€3 Million Guaranteed Irish Open 2008 details released

The first prize at next year's Irish Open is set at a minimum of €800,000 and demand for the $1 buy-in tournament will be huge. With only 1,000 places available, Communications Manager Paddy Power advises players to register early to avoid disappointment. "The €4,500 ticket alone is a nice little return on your $1 entry, if you can then turn it into 800 grand at Irish Open, well, it will be the greatest investment known to man!"

$1 Satellite

Buy-in: $1 + 0.10c

Date: Wednesday 29th August at 9pm BST (GMT + 1 hour)

The full schedule on paddypowerpoker.com caters for every bankroll with daily feeders from $4 up to the $340 fortnightly Grand Final Satellites. The $8,500 package includes the €4,500 buy-in to the event as well as more than $2,500 in expenses.

Fortnightly Super Satellites

Buy-in: $340 + $20

Date: Every second Sunday at 9pm

Feeders: Daily feeders at 1pm, 6pm, 9pm and midnight.

Online qualification for major live events exploded in popularity after Chris Moneymaker turned a $40 investment into a $2.5 million first prize at the 2003 World Series of Poker. Greg Raymer repeated the feat the following year proving the quality of online players and their potential to upset the professionals.

paddypowerpoker.com is the home of the Irish Open supplying more than 10 percent of the entire field through its online satellites. In April 2007, Thomas Finneran from Galway parlayed his online qualification into a €75,000 payday when he finished 7th from a record breaking field of 708 players.

With qualification starting earlier than last year, paddypowepoker.com will supply even more players in 2008 helping to swell the field for the Irish Open 2008 towards its capacity of 1,000 players.