Check your hand, place your bet, bluff, and win (or lose) big. Oh, and travel too.
Poker tournaments offer the chance to travel all around the world in the spirit of competition.
High profile poker destinations include the Bahamas, Melbourne (Australia) and one of our favorite European hot spots for luxury travel – Monte Carlo.
Rub shoulders with Princess Caroline at the opulent Opera de Monte-Carlo and ogle super-yachts in the picturesque port!
But there also places around the world that are so obscure, you might never visit them if they didn’t host major poker tournaments.
Some happen to dole out pretty wicked prize money too.
World’s richest poker destinations
So for all you poker fans out there, here are five of the world’s most obscure and richest poker destinations:
1) Punta Del Este, Uruguay
You might think Uruguay is better known for its flair in football than in the game of poker. Not so.
The beach resort of Punta Del Este is dubbed the “St. Tropez of Uruguay.”
Think ritzy nightclubs, trendy Bikini Beach (frequented by models and fashionistas), high-end hotels and casinos.
At the southern tip of Uruguay, Punta del Este has been a regular stop for the Latin American Poker Tour since its inaugural event in 2008.
Among the notable poker players who’ve competed in Punta del Este is Jose “Nacho” Barbero – a two-time LAPT champion in back-to-back tournaments.
2) Cyprus
The island of Cyprus (located south of Turkey) boasts scenic beaches and sunny weather.
It’s a popular tourist destination – but also a sweet place to play poker.
In 2009, it hosted the party poker World Poker Tour. French pro Thomas Bichon took home the $580,000 grand prize when he won the tournament.
3) Durant, Oklahoma
Well, we know the United States is one of the best countries for gambling. Hello Las Vegas!
But this is one of the really obscure places for gambling in the U.S.
Durant, located in southern southern Oklahoma, hosted a World Series of Poker event in 2011.
The tournament drew poker players living in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas, all just a short drive away.
4) Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Have you heard of Vanderbijlpark? No? We hadn’t either.
But it’s actually a fairly popular poker stop within South Africa.
It’s home to the Emerald Casino and Resort, which has hosted the World Series of Poker Africa since its inception in 2010.
Before hosting the WSOPA, South Africa’s largest claim to poker fame was when Raymond Rahme finished 3rd in the 2007 WSOP Main Event.
If you decide to jet off to South Africa to play a few hands, be sure to also pack your safari duds to see the Big Five on game drives in the world-famous Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
5) Marrakech, Morocco
The last poker destination takes us to fabled Marrakech in Morocco – a medieval city brimming with souks, mosques, gardens and snake charmers.
The World Poker Tour made sure North Africa would be represented by making it a regular stop in their tournaments in 2009.
The move proved a hit, as over 400 players showed up for the high-stake tournament.
France’s Christophe Savary won in the inaugural tournament, cashing in on the $379,000 first place prize.
That wraps up the world’s richest and best places to play poker!
We’ve covered some of the most interesting countries to play poker.
What about you? Where do you like to go on a gambling vacation?
Our top travel tips and resources
Here are our favorite travel resources:
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one. (We especially like their flexible cancellation policy!)
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out GetYourGuide and Viator.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more.
Vaccines and meds: We follow CDC travel guidelines to see what medications and vaccines are needed for trips. You can get vaccines at your pharmacy, travel medical clinic or doctor’s office.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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Photo credits: 4 Choktaw Casinos
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!
James
Thursday 20th of February 2014
Interesting list - I wouldn't have guessed any of those as poker destinations!
Irene S. Levine
Thursday 6th of February 2014
Sure are some unexpected spots on this list~
Janice and George
Thursday 6th of February 2014
Yes, the Oklahoma once was a surprise to us for sure.
Charu
Wednesday 5th of February 2014
So surprised Macau isn't on this list, but this list surprised me regardless!
Janice Mucalov
Wednesday 5th of February 2014
Ahhh. But Macau is not also one of the obscure destinations :-).
Corinne
Tuesday 4th of February 2014
Wow...Poker players sure can travel. The Cyprus one surprised me.
Janice Mucalov
Tuesday 4th of February 2014
Who knew a pack of cards and some chips could take you so far!