In the heart of Monaco, where the streets hum with Ferraris and the Mediterranean sparkles with the promise of old-world luxury, poker’s most glamorous celebration returned once again. The 2025 edition of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo was not just a tournament — it was an experience, a tradition two decades in the making. Beneath the sliding roof of the iconic Salle des Etoiles, history and ambition played out in real time, with chips clacking in rhythm and fortunes changing with every turn of a card.
From millionaires arriving by boat to once-young champions revisiting the tables of their past, EPT Monte Carlo remains a spectacle where poker’s past, present, and future converge under the Riviera sun.
20 Years of Prestige: The Legacy of Monte Carlo
For poker commentator Joe Stapleton, Monte Carlo isn’t just a stop on the calendar. It’s the spiritual playground of poker’s most vivid dreams. “Some people think poker is Vegas. Some think it’s smoky backroom games. But Monte Carlo? That’s tuxedos, Ferraris, and James Bond,” Stapleton said, echoing what so many feel when they step into this fabled event.
The European Poker Tour has been gracing the shores of Monaco since 2005. In an industry where tours often fade or rebrand, Monte Carlo has endured, its elegance and excitement never dimming. With the casino roof sliding open each morning to reveal the golden hues of the bay, even seasoned pros like Noah Boeken — who played the very first EPT Monte Carlo — still find themselves wide-eyed.
“I just sent my girlfriend a video of when the roof opens,” Boeken admitted. “It’s beautiful. I love big spaces and this room is amazing.”
From Young Buck to Tour Veteran: Noah Boeken’s Full-Circle Journey
Boeken is more than just a nostalgic figure — he’s a thread that ties the modern game to its roots. The Dutch pro was among the first champions in EPT history, taking home €147,679 after a win in Copenhagen in Season 1. Today, at 44, he’s no longer the youngest at the table, but he’s still grinding, still passionate, still dangerous.
“You’ll always remember Season One,” he smiles. “It was televised. There were only 200 people watching the final back then. Now look at this.”
In 2025, Boeken made another deep run. Surviving a brutal bubble phase, he cashed for just under $10,000. Not a career-defining sum for someone of his pedigree, but a moment of poetic endurance for a player who refuses to let go of the magic.
Stars, Streamers, and Super High Rollers
EPT Monte Carlo doesn’t just bring back legends. It attracts the bold, the rich, and the famous. Athletes, celebrities, crypto millionaires — you never know who you’ll find seated beside you. Chris Eubank Jr. showed up for a special cash game this year, and past editions have seen Neymar, Boris Becker, and even Kevin Hart take a seat at the tables.
“There was a guy who showed up one year just because his yacht docked,” Stapleton recalled. “He drove his Ferrari off the boat, bought into the €100k event, busted in 7 minutes, and drove back. That’s Monte Carlo for you.”
Across the resort, in the serene confines of The Americas Room at Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, the €100,000 Super High Roller played out — a softer, more polished side of poker. The stakes were colossal: €2 million for first place, €1.3 million for second. Yet one of the winners, dressed in gear from three poker brands, looked like any twentysomething you’d pass on the street. That contrast — the unassuming killer and the eccentric whale — is the essence of modern poker.
Patrik Antonius: The Eternal Icon of Monaco
There’s perhaps no player more closely tied to Monte Carlo than Finnish pro Patrik Antonius. A consistent face over 20 years of EPT, Antonius lives just a stone’s throw away from the venue and remains a fixture in the highest-stakes games.
“He still plays the Super High Rollers. He’s competitive, relevant, and very much a symbol of what this place represents,” said PokerStars’ James Hartigan, who’s been commentating on the event since 2008.
In a game where generations rise and fall, Antonius’ continued presence is proof that greatness can endure.
Breaking Records and Chasing Glory
The Main Event at EPT Monte Carlo 2025 drew 1,195 entries at €5,300 apiece, with 175 players making the money and the eventual winner walking away with a cool €1,000,000. For many, the dream began with a satellite win — a small online buy-in snowballing into a life-changing week in Monaco.
Stapleton and Hartigan, who now form the voice of the tour’s global broadcasts, note how today’s players are vastly better than those in 2005. “Back then, we were cowboys. Now, the average grinder knows more than the top pros did 20 years ago,” Boeken said candidly.
But the ambition remains the same — glory, legacy, and maybe, just maybe, a place in poker history.
A Poker Room Like No Other
At the heart of the Monte Carlo poker experience lies Salle des Etoiles — a room unlike any other in the world. Its retractable roof, views over Monte Carlo Bay, and theatrical setup elevate poker into art. Hartigan calls it the most beautiful poker room in the world — and he’s not exaggerating.
“Even if you bust on Day 1, just sitting there, soaking it in, is worth it,” he said. “You don’t just remember the cards. You remember the light, the space, the energy. This place changes people.”
The Old and the New Collide
EPT Monte Carlo’s enduring magic lies in its blend of heritage and reinvention. While the tournament no longer marks the grand final of the season as it once did, its prestige hasn’t faded. It’s not “just another stop.” It’s the stop. You don’t just play Monte Carlo — you arrive, you absorb, and you remember.
Several former champions returned in 2025 to chase history — Nicolas Chouity (winner in 2010), Steve O’Dwyer (2013), and Adrian Mateos (2015, plus the 2022 Super High Roller). None repeated their triumphs, but their pursuit alone gave the event gravitas.
And still, some — like Victoria Coren Mitchell — remain part of an exclusive club of two-time winners. Yet no one has ever done it twice in Monte Carlo. That milestone remains untouched.
The Grind Continues
As the cards flew and chips changed hands, stories unfolded. Some dreams were crushed, others revived. For some, the week was a blur of bust-outs and close calls. For others, like Aleksandr Shevliakov — the 2025 champion — it was a dream realized. From a €530 online satellite to a €1 million payday, his journey is the stuff poker dreams are made of.
But win or lose, one thing unites them all — the hunger to return.
What’s Next?
The EPT will now travel to Barcelona, Malta, and Prague before the year’s end. And with every stop, the legend grows. But there’s only one Monte Carlo — the crown jewel of poker’s global circuit. As Hartigan put it: “You bust, you cash, you final table — it doesn’t matter. The memory of Monte Carlo sticks with you forever.”
For those watching at home, the final table of the 2025 EPT Monte Carlo was streamed live on May 10 via YouTube and Twitch. But for the players, it wasn’t just about the final table. It was about legacy. A story. A chapter written under a ceiling of stars — literal and metaphorical.
Final Thoughts
EPT Monte Carlo is more than a poker tournament — it’s a ritual, a homecoming, and a fantasy rolled into one. Whether you’re a newcomer playing your first live event or a legend like Patrik Antonius, Monte Carlo offers something no other stop can: a poker room bathed in sunlight and legacy, a stage where anyone can sit down and — for a moment — feel like royalty.
As Noah Boeken said, “I’m still chasing that second win. But I’m going to get there one day.” And isn’t that what keeps us all coming back — the belief that the next hand, the next card, could be the one that changes everything?
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