
There are many sought-after live poker destinations out there in the world, that’s for sure. That being said, most players would agree that a scenic setting is a necessary presumption for the event to reach legendary status – alongside a great tournament schedule and big prize pools, of course.
Battle of Malta is a live poker event that checks all of these boxes, and perhaps, that is why the festival is a very popular one, attracting players from all over the world. The upcoming edition is less than a month away, and players still have an excellent opportunity to secure an adventure in the exotic paradise, seeing as an €1,200 package for the 2026 Battle of Malta is up for grabs every Sunday on OptiBet and bwin.
Qualifiers Starting from €0.01
There are few more iconic destinations for live poker than Malta. Located in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is nothing less than a paradise, whether you’re a poker player or not. The island promises enjoyable weather, a mesmerizing scenery, and, of course, a lot of immense poker action. In fact, one of the highlights of the global poker calendar is getting closer and closer, and it’s an educated guess that Casino Malta already is working day and night, ensuring the upcoming fiesta will once again shatter all previous records.

The 2026 Battle of Malta will be played at Casino Malta between May 27-June 3. The €600 Main Event features a mouth-watering €700,000 guarantee, accounting for the bigger part of the €1,000,000 total festival guarantee. It is going to be an event of epic proportions, and all attendees will surely have a live poker experience of a lifetime.
The one who wants to secure their 2026 Battle of Malta attendance already now would be very wise to check out the ongoing campaigns on bwin and Optibet. It’s two very generous promotions to say the least; players can get their hands on lucrative packages (including the Main Event buy-in and more) for only €0.01.
How to Qualify
Both sites offer their players the splendid opportunity to compete for €1,200 packages to the 2026 Battle of Malta. The package includes a buy-in for the €600 Main Event, a four-night double room stay at the Holiday Inn Express Malta (located next to Casino Malta) with breakfast for two, and an additional €140 in cash for various expenses.
The packages on Optibet are identical to bwin’s; the only difference is that the Optibet packages are valued at €1,500 (with €320 in cash instead of bwin’s €140).
Bwin and Optibet both have a four-phase path for players to compete in, and the fourth and final phase is the one where players can compete for the packages. Optibet’s final phase runs weekly on Sundays, and all of their Sunday finales have one €1,500 package guaranteed. Bwin’s fourth phase run is scheduled on the last Sunday of every month, with two €1,200 packages guaranteed. Both campaigns will wrap up on May 15.
Players can choose to buy into any phase, but if one wants to get maximum value, one would start from the €0.01 Centroll. There, players compete for €1.10 Feeder tickets. Get through the Feeder phase, and you’ll be in what is referred to as Phase One, which holds a buy-in of €11. Emerge victorious in that one, and you’ll secure your seat in the €109 End Phase. As previously stated, Optibet’s Sunday finale runs weekly, while bwin’s runs on the last Sunday of every month.

Bwin/Optibet Qualifier Phase Path to the 2026 Battle of Malta
| Phase | When (EET) | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| €0.01 Centroll | Daily at 18:00, and last Sunday of every month (end May 17) at 14:00 and 17:00 | Seven €1.10 Feeder Tickets |
| €1.10 Feeder | Daily at 18:45, and last Sunday of every month (end May 17) at 14:45 and 17:45 | Three €11 Tickets Phase 1 Tickets |
| €11 Phase One | Daily at 20:00, and last Sunday of every month (end May 17) at 16:00 and 19:00 | One €109 End Phase Ticket |
| €109 End Phase | Optibet: Every Sunday at 20:00 (end May 17). Bwin: Last Sunday of every month at 20:00 (end May 17). | Bwin: €1,200 Package to the 2026 Battle of Malta (Two Packages Guaranteed). Optibet: €1,500 Package to the 2026 Battle of Malta (One Package Guaranteed) |
The next opportunity to capture a 2026 Battle of Malta package will be this Sunday on the Optibet network. It would be a good idea for all players to browse the Optibet poker client and check out any of the first three stages of the path, in order to secure a €109 Sunday finale for a cheaper buck.
Bwin and Optibet both deserve a pat on the back for what they’re doing for the poker community. Battle of Malta is a one-of-a-kind live poker event, and the fact that players can secure their trip to paradise for just mere cents is, honestly, incredible. The 2026 Battle of Malta will be nothing less than amazing, and Optibet and bwin are both playing huge parts in guaranteeing a massive turnout in the event.

