2017 GUKPT Goliath Could Smash Poker Tournament Attendance Record
This was published 28-07-2017The fact that the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event attracted a whopping 7,221 players to the Rio All-Suite & Casino has resulted in it being the third-largest WSOP Main Event thus far and the 2017 GUKPT Goliath now looks as though it could possibly beat the attendance record for a poker tournament taking place in Europe.
Although the Goliath that ran in 2012 attracted 1,954 entries, the £200,000 guarantee was not met. However, the tournament proved to be a great success with all those participating having a chance to play in a WSOP-like event for an outlay of a mere £120.
The number of entrants for the Goliath tournament increased by 31.42 percent in 2013, with 2,568 turning out for the event. In 2014 there were 3,394 entering the tournament – an increase of 32.17 percent while 2015 saw another increase of 24.4 percent with an impressive 4,210 buying into the tournament.
The largest-ever Goliath tournament took place last year with 5,232 players buying in in over the course of a number of starting flights which saw another increase of 24.28 percent.
Should the attendance for the 2017 Goliath tournament only increase by 10 percent when it kicks off on Saturday, 29th July 2017, there will be over 5,750 entrants and a prize pool of £575,500 on offer. An early analysis by GUKPT, the sponsors of the Goliath, showed that there would be over 5,000 players at the tournament.
Several side events are also on the schedule, including events run by RedTooth Poker and APAT.
2017 GUKPT Goliath Schedule is as follows –
| Date | Time | Tournament |
| Thu 27 Jul | 7:00pm | £220 National 25/50 Event Flight A |
| Fri 28 Jul | 7:00pm | £220 National 25/50 Event Flight B |
| Sat 29 Jul | 11:00am | £87 Redtooth £25,000 Gtd |
| 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight A | |
| 7:00pm | £220 National 25/50 Event Flight B | |
| Sun 30 Jul | 11:00am | £76 Redtooth Tag Team Event |
| 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight B | |
| 2:00pm | National 25/50 Final Day | |
| 6:30pm | £38 Redtooth Win the Button | |
| 7:00pm | £31 Open Dealers Championships | |
| Mon 31 Jul | 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight C |
| 7:00pm | £38 4/5/6 Omaha 7-max | |
| Tue 1 Aug | 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight D |
| 7:00pm | £38 Win the Button | |
| Wed 2 Aug | 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight E |
| 7:00pm | £76 Tag Team Event | |
| Thu 3 Aug | 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight F |
| 6:00pm | £83 APAT 8-Game Championship Day 1 | |
| 7:00pm | £38 Joker is Wild | |
| Fri 4 Aug | 12:00pm | £120 Goliath Main Event Flight G |
| 8:00pm APAT 8-Game Championship Day 2 | ||
| Sat 5 Aug | 12:00pm | Goliath Main Event Day 2 |
| 4:00pm | £83 APAT UK Amateur Poker Championship Day 1 | |
| 7:00pm | £330 Super High Roller Day 1 | |
| Sun 6 Aug | Goliath Main Event Final Day | |
| 12:30 | Super High Roller Final Day | |
| 1:00pm | APAT UK Amateur Poker Championship Final Day | |
| 1:30pm | £58 APAT Pot-Limit Omaha Championship | |
| 2:00pm | £38 Deep and Steep Event |
