What to do online poker and outdoor stadiums have in common? Not much seemingly, but that is all due to change in London in May of 2013. Online poker tournaments are common fare, and generally allow you to relax in your favorite recliner, cozy up on the couch or crash in your computer chair while you take part. But a movement which began over a year ago is gathering steam as well as sponsors, and plans to drag more than 30,000 online poker players out of their homes and deliver them to one of the most famous and storied English football stadiums for what could possibly be the largest dual online and live poker tournament ever.

The International Stadiums Poker Tour is an online and off-line Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament which will make its debut in the famed Wembley Stadium of London. Previously a venue to some of the greatest English football matches in history, the massive stadium located in Wembley Park has a 90,000 seat capacity which burgeons to 105,000 combined seating and standing. The second largest stadium in all of Europe as well as England’s national stadium, this home venue of the England national football team will be invaded by online poker players and poker loving spectators in the first of what organizers hope are many stadium venues worldwide for multiplayer online poker tournaments.

The online poker community has been abuzz ever since rumors of the International Stadiums Poker Tour hit the Internet over a year ago. An estimated 30,000 players are expected to compete, with event organizers hoping this number grows as we approach the May 2013 kickoff date. Unique as both a massive online and live event, the current concept calls for the top 3,000 players that survive an initial online preliminary round of playing to advance to the player pool at Wembley. Television contracts have already been signed, and a prize pool of more than €20 million ($25 million) has been guaranteed.

Online and off-line poker player and celebrity Michael Mizrachi has already signed up as a proponent and ambassador for the tour, and joining him is high stakes British poker pro Sam Trickett. Trickett is currently the Michael Jordan of the UK poker community, the official all-time leader in money earnings at more than $16.4 million. Getting a player of his caliber on board supporting the operation in the UK will just about guarantee the European support level is dramatically high. The popular Trickett stated that as a poker player, he definitely wanted to be part of such a historic event.

Organizers of the International Stadiums Poker Tour told Poker Channel Europe they hope this is only the beginning of a very unique format which will actually allow players in the stands to participate in the early rounds. The tournament will take place from May 31 through June 6, and professional poker players Liz Lieu and Patrik Antonius have already been signed up as ambassadors for ISPT, and have been seen sporting ISPT gear as they promote this one-of-a-kind online/live poker event.

Learn more about existing online poker tournaments for USA players!