Live poker is back in 2024 as if the unprecedented 2020-2022 period never occurred, and big numbers in Barcelona for 888poker LIVE are just the latest evidence that live poker is still alive and well after the pandemic. The 2024 Main Event numbers were up almost 25% over the 2023 field.
17 events were spread across the two-week festival that played its final hands on May 20. The Main Event looks to have been a success with more than 450 entries this year, up from 369 in 2023, putting the total prize pool in the big show at €370,100k for 2024.
The 888poker ambassadorial team made a strong showing in the Main Event, though it was the ladies who outperformed the men. The team was well represented during Day 1 play, but when it came down to the prizes, only Lucia Navarro and Vivian Saliba were still left with chips.
Ambassadors Front and Center in Barcelona
It was a solid turnout from the ambassadors in Barcelona this time around with Ian Simpson, Nick Eastwood, Aaron Barone, Alexandre Mantovani, Vivian Saliba, and Lucia Navarro all in attendance. Navarro was one of the big bags on Day 1b with Saliba and Mantovani bagging up alongside her.
Fellow ambassador Ian Simpson also managed to bag a stack on Day 1c, but when the dust settled on Day 2, only Saliba and Navarro managed to make it to the money. Saliba took a min-cash, while Navarro managed to ladder up a few times before her exit in 37th place.
Simpson’s series had some redemption, however. In the €2,200 High Roller, he stormed through the early field for a final table finish in 3rd place. That result may have been overshadowed by a win from a familiar name — Maria Lampropulos took down the game for €22k, a bit more than double Simpson’s €10k payday.
2024 Main Nearly a Quarter Bigger than 2023
888poker LIVE Barcelona 2024 Main FT Prizes
- €75,000
- €48,000
- €33,000
- €24,000
- €15,000
- €10,800
- €8,550
- €6,900
- €5,500
The final table of the Main Event had more than €225,000 to play for, with the winner originally set to pocket €75,000. The official numbers changed a bit when the final four players made an ICM deal to smooth out the pay variance with the top 4 changing to:
- €61,550
- €41,985
- €37,895
- €35,570
The final day saw Romanian Josep Valls take down the adjusted top prize after an hour-long heads-up match against local Spanish player Jose Criado. Fellow Spaniard Gonzalo Mencia and Leo Jubien from France rounded out the final dealmakers.
888poker LIVE Barcelona 2024 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| *1 | Josep Valls | Romania | €61,550 |
| *2 | Jose Criado | Spain | €41,985 |
| *3 | Gonzalo Mencia | Spain | €37,895 |
| *4 | Leo Jubien | France | €35,570 |
| 5 | Guillem Morgo | Spain | €15,000 |
| 6 | Jose Massa | Spain | €10,800 |
| 7 | Scott Fritz | United States | €8,550 |
| 8 | Fernando Marco | Spain | €6,900 |
| 9 | Daguang Lin | Spain | €5,500 |
Find Silver Screen Success at 888poker Online
With Barcelona in the books for another year, the focus moves back to the 888poker online client where global players are trying to walk the Red Carpet to big prizes in a movie-themed freeroll promotion. Full details can be found in our look at the promotion but players have three ways to get into the opening level of freerolls with three levels of freerolls.
Entry into the $500 Red Carpet Freeroll (running three times daily) is pretty easy for regular players, regardless of your favorite game. MTT and cash poker players, as well as casino and sports bettors, all have easy paths to free Red Carpet tickets through their regular daily play.
The $4,000 weekly Silver Screen Freeroll requires players to complete nine challenges in a week to get access, while the very exclusive Golden Era Freeoll, running monthly with $20k guaranteed, has its own unique set of entry requirements.
Put on your best duds and get ready to walk the Red Carpet in the Royal Premiere Freeroll Series at 888poker.