WSOP Circuit Debuts in Malta as Luca Topazio Captures Main Event Title

The inaugural WSOP Circuit stop in Malta concluded at Casino Malta in St. Julian's with Luca Topazio of Italy securing the €1,500 Main Event title after 879 entries generated a €1,115,451 prize pool, while local player Shaun Decesare won the €550 Mystery Bounty event, and the overall festival distributed 12 gold rings across multiple tournaments with total prize pools exceeding €2.6 million as winners came from 11 different countries.

Organizers scheduled the series to run through early October 2026, allowing players from across Europe and beyond to compete in a new Circuit destination that brought the WSOP brand to the Mediterranean for the first time, and the numbers show strong turnout from the opening days through the final tables.

Main Event Draws Record Field for First Malta Stop

Luca Topazio navigated a field of 879 entrants to claim the Main Event bracelet and the largest share of the €1,115,451 prize pool, while the tournament structure and payout schedule followed standard WSOP Circuit guidelines that reward deep runs with significant returns, and observers noted the international composition of the field reflected the growing reach of the Circuit series into new markets.

Data from the event indicates that participants represented multiple regions, which contributed to the total prize pool surpassing initial guarantees, and the final table featured players from several nations before Topazio emerged as champion, confirming the competitive depth of the inaugural stop.

Local Winner Takes Mystery Bounty Title

Shaun Decesare, a player based in Malta, captured the €550 Mystery Bounty event and added his name to the list of gold ring winners, while the bounty format added an extra layer of strategy as participants chased both the regular payouts and the random bounty prizes drawn throughout the tournament, and the result highlighted the success of local talent in the home-country leg of the Circuit.

Event records show that the Mystery Bounty attracted a sizable field consistent with the overall festival attendance, and Decesare's victory marked one of the 12 rings awarded during the stop, underscoring the breadth of events that ran alongside the Main Event.

Festival Produces 12 Rings and Over €2.6 Million in Prizes

Across the full schedule the festival awarded 12 gold rings in events ranging from smaller buy-ins to the flagship Main Event, while cumulative prize pools exceeded €2.6 million, and the distribution of rings among players from 11 countries demonstrated the international appeal of the new Malta stop, according to detailed results published by poker-in.com.

Figures released after the series ended reveal consistent participation levels from the preliminary events through the closing tournaments, and the total numbers placed the Malta debut among the stronger Circuit stops in terms of both entries and overall payout volume, which aligns with patterns seen in other European Circuit locations.

International Representation and Circuit Expansion

Winners came from 11 countries, a detail that illustrates the diverse player pool drawn to St. Julian's, while the presence of the WSOP Circuit in Malta expands the series footprint in the European Union region and connects with the regulatory framework overseen by the Malta Gaming Authority, which licenses operations at Casino Malta.

Those who tracked the results noted that the combination of the Main Event, Mystery Bounty, and additional ring events created multiple paths to success, and the final tally of rings and prize money provides a baseline for future Circuit visits to the venue as organizers evaluate attendance trends.

Conclusion

The WSOP Circuit's first Malta stop at Casino Malta delivered measurable results through 879 Main Event entries, a €1,115,451 prize pool for that tournament, a local winner in the Mystery Bounty, 12 total gold rings, and more than €2.6 million in combined prize pools distributed among players from 11 countries, establishing a factual benchmark for the series in October 2026 and beyond.