PENN Entertainment is rolling out another major property in the Chicago area, with Hollywood Casino Aurora set to open its doors on June 24. The $360 million development represents a substantial upgrade from the original riverboat operation that’s been serving Aurora since 1993.

The new land-based venue sits across from Chicago Premium Outlets near Interstate-88, bringing a proper resort experience to the region. We’re talking 1,200 gaming positions, a full retail sportsbook, hotel accommodation, and a 12,000-square-foot event center.

There’s also an outdoor entertainment area, full-service spa, and approximately 1,700 parking spaces.

Following Joliet’s Success

PENN CEO Jay Snowden clearly sees this as building on momentum from Hollywood Casino Joliet, which opened last August to queues of punters waiting to get through the doors. That $185 million property pulled in $11.3 million in its first full month of September, a 48% jump from when it was operating as a riverboat the previous year.

The Aurora property follows a similar trajectory. The original Hollywood Casino Aurora was actually the Hollywood Casino Corporation’s first riverboat venture back in 1993, operating from two riverboats before evolving into a 70,000-square-foot moored structure. The current floating casino offers 53,000 square feet of gaming with over 1,000 slots, 26 table games, and one restaurant.

The new land-based venue changes the game entirely. Particularly on the entertainment and dining front.

Celebrity Chef Partnerships

PENN has brought in some serious culinary talent for Aurora. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis is opening Sorella by Giada at the property, while the Boulevard Food & Drink Hall will house multiple dining concepts. These include Lucky Goat by chef Stephanie Izard, Five50 Pizza, Antique Taco, and Pretty Cool Ice Cream.

Rafael Verde, Senior Vice President of Regional Operations at PENN, positioned the dining options as a key differentiator. Combined with the hotel, event center, and spa facilities, the company is clearly targeting a broader entertainment market beyond traditional casino customers.

Refocusing After ESPN Bet

While PENN pushes forward with its land-based expansion, the company has notably stepped back from experimental ventures in the online space. Following the collapse of its ESPN Bet partnership, Snowden has made it clear the company won’t be touching prediction markets, despite other sportsbooks testing those waters.

His stance is straightforward. When regulators say something’s illegal gambling, PENN stays clear.

The company is instead channelling resources into regulated online gambling through theScore Bet in the US, which showed promising Q4 results last year with iGaming revenue up 40% and sports betting up 73%.

Snowden credited a streamlined cost structure and regionally focused marketing strategy, prioritising jurisdictions with both legalised iCasino and online sports betting.

More Midwest Investment

Aurora isn’t PENN’s only upcoming launch. The company is also opening a new hotel tower at Hollywood Casino Columbus in Ohio later this year, further strengthening its Midwest portfolio.

The regional strategy makes sense given the strong performance of the Joliet water-to-land transition. If Aurora follows a similar path, PENN will have two solid earners in the greater Chicago market, both targeting customers who want more than just gaming floors.

With the June 24 opening now confirmed, Aurora locals and Chicago-area punters have just over a month to wait before they can see whether PENN’s latest investment lives up to expectations.

A part-time bookkeeper at Hollywood Casino’s Penn National Race Course faces nine felony charges after allegedly stealing over $727,000 (£570,000) from her employer and spending it on luxury items including a Tesla, cosmetic procedures, and collectible LEGO sets.

Jennifer Petrillo, 53, was arraigned on charges including theft, forgery, and computer trespassing following an investigation that began when a colleague covering her medical leave spotted what police described as “glaring discrepancies” in the casino’s accounting system.

Sophisticated Internal Fraud Scheme

According to investigators, Petrillo exploited her privileged access to the casino’s financial systems to orchestrate a complex fraud involving false accounts, fabricated identities, and phantom business entities. She was one of only three employees with the high-level system permissions necessary to execute such transactions. Prosecutors call it “a calculated abuse of a position of trust.”

The scheme allegedly began in June 2024, shortly after Petrillo started working at the venue as a horse racing bookkeeper. Police say she conspired with a family member to funnel casino funds through fraudulent channels. Meanwhile, legitimate accounts began showing unexplained negative balances totalling tens of thousands of dollars.

Lavish Spending Spree

Court documents reveal the stolen funds financed a Tesla Model 3, multiple plastic surgery procedures, luxury spa treatments, stock investments through trading platform Robinhood, and extensive LEGO collections. Once the investigation launched in March 2025, the sheer breadth of purchases helped investigators trace the money trail.

Petrillo has been released on $10,000 bail and faces a preliminary hearing on 24 March before Magisterial District Judge Dale E. Klein. Given the scale of the alleged theft, she could face substantial prison time if convicted.

Part of a Troubling Pattern

Casino employee theft remains a persistent industry challenge. Similar cases have resulted in lengthy sentences. A Las Vegas database manager got 57 months for converting customer free play credits into nearly $864,000 in real winnings. A former Muscogee (Creek) Nation accountant got six years for embezzling $25 million to fund purchases of cars, luxury goods, and investments.

Hollywood Casino confirmed it is cooperating fully with law enforcement and has undertaken a comprehensive review of internal financial controls following the incident. Worth knowing: the case shows why robust oversight systems matter even at established gaming venues, where trust and access can create vulnerabilities when exploited by those with inside knowledge of operational procedures.

Nevada is closing in on forcing Kalshi to cease operations in the state, following the court of appeals’ decision to deny the prediction market platform’s motion for an administrative stay. The ruling clears the way for the Nevada Gaming Control Board to secure a temporary restraining order that would block the company from offering sports-related event contracts to users in the state.

If the Carson City District Court issues the TRO as expected, Kalshi will have to exit Nevada within 14 days, pending a preliminary injunction hearing. The platform would join Polymarket and Crypto.com, which have already been forced out of the state over similar regulatory battles.

Nevada’s Hardline Stance on Prediction Markets

Nevada has taken the most aggressive regulatory approach of any US state when it comes to prediction markets operating outside its traditional gaming framework. Judge Jason Woodbury, who is presiding over the Kalshi case, previously granted the NGCB’s request for a TRO against Polymarket last month. That prompted Polymarket to block Nevada users from its recently launched US service.

The state has also pursued legal action against Coinbase and Crypto.com over their sports markets. Crypto.com exited Nevada last year rather than continue the fight, whilst major operators FanDuel and DraftKings abandoned potential sports betting licenses in the state due to Nevada’s opposition to their prediction market platforms.

Even Robinhood, which offers Kalshi’s markets through its app, agreed to halt its sports markets in Nevada back in November.

Kalshi, however, has remained defiant, insisting it operates under federal jurisdiction rather than state-level gaming regulation.

Federal Jurisdiction Argument Falls Flat

Kalshi’s core legal argument rests on the claim that, as a federally regulated derivatives exchange overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, it should not be subject to state gaming laws. Few states are accepting that position.

The company has suffered setbacks beyond Nevada, with judges in Ohio and Michigan refusing to grant injunctions against state gambling regulators. More seriously, Arizona became the first state to file criminal charges against the company this week. That could embolden other jurisdictions to pursue similar enforcement actions.

A Kalshi spokesperson maintained the company’s position: “States like Arizona want to individually regulate a nationwide financial exchange, and are trying every trick in the book to do it. As other courts have recognized and the CFTC affirms, Kalshi is subject to federal jurisdiction.”

Tennessee has granted an injunction against the platform. Massachusetts, by contrast, has taken a more measured approach, allowing Kalshi to continue operating whilst its case proceeds through the courts.

Supreme Court Intervention Unlikely

Gaming lawyer Daniel Wallach, who has been closely following these cases, does not expect a definitive ruling from the Supreme Court before the first half of 2028. However, he anticipates “a spate of shadow docket emergency applications to SCOTUS for stay relief this year and next,” with Nevada potentially being the first test case as Kalshi battles for survival in multiple jurisdictions.

Interestingly, Polymarket itself is running a market on whether the Supreme Court will accept a sports event contract case. It’s currently pricing a 27% chance of a hearing before the end of July and 64% by year’s end.

Growth Continues Despite Legal Headwinds

Despite facing an increasingly hostile regulatory environment across multiple states, Kalshi continues to attract serious investment interest. A new round of financing values the company at $22 billion, reflecting investor confidence that the platform will ultimately prevail in its federal jurisdiction argument, or at least secure enough friendly jurisdictions to maintain a viable US business.

The Nevada ruling will likely serve as a template for other state regulators pursuing similar enforcement actions. How this plays out over the coming months will be fascinating to watch, particularly if Arizona’s criminal charges gain traction and other states follow suit with their own prosecutions.

Valve is facing another significant legal challenge over its loot box mechanics, this time in its home state of Washington. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington on 9 March, comes just weeks after New York’s Attorney General launched similar action against the gaming giant.

Allegations of Gambling Mechanics

The Washington suit takes particular aim at how Valve has structured its loot box system across titles like Counter-Strike. Attorney Steve Berman, representing the plaintiffs, stated the company “deliberately engineered its gambling platform and profited enormously from it.”

What’s interesting here is the focus on presentation as much as mechanics. The lawsuit highlights how opening these boxes visually mimics a slot machine, with potential prizes spinning across the screen before settling on a winner. It’s a deliberate design choice that creates familiar anticipation for anyone who’s spent time around gaming machines.

The economics tell quite a story. Valve charges $2.49 for keys to unlock Counter-Strike loot boxes, but the suit claims roughly 96% of items inside are worth less than that key price. Of course, there’s the crucial element that makes this model work: occasionally someone lands an item worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

The Business Model Under Scrutiny

The numbers involved are substantial. According to tracking services cited in the lawsuit, players opened more than 400 million Counter-Strike loot boxes during 2023 alone. That translates to over $1 billion in key sales for Valve, which gives you a sense of why this business model has become so central to modern gaming economics.

Berman argues that “consumers played these games for entertainment, unaware that Valve had allegedly already stacked the odds against them.” The plaintiffs are seeking class action status, along with undisclosed restitution, damages, and legal fees.

Wider Industry Implications

This second lawsuit in quick succession suggests mounting pressure on established loot box systems. Whether these cases succeed or not, they’re forcing a conversation about how randomised rewards should be classified and regulated.

For an industry built partly on these mechanics, that’s a discussion with potentially far-reaching consequences.

The case is now working its way through the Washington federal court system, with plaintiffs pushing for jury trial. Given Valve’s headquarters are in Bellevue, Washington, this one hits particularly close to home for the company.

An inquest this week concluded that Arthur Soames, a 19-year-old student, took his own life in circumstances linked to problem gambling. The case has raised serious questions about operator intervention practices and regulatory oversight in the UK online gambling sector.

West London Coroner’s Court heard that Soames opened his bet365 account in June 2020, shortly after turning 18. What began as occasional football betting escalated dramatically in December 2021 when he started playing online casino games including roulette and blackjack.

Pattern of Escalating Play

According to Leigh Day, the legal firm representing Soames’ family, the student’s gambling behaviour showed multiple warning signs in the two months before his death. He placed approximately 1,600 wagers during this period. Sessions often occurred in the early hours of the morning, a recognised indicator of potential harm.

The Times reported that Soames wagered £13,000 in January 2022 alone. On the day of his death, he lost seven consecutive casino bets, doubling his stake each time. Coroner Ian Arrow said this “exhausted all viable funds and credit” available to him.

During this period, bet365 sent over 80 marketing messages to Soames, compared to just one interaction flagging potential concerns. Dan Webster from Leigh Day argued this represented a significant failure in duty of care. Arthur’s gambling “showed a number of significant indicators of harm which should have been identified and should have led to further interaction and intervention,” he said.

Operator Response

A bet365 spokesperson expressed condolences and noted the company “strives for the highest safer gambling standards.” The operator contested suggestions that gambling was the primary cause, pointing out that Soames’ account was in a net winning position overall. Other stress factors contributed to his difficulties, they said.

The company stated it will review the inquest’s findings. Worth knowing: the complex nature of the case makes direct causation difficult to establish.

Calls for Stronger Protection

Soames’ mother, Isabelle, has called for enhanced protections specifically targeting younger players. She wants the Gambling Commission to require operators to implement age-specific risk detection systems that monitor frequency of bets, session length, and time of day, rather than focusing solely on amounts lost.

“We believe that only by introducing such protections can more young lives like Arthur’s be prevented from being tragically lost,” she said.

The family is also pushing for restrictions on free bet offers to young players and limits on cross-selling casino products to those who start with sports betting.

Regulatory Questions

The Gambling Commission investigated the case but has not disclosed its findings. Webster suggested that if bet365 avoided penalties because the account was net positive, this exposes fundamental flaws in the regulatory framework.

“This gives rise to serious questions about the Commission’s fitness for purpose as a regulator tasked with protecting the public from gambling harm,” he said.

The case arrives as the UK continues implementing safer gambling measures, including stake limits on online slots. Recent figures show players wagered over £25.7 billion on slots in the final quarter of last year, up from £24 billion in the same period of 2024. Current interventions may not be reducing overall activity, in other words.

Coroner Ian Arrow noted that in Soames’ case, “his depression reinforced his gambling and his gambling reinforced his depression.” This highlights the complex interplay between mental health and gambling behaviour, which makes intervention and support crucial.

The inquest’s findings are likely to inform ongoing discussions about player protection standards across the UK online gambling industry, particularly regarding vulnerable age groups and early intervention protocols.

OLBG-sponsored trainer Harry Derham has opened up about Jackie Hobbs’ impressive Cheltenham performance and confirmed the mare could make a swift return at Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival next month.

Speaking to OLBG brand ambassador Ella McNeill, Derham admitted Jackie Hobbs exceeded expectations in the Mares’ Chase. She finished strongly up the hill despite two miles looking on the sharp side for her.

Career Best Performance

“I said beforehand that if she ran a career best and things went right, she could finish fifth or sixth,” Derham explained. “But I was super proud of her run. Two miles is probably a bit too short for her, but I loved how she galloped up the hill. She stayed very well and acquitted herself brilliantly in a really good race.”

The trainer’s post-race analysis has sparked talk of a quick turnaround. Fairyhouse’s Irish Grand National meeting is now firmly on the radar if the mare comes out of Cheltenham in good order.

Irish Challenge on the Cards

Derham confirmed a decision would be made within the week. He sounded genuinely keen on the prospect. “She has come out of the race well. Over two and a half miles you would be confident that the extra trip would make her progress. She has kept improving all season and that Cheltenham run put her right in the mix.”

The step up in trip looks nothing but a positive. Jackie Hobbs won over two miles three furlongs at Warwick earlier this season, with Harry Skelton advising connections not to be afraid of going further. She’s also a three-mile point-to-point winner on soft ground, with Holloway Queen among those she beat that day.

“It would be a tough race taking on the Irish on their backyard,” Derham admitted, “but there are reasons to be optimistic she could run well.”

Ground conditions shouldn’t pose a problem either. Derham expects Fairyhouse to ride easier than Cheltenham, which he described as “fine and safe” without any concerns.

One Horse Town Comes Up Short

Not all the Cheltenham news was quite so positive. One Horse Town, another Derham runner at the Festival, simply wasn’t good enough against Grade 1 opposition. The trainer was admirably straightforward about it.

“He just wasn’t good enough, it’s as simple as that,” Derham said. “He has had a good season, but it was always likely we would get found out by bigger, stronger horses in the spring and that’s what happened.”

The gelding has enjoyed a busy campaign. Punchestown remains a possibility if he shows the right signs when he returns to work this week. Aintree is definitely off the table.

Teddy Blue’s Quirky Brilliance

Perhaps the most entertaining subject was Teddy Blue, whose recent Kempton victory left Derham going through “all sorts of emotions” as a spectator.

“You go through wondering what he is doing, thinking he is not in the mood, and then suddenly he is incredibly tough to win,” the trainer laughed. “I have sort of given up trying to explain him. He is just his own character.”

The quirky chaser clearly loves Kempton over fences. Derham reckons dry ground is crucial to his performance, which has prompted connections to consider the Topham Chase at Aintree, where Teddy Blue holds an entry.

“I am not going to say we know it will suit him because we do not really know, but it would not surprise me if it did,” Derham said. “He is quite an efficient jumper, which I think you need that style right now. The modern type for those races is something like Tiger Roll, horses that brush through the top rather than being too careful.”

It’s an intriguing comparison. If Teddy Blue can channel even a fraction of Tiger Roll’s Aintree magic, punters could be in for another entertaining ride.

A parliamentary drafter who’d served Estonia’s government for over three decades has been sacked following a clerical error that accidentally made online gambling tax-free in the country’s new Gambling Tax Act.

The mistake, discovered in December’s legislation, exempted online casino operators from taxation by limiting the tax to “skill games” only. It created a brief window where Estonia’s remote gambling sector – which lawmakers hoped would generate around €27 million in 2026 – faced zero tax liability.

Political Fallout and Blame Game

Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported the dismissal but chose not to identify the woman, citing her status as a non-public figure. The episode has triggered real political friction within Estonia’s parliament, the Riigikogu.

Finance Committee member Aivar Kokk didn’t mince words about the handling of the affair. In his fifteen years serving parliament, he described the situation as uniquely disgraceful, calling the dismissed adviser “a scapegoat.” Blame had bounced between a Finance Ministry official and the entire Riigikogu before landing on the drafter, he noted.

Chancellery Director Antero Habicht pushed back against accusations of political motivation, stating the dismissal resulted from disciplinary proceedings that considered the typo alongside other circumstances.

According to the Chancellery, the woman discovered her error on 5 January but failed to report it immediately. Her superiors only learned of the mistake a week later when ERR broke the story publicly.

Warnings Ignored

The situation got more complicated when Eesti Ekspress reported that the dismissed adviser had raised concerns back in November about insufficient time to properly prepare the online casino legislation. Her warning proved prescient.

“A law is not a poem or a newspaper article, where it does not matter if a word is wrong,” she told the publication. “Time must be given for a law to be completed and mature. Otherwise, the potential damage can be very large.”

Finance Committee Chair Annely Akkermann confirmed that the drafter had indeed complained about workload pressures, saying staff “could not keep up or go into sufficient depth.” Local media suggest the woman’s decision to criticize the Chancellery publicly may have contributed to her dismissal.

Ambitious Plans Hit Rocky Start

The debacle represents a real stumbling block for Estonia’s ambitions to position itself as a serious iGaming jurisdiction competing with Malta and Gibraltar.

The country’s strategy centers on gradually reducing its gambling tax from the current 6% to 4% by 2029, undercutting Malta’s 5% rate. For 2026, the tax rate should have dropped to 5.5%. Instead, the typo briefly created an unintended 0% rate for online gambling operators. Lawmakers rushed through a corrected version of the act this month to close the loophole.

The chaotic rollout raises questions about whether Estonia can deliver the stable regulatory environment necessary to attract major operators. When your debut as an iGaming hub involves accidental tax exemptions and public blame-shifting, convincing established operators to relocate becomes considerably harder.

The revised legislation is now in force with the intended tax rate properly specified. Whether the damage to Estonia’s reputation as a potential iGaming destination can be repaired as quickly remains to be seen.

UK casino players are taking a more calculated approach to their gambling choices, prioritising return to player percentages and bankroll longevity over flashy promotions and game aesthetics.

The shift marks a notable change in how punters evaluate online casinos. Transparency and payout performance now carry as much weight as bonuses and game libraries.

Player Priorities Are Evolving

Discussion forums and player communities are seeing increased attention on RTP percentages, game volatility, and realistic session expectations. Rather than chasing the latest themed slot release, players are asking more practical questions about how far their deposits will stretch.

David Coleman, casino expert at OLBG, reckons the change reflects a broader demand for operational clarity. “Modern players are well aware that money in their back pockets matter much more than a shiny new promotion,” he noted. “Smarter players are now actively hunting for high RTP live casino games, completely shifting the dynamic of what makes a good site.”

This isn’t about reducing risk or playing it safe. It’s about informed participation. Players want to understand the mathematics behind the entertainment. And they’re comparing sites based on verifiable performance metrics rather than marketing promises.

RTP as a Comparison Tool

Return to player percentages provide a useful baseline for evaluating casino value. Short-term results remain unpredictable by nature, of course. But RTP figures offer a standardised way to compare operator offerings over the long haul.

A casino operating at 98% RTP versus one at 94% might not change your luck on any given evening. Over hundreds of sessions though, that four percentage point difference becomes meaningful. It’s the sort of edge that keeps your bankroll healthier across extended play.

Independent testing labs like eCOGRA audit random number generators and verify advertised payout rates, giving players confidence that the numbers on the tin match reality. These certifications have become part of the due diligence process for experienced punters evaluating new operators.

Beyond RTP: Operational Performance Matters

High theoretical returns mean little if withdrawals take a week to process or payment terms lack clarity. Players are now weighing RTP alongside operational factors that directly impact their experience.

Withdrawal speed has emerged as a critical differentiator. Fast payout casinos that process requests within hours rather than days are gaining favour, particularly among regular players who value access to their winnings.

Payment transparency, fair terms, and straightforward verification processes round out the value proposition. The most competitive operators are responding by streamlining their cashier operations and being upfront about processing times.

What This Means for the Industry

As Coleman suggests, this evolution could push casino sites to raise their standards across the board. When players make decisions based on measurable performance rather than promotional splash, operators need to compete on substance.

The trend also signals a maturing market. UK players have more information available than ever before, and they’re using it to make deliberate choices about where and how they play. That’s healthy for everyone involved.

Whether this focus on value drives longer playing sessions or changes game preferences, we’ll see. What’s clear is that UK casino customers are approaching their entertainment with sharper analytical tools and higher expectations for transparency.

The bingo landscape is changing, and it’s not about who shouts the loudest anymore. Across UK bingo sites, there’s a noticeable shift away from headline-grabbing welcome offers toward promotions that actually deliver value when you dig into the details.

For years, the strategy was simple: slap a massive percentage on your welcome bonus and watch the sign-ups roll in. Players have wised up, though. They’re looking past the big numbers and asking the questions that matter. What are the wagering requirements? How long do I have to use this? Which games actually count?

Deposit Match Offers Are Getting a Rethink

Deposit match bonuses remain one of the core incentives in bingo, but the way they’re structured is evolving. Operators are dialling back the complexity. Focusing on clarity instead. That means fewer restrictive conditions, more realistic expiry windows, and wagering terms that don’t require a calculator to understand.

The shift reflects what players have been saying for a while now: a bonus you can actually use beats one that looks impressive on paper but comes with a laundry list of catches. Sites are finally listening, and it’s starting to show in how promotions are presented.

Most top-tier welcome bonuses now start from a £10 deposit point, which has created a level playing field. When every site offers roughly the same entry threshold, players can compare the actual value rather than being dazzled by inflated percentages.

Size Isn’t Everything Anymore

There was a time when the biggest welcome bonus won the race. Players gravitated toward whichever site offered the most free bingo tickets or the highest match percentage.

That approach is losing its edge.

These days, savvy bingo players are prioritising usability over size. They want bonuses they can actually clear without jumping through hoops. Promotions that fit how they play, not ones that force them into games they’re not interested in.

This shift is forcing operators to rethink their entire promotional strategy. The sites that succeed now are the ones offering transparent, player-friendly terms rather than just the flashiest numbers.

What’s Coming Next

The evolution of bingo promotions is far from finished. There’s growing interest in community-focused features like shared jackpots, chat game bonuses, leaderboard competitions. These elements add a social dimension that traditional deposit bonuses can’t match.

Transparency is also becoming a competitive advantage. Players are paying closer attention to the fine print, and sites that make their terms easy to understand are building stronger reputations. In an industry where trust matters, frankly, that’s worth more than any headline figure.

The bingo market is maturing, and players are driving that change. Operators who adapt will thrive. Those still relying on big numbers and complicated terms? They might find themselves left behind.

Paddy Power have opened their book on next year’s Irish Open, and poker punters are already scouring the odds for value. The familiar €9 max stake remains in place, a source of endless frustration for serious bettors who’d happily risk considerably more on tournament futures.

That tight limit exists for good reason. The bookmaker has been caught out before, most memorably when Neil Channing backed himself at 100-1 after day one in 2008 and went on to collect £50,000 alongside the €801,400 first prize. Last year, defending champion Simon Wilson reportedly had over a hundred mates pile on at 200-1, making for an expensive week at Paddy Power headquarters.

Record Field Expected

The 2026 edition is shaping up as potentially the biggest Irish Open yet, with organizers projecting over 5,000 entries. With a €1,150 buy-in and single re-entry per flight across five starting days, expect around 2,600 unique players, many firing multiple bullets. That field size makes the pricing decisions particularly interesting.

Top favorites are listed at 175-1, with recognizable names extending to 475-1. Some punters reckon these prices are too short, but Paddy Power’s previous stings justify their caution. The Irish Open consistently produces professional winners. Seven of the last ten champions being seasoned pros, actually. The excellent structure and multi-day format rewards skill over luck, making this one tournament where experience genuinely counts.

Where the Value Lives

Wilson himself isn’t currently listed, presumably already backed down after last year’s supporters renewed their faith. Among the 175-1 favorites, Steve O’Dwyer represents the best of a mediocre bunch, but that price doesn’t offer sufficient edge. The same applies to Benny Glaser, Parker Talbot, Dominik Nitsche, and Paddy Power ambassador Dara O’Kearney.

All quality players, none worth backing under 300-1.

The 225-1 bracket contains thirty-one names, with EPT Prague champion Padraig O’Neill and GUKPT London winner Brandon Sheils standing out slightly. Stephen Kehoe’s deep WPT World Championship runs make him another to consider, but only if these prices drift toward 350-1.

Smart Money Territory

Real value emerges further down the board. At 275-1, the 200-player list includes FPS Paris winner Mateusz Moolhuizen and UKIPT Dublin champion Kevin Killeen. Daragh Davey, a two-time UKIPT Player of the Year, represents exactly the sort of consistent grinder who can navigate a massive field. Former champion Ian Simpson at this price carries obvious appeal given his 2013 victory.

Push beyond 375-1 and the interesting names multiply. WPT Prime Slovakia champion Fabian Gumz and WPT World Championship runner-up Rob Sherwood both offer genuine value. Irish bracelet winner Sean Prendiville and EPT Prague finalist Conor O’Driscoll know how to close big tournaments. At these odds, experienced locals like Annette O’Carroll and rising talent Stephen Campbell become genuinely attractive propositions.

The Quiet Achievers

The best bets at this tournament will always be the online crushers and underrated grinders who avoid the limelight. Players with proven track records but lower public profiles, the sort who let their poker speak rather than their social media. That’s where the 375-1 and higher bracket becomes hunting ground for anyone willing to do their homework.

Look, with that €9 limit, this is clearly a bit of fun rather than serious investment. But finding genuine edges in a 5,000-player field makes for an entertaining challenge. The Irish Open’s track record of rewarding skill means those longer-priced professionals carry more weight than they would in softer events. Choose wisely and that tenner might just turn into a couple of grand come next spring.