Put it in the books: The 2013 Battle of Malta has blown the doors off the Portomaso Casino with 888 total runners and a massive €440k+ prize pool.
While a healthy field was expected an overwhelming crowd descended on Malta to push the Casino to full capacity and even leave a few on the waiting list.
The official prize pool won't be announced until tomorrow but a safe estimate is right around €444,000 - an impressive 2.5x the original guarantee.
The benficiaries? Everyone who makes the money -- and particularly this year's tourney winner who should pocket around €100k along with the super cool BOM trophy.
On a €550 buy-in, that's a truly extraordinary number.
The Thrill of a Big Tour without the Cost or Pressure
In just its second year the PokerListings Battle of Malta is proving it fills an important niche in the poker community.
With the big tours - the EPT, WPT and WSOP - stuffed with pros and hefty buy-ins, the atmosphere is tense, quiet and pressure packed.
At BOM the overwhelming vibe is fun. Table talk is lively, stories are being swapped and the joy of the game is at the forefront.
Host Kara Scott, a veteran on the pro circuit with plenty of experience in big buy-in events, is enjoying what she sees:
"When I'm playing in really big events, like the World Series Main Event, the Irish Open, some of the big WPTs, you get a lot of pros at your tables.
"And that's, you know, we're there to make money and they're there to make their living so I understand it, but there's a lot of headphones, it's prety quiet, there's not a lot of talking.
"Here at the Battle of Malta it's kind of the opposite of that.
"People want to know each other's stories, there'a a lot more talking at the tables... I didn't see almost anyone wearing headphones and almost tuning out of their table.... It's more of a relaxed atmosphere. It's more about enjoying the game..."
Check out Kara's full take on the BOM and why it's so successful below; check all the latest live updates straight from the floor right here.
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