-On, 10 x €200 Mini-Main Event Seats GTD |
| Feb. 5 | 19:30 | Event #2: €200 NLH Kings of Tallinn Mini-Main Flight 1A, Plays 10 Levels Day 1 |
| Feb. 6 | 12:00 | Event #3: FREEBUY NLH Satellite, €20 Rebuys & Add-On, 7 x €200 Mini-Main Event Seats GTD |
| Feb. 6 | 13:00 | Event #2: €200 NLH Kings of Tallinn Mini-Main Flight 1B, Plays 10 Levels Day 1 |
| Feb. 6 | 14:30 | Event #4: €20 NLH Satellite, €20 Rebuys & Add-On, 7 x €350 Kings of Tallinn Cup Seats GTD |
| Feb. 6 | 15:00 | Event #5: €200 PLO5 / PLO5 Hi-Lo, Button Round Each, 8-handed |
| Feb. 6 | 17:00 | Event #6: €555 NLH |
| Feb. 6 | 19:00 | Event #2: €200 NLH Kings of Tallinn Mini-Main Flight 1C, Plays 10 Levels Day 1 |
| Feb. 6 | 19:30 | Event #7: €200 PL Baducey / Badacey, Button Round Each, 6-handed |
| Feb. 6 | 19:30 | Event #8: €80 PLO5 Satellite to €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 DeepStack Mystery Bounty, 5 Seats GTD |
| Feb. 6 | 20:00 | Event #9: €350 NLH Kings of Tallinn Cup Flight 1A, Plays 10 Levels Day 1 |
| Feb. 6 | 22:00 | Event #10: €80 NLH Mega-Satellite to €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship, 10 Seats GTD |
| Feb. 7 | 12:00 | Event #2: €200 NLH Kings of Tallinn Mini-Main Final Day |
| Feb. 7 | 13:00 | Event #11: €350 Open-face Chinese Pineapple, 3-handed |
| Feb. 7 | 14:30 | Event #9: €350 NLH Kings of Tallinn Cup Flight 1B, Plays 10 Levels Day 1 |
| Feb. 7 | 17:00 | Event #12: €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 DeepStack Mystery Bounty Day 1 |
| Feb. 7 | 17:30 | Event #13: €80 NLH Mega-Satellite to €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship |
| Feb. 7 | 19:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Flight 1A |
| Feb. 7 | 19:00 | Event #15: €200 PL 2-7 Triple Draw |
| Feb. 7 | 20:00 | Event #9: €350 NLH Kings of Tallinn Cup Flight 1C |
| Feb. 7 | 22:00 | Event #16: €200 NLH Turbo |
| Feb. 8 | 12:00 | Event #9: €350 NLH Kings of Tallinn Cup Final Day |
| Feb. 8 | 12:00 | Event #17: FREEBUY NLH Satellite, 5 x €250 Queens Seats GTD (Women Only) |
| Feb. 8 | 12:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Flight 1B |
| Feb. 8 | 13:00 | Event #12: €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 DeepStack Mystery Bounty Final Day |
| Feb. 8 | 14:00 | Event #18: €350 TORSE Mixed Game |
| Feb. 8 | 15:00 | Event #19: €80 NLH Satellite, Win Your Ticket to Any €555 |
| Feb. 8 | 16:00 | Event #20: €250 NLH Queens (Women Only) |
| Feb. 8 | 19:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Flight 1C |
| Feb. 8 | 20:00 | Event #21: €350 Dealer’s Choice High Only |
| Feb. 8 | 22:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Flight 1D |
| Feb. 8 | 22:00 | Event #22: €150 Mega-Satellite to €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event |
| Feb. 9 | 12:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Day 2 |
| Feb. 9 | 15:00 | Event #23: €350 8-Game |
| Feb. 9 | 16:00 | Event #24: €200 NLH Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 9 | 16:30 | Event #25: €1,100 NLH DeepStack Mystery Bounty Day 1 |
| Feb. 9 | 19:00 | Event #26: €150 Mega-Satellite to €1,100 Main Event |
| Feb. 9 | 20:00 | Event #27: €200 NLH Short Deck |
| Feb. 9 | 21:00 | Event #28: €555 NLH Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 9 | 22:00 | Event #29: €200 NLH Satellite to €5,000 High Roller |
| Feb. 10 | 12:00 | Event #14: €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship Final Day |
| Feb. 10 | 12:00 | Event #30: €555 NLH Seniors Event (50+) |
| Feb. 10 | 12:00 | Event #31: FREEBUY NLH Mega-Satellite to Celebrity Event |
| Feb. 10 | 13:00 | Event #25: €1,100 NLH DeepStack Mystery Bounty Final Day |
| Feb. 10 | 13:00 | Event #32: €350 NLH DeepStack |
| Feb. 10 | 14:00 | Event #33: €200 PL Razz Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 10 | 16:00 | Event #34: €2,000 PLO4 |
| Feb. 10 | 18:00 | Event #35: €200 NLH Celebrity Special |
| Feb. 10 | 20:30 | Event #36: €200 NLH Satellite to €5,000 High Roller |
| Feb. 10 | 22:30 | Event #37: €150 Mega-Satellite to €1,100 Main Event |
| Feb. 11 | 12:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Kings of Tallinn Main Event Flight 1A (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 11 | 12:00 | Event #39: €5,000 NLH High Roller |
| Feb. 11 | 12:00 | Event #40: €80 PLO5 Satellite |
| Feb. 11 | 13:00 | Event #41: FREEBUY NLH Satellite to Queens (Women Only) |
| Feb. 11 | 14:00 | Event #42: €350 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 11 | 14:00 | Event #43: €200 PL Sviten / PLO5 |
| Feb. 11 | 17:00 | Event #44: €555 NLH Queens |
| Feb. 11 | 17:00 | Event #45: €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 Championship Day 1 |
| Feb. 11 | 18:00 | Event #46: €150 PLO5 Satellite to €3,000 High Roller |
| Feb. 11 | 19:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Main Event Flight 1B (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 11 | 20:00 | Event #47: €150 Mega-Satellite to €1,100 Main Event |
| Feb. 11 | 22:30 | Event #48: €200 NLH Turbo |
| Feb. 12 | 12:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Main Event Flight 1C (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 12 | 12:00 | Event #49: €80 Last Chance Satellite to Main Event |
| Feb. 12 | 13:00 | Event #45: €1,100 PLO Championship Final Day |
| Feb. 12 | 13:00 | Event #50: €3,000 PLO High Roller |
| Feb. 12 | 15:00 | Event #51: €200 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 12 | 19:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Main Event Flight 1D (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 12 | 19:30 | Event #52: €350 PLO Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 12 | 21:00 | Event #53: €555 NLH |
| Feb. 12 | 22:30 | Event #54: €200 NLH Turbo |
| Feb. 13 | 12:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Main Event Day 2 (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 13 | 13:00 | Event #55: €20 PLO5 Satellite |
| Feb. 13 | 15:00 | Event #56: €350 NLH DeepStack |
| Feb. 13 | 17:00 | Event #57: €555 PL Sviten Championship Day 1 |
| Feb. 13 | 18:00 | Event #58: €150 NLH Satellite to €3,000 NLH |
| Feb. 13 | 19:30 | Event #59: €1,100 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty Day 1 |
| Feb. 13 | 21:00 | Event #60: €350 NLH / PLO Mix |
| Feb. 13 | 22:30 | Event #61: €200 NLH Turbo |
| Feb. 14 | 12:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Main Event Day 3 (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 14 | 12:00 | Event #59: €1,100 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty Final Day |
| Feb. 14 | 12:00 | Event #57: €555 PL Sviten Championship Final Day |
| Feb. 14 | 12:00 | Event #62: €200 NLH DeepStack Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 14 | 13:00 | Event #63: €350 PLO Hi-Lo Mix |
| Feb. 14 | 15:00 | Event #64: €3,000 NLH Day 1 |
| Feb. 14 | 18:00 | Event #65: €555 NLH Valentine’s Day Special |
| Feb. 14 | 19:00 | Event #66: €555 PLO4/PLO5 |
| Feb. 14 | 20:00 | Event #67: €80 NLH Satellite to OlyBet Showdown Riga |
| Feb. 14 | 21:00 | Event #68: €200 Five-Card Mix |
| Feb. 14 | 21:00 | Event #69: €150 NLH OlyBet Online Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 14 | 22:00 | Event #70: €200 NLH Turbo |
| Feb. 15 | 12:00 | Event #38: €1,100 NLH Kings of Tallinn Main Event Final Day (€1,000,000 GTD) |
| Feb. 15 | 12:00 | Event #64: €3,000 NLH Final Day |
| Feb. 15 | 12:00 | Event #71: €200 PLO Progressive Bounty |
| Feb. 15 | 12:00 | Event #72: €200 Open-face Chinese Pineapple |
| Feb. 15 | 14:00 | Event #73: €350 NLH DeepStack Turbo |
| Feb. 15 | 21:00 | Event #74: Kings of Tallinn 2026 Player’s Party |
Kings of Tallinn FAQs
Where is Kings of Tallinn played?
Kings of Tallinn is played at the Olympic Park Casino and Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel in Tallinn, Estonia. The Olympic Park Casino is located at the hotel’s bottom floor.
Who won Kings of Tallinn 2025?
Kaspars Butans won the Kings of Tallinn 2025 Main Event for €182,000. A record-breaking 1,181 entries were made in the tournament, which generated a €1,098,330 prize pool.
What is the Buy-In for the Kings of Tallinn Main Event?
The Buy-In for the Kings of Tallinn Main Event is €1 100. There’s a €1,000,000 GTD in the tournament and different Day 1 start flights.
Where can I qualify to Kings of Tallinn?
Qualify for Kings of Tallinn tournaments online through OlyBet poker! Thursdays and Sundays satellites are running for the €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship and the €1 100 Main Event.
How much is the 1st prize in the Main Event?
During the last couple of years, the 1st prize for the Kings of Tallinn Main Event has been showing staggering numbers with first prizes surpassing the €100,000 mark. Live poker is far from dead, so we expect records to be broken once again in the near future.
