Finish the Year in Style in Tallinn at the 2025 OlyBet Christmas Cracker Festival

From record-setting events like Kings of Tallinn and Queens of Tallinn to the 2025 WSOP Circuit, OlyBet’s flagship home, Olympic Park Casino, truly cemented itself as one of Europe’s hottest poker destinations. The year has been filled with packed tables, unforgettable stories, and champions who etched their names into poker history books in the Estonian capital.

Now, as the final chips of the year get shuffled, one last spark remains, the OlyBet Christmas Cracker Poker Festival, returning December 17–21 to the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn. Set against the backdrop of snow-dusted rooftops and the city’s world-famous Christmas market, the Christmas Cracker is where poker and holiday spirit collide.

Perfectly timed to close out a banner year, the festival gives players a chance to end 2025 on a high note before a fresh slate of tournaments kicks off in the new year.

Momentum from a Monumental Year

Kaspars Butans

Giedre Valgamae

Jenny Westerlund

This year’s poker calendar has already been nothing short of historic. At the 2025 Kings of Tallinn €1,100 Main Event, Kaspars Butans walked away with €182,000 and the crown after a record-breaking field. The Queens of Tallinn €350 Main Event witnessed Giedre Valgemäe capture a landmark victory in a celebration of women in poker. And the WSOP Circuit Tallinn made headlines worldwide when Jenny Westerlund shattered barriers with her triumphant run to win the 2025 WSOP Circuit Tallinn €1,500 Main Event for €200,200.

Each of these events set new benchmarks for participation and storytelling, and the Christmas Cracker carries that same energy forward into the holiday season, leading into what promises to be the largest Kings of Tallinn from Feb. 6-15 at Olympic Park Casino.

• Read more: Kaspars Butans Wins Kings of Tallinn Main Event
• Read more: Giedre Valgemäe Claims Historic Victory in Queens of Tallinn Main Event
• Read more: History Written as Jenny Westerlund Shatters Barriers at WSOP Circuit Tallinn

Christmas Cracker Main Event (Dec. 19-21)

The €350 Christmas Cracker Main Event takes place December 19–21, featuring two starting flights and a festive Final Day that crowns one last 2025 champion. Players can re-enter throughout both opening flights on Dec. 19-20 and will still be able to get into the action during the first two levels of the final day on Dec. 21.

Last year, Finland’s Nico Segersven took the trophy home after outlasting a 60-entry field in the €555 edition, pocketing €9,360 from a total €28,800 prize pool. This year’s lower buy-in and expanded schedule are expected to result in an even bigger turnout, and perhaps a new record before the year 2025 is history.

Bounties, Omaha, and Holiday Cheer

The side events start straight out of the gate with the €150 NLH OlyBet Christmas Cracker Warm Up on Dec. 17. Players will be collecting bounties on Dec. 18 in the €150 NLH Progressive Bounty, with the €200 PLO 4/5 Progressive Bounty on Dec. 20 suiting both bounty and Omaha enthusiasts. In between, players can enjoy a €200 NLH on Dec. 19.

Additionally, players can enjoy the €150 NLH on Dec. 20, followed by the €80 NLH Happy Holidays to wrap up the festival on Dec. 21. This is on top of the many satellites and nonstop cash games throughout the extended weekend leading into the Holidays.

Collect Cards, Win Entries

The Virtual Card Prize Draw once again adds some holiday spice. Every buy-in, re-entry, or in-the-money finish at the Olympic Park Casino before December 7 earns virtual cards, and those cards could lead to free tournament entries. The live draw on December 7 is expected to attract plenty of hopefuls looking to unwrap an early Christmas gift.

2025 OlyBet Christmas Cracker Full Schedule

• ^{Photos courtesy of Elena Kask}