PokerStars Exclusively on FanDuel announced this month that it will be sponsoring the Maryland State Poker Championship, which will feature 16 trophy events and more than $1 million in guaranteed prize pools.
The Maryland State Poker Championship, taking place Aug. 26-Sept. 7 at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, will culminate with the $1,700 buy-in Maryland State Poker Championship Main Event, which comes with a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool attached.
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Over a Dozen Trophy Events
The $1,700 Main event will run Sept. 3-7, but there are other highlights on the series schedule.
Some of the standout events include a $250,000 guaranteed Opening Event, a $100,000 Mini Main Event and a $10,000 guarantee Women’s Event, which should be sure to bring out PokerStars ambassadors like chess pro Jen Shahade.
And one lucky festival participant will wlak away with a Player’s Choice European Poker Tour (EPT) packavge valued at €10,000, including hotel accommodations and a €5,300 EPT Main Event buy-in at an EPT festival of their choice.
“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,” PokerStars General Manager Aaron Dugan said in a press release.
“We are very excited to welcome PokerStars exclusively on FanDuel as the title sponsor of the 2026 Maryland State Poker Championship,” added Christopher Angelo, Director of Poker for Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland. “With our premier poker room as the backdrop, this prestigious annual event continues to draw many of the world’s top players and solidify its place as a marquee tournament series on the poker calendar.”
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PokerStars has a rich history of partnering up with the Maryland State Poker Championship. In 2024, the $2,200 Main Event drew 245 runners as Ben Gazzola bested PokerStars Team Pro Parker Talbot to win $110,578.
The final table of the 2024 event also included Xiaoqiong Liu (3rd – $53,832), Nicholas Verderamo (4th – $39,868) and Isiah Ditoto (5th – $29,952).
2024 Maryland State Poker Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Gazzola | United States | $110,578 |
| 2 | Parker Talbot | Canada | $73,719 |
| 3 | Xiaoqiong Liu | United States | $53,832 |
| 4 | Nicholas Verderamo | United States | $39,868 |
| 5 | Isiah Ditoto | United States | $29,952 |
| 6 | Michael Bills | United States | $22,832 |
| 7 | Tim Faro | United States | $17,663 |
| 8 | Nicholas Banyas | United States | $13,870 |
| 9 | David Urban | United States | $11,058 |
The full schedule for the upcoming Maryland State Poker Championship will be released in the coming weeks. For more information about the series, visit pokerstarslive.com/maryland-state-poker-championship.
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Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.