One Month Away From APPT Manila Championship – October 16 to 27 At Okada Manila

Time to mark down the Philippines in your travels for October as the country is about to host its richest poker festival of the year! Storming back is the Asia Pacific Poker Tour’s – APPT Manila Championship – taking place from October 16 to 27, 2025 at the newly opened Coral Lounge in Okada Manila.

“We are doubling the fun as the APPT Manila Championship returns for its second edition, proudly hosted at PokerStars at Okada Manila—recognized as the Best Poker Room in an Integrated Resort. We are equally excited to return to the Coral Lounge, where players can look forward to an elevated and unforgettable experience.”

2025 APPT Manila Championship

An offshoot of its highly popular annual APPT Manila event, the APPT Manila Championship enters its second year with a big bang featuring ₱155 Million (~US$ 2.6M) in guarantees. This is the largest-ever guarantee offered by the APPT, spread across ten events plus the Early Bird Special with a Value-Added APPT Open seat worth ₱60,000.

Festival Highlights

• Early Bird Special: October 16 (Value-Added APPT Open seat ₱60,000) – ₱2,500
• Okada Kick-off: Oct 16 -18 (₱8 Million GTD) – ₱20,000
• APPT Open: Oct 17 – 20 (₱20 Million GTD) – ₱60,000
• PokerStars Red Dragon: Oct 19 – 21 (₱20 million GTD) – ₱70,000
• APPT National: Oct 21- 24 (₱10 million GTD) – ₱35,000
• APPT Super High Roller: Oct 22 -23 (₱10 Million GTD) – ₱500,000
• Mystery Bounty: Oct 23 – 26  (₱10 Million GTD) – ₱25,000
• APPT CHAMPIONSHIP (Main Event): October 23-27 (₱60 Million GTD) – ₱165,000
• APPT One Million Challenge: Oct 23 -24 – ₱1,000,000
• APPT Mini Championship: Oct 26 (₱3 Million GTD) – ₱35,000
• APPT Championship High Roller: Oct 26 -27 (₱10 Million GTD) – ₱300,000

A Charity Event [R+A] – ₱1M GTD (Admin Fee + Add on Goes to Charity) will also be held on October 23. The Top 5 winners will receive an entry to the APPT Championship Main Event Qualifier, valued at ₱24,000. The winner of this event will also receive a value-added Mystery Bounty event entry worth ₱25,000.

Make sure to browse the schedule as it is absolutely stacked with games for all types of players and bankrolls. A total of 81 events are listed, 63 of them awarding iconic APPT shards, spadies, and one PokerStars Red Dragon trophy. Buy-ins range from ₱2,500 (~US$ 43) to the APPT One Million Challenge top price of ₱1,000,000 (~US$ 17.3K). Without question, the most coveted title is the APPT Championship (Main Event), and this year it is backed by a ₱60 Million guaranteed prize pool (equivalent to over 1 Million US dollars).

Full Schedule: APPT MANILA CHAMPIONSHIP 2025

APPT Championship – Information

• Date: October 23-27, 2025
• Buy-in: ₱165,000 (~US$ 2,900)
• Guarantee: ₱60,000,000 (~US$ 1,080)
• Day 1A: October 23, 2025
• Day 1B: October 24, 2025
• Day 2: October 25, 2025
• Day 3: October 26, 2026
• Final Table: October 27, 2025

Unlike most events on the schedule, each Day 1 DOES NOT play down to the money. Here are some important details to know:

• Day 1 plays 11 levels (60 mins per level)
• Day 2 plays 10 levels (60 mins per level)
• Day 3 plays to the Final Table or TD discretion
• Final 9 Players (90 minutes per level)
• Final 6 Players (may be reduced to 75 minutes per level)
• Final 5 Players (may be reduced to 60 minutes per level)
• Final 4 Players (45 minutes per level)
• Final 3 Players (30 minutes per level)

To date, several players have already secured their seat for the APPT Championship. One player certain to be there is Filipino beast, Justin Ong, who stole the show at APPT Manila after winning the Main Event and the PokerStars Red Dragon. Included in each win was a seat to the APPT Championship.

While Ong will be eyeing another title, along with a contingent of PokerStars regulars hailing from the Philippines, Korea, and Japan, the defending champion Trong Hieu Ngo has yet to confirm along with other international stars, runner-up Thomas Ward, and third placer Justin Chu.

Why Attend APPT In The Philippines

For players that have yet to experience poker in the Philippines, the APPT Manila Championship is the perfect entry point. The country has been at the forefront of poker in Southeast Asia since the late 2000s, offering a thriving scene where both recreational players and high rollers can find tournaments and cash games all year-round at the recently awarded PokerStars LIVE poker room .

This October’s APPT edition takes place at the PokerStars LIVE hub in Okada Manila, one of the most luxurious integrated resorts in the region. The venue is located in the metropolis’ entertainment center which is just 15-25 minutes from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Travel is also made easy. Many nationalities enjoy visa-free entry, with lengths of stay varying by country, so be sure to confirm with your local embassy. Most recently, players from Taiwan and India were added to the list. Taiwanese nationals enjoy 14 days visa-free, while Indian nationals with valid visas from the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore, or the U.K. can extend up to 30 days.

Champions Promo

Players planning to attend flagship APPT Championship may want to consider the Champions Promo which offers one free night for a minimum four-night stay between October 22-27, 2025. The promo is exclusive to players registered in the APPT Championship (Main Event), giving them not only a shot at the massive prize pool but also added value off the felt.

Discounted Rates At Grand Westside

Aside from exclusive APPT Championship and High Roller room rates at Okada Manila, the APPT has also partnered up with Grand Westside Hotel across Okada Manila for discounted rates for all players.

PokerStars APP

Make sure to get the PokerStars APP. When the festival is underway, players can keep informed on all of the events via the PokerStars APP. Players can also use the app to register to events.

• Download the app (scan qr code below)
• Create a profile (for first time users, tap upper right corner)
• Verify your identity
• Once approved, tap upper right corner to view your PokerStars Membership Card Number and QR Code
• Use the QR Code to register
• Visit the Okada Rewards Counter to sign-up for a casino membership card

APPT Manila Championship Warm-Up

With the upcoming games just one month out, PokerStars offers players a chance to win their APPT Championship packages via the APPT Manila Championship Warm-Up which runs from September 19-28 at Okada Manila. Head of Asia Pacific Poker Tour, Lorie Torre Lagrosas looks forward to returning to the Coral Lounge,

The upcoming Warm-up, running from September 19–28, is designed for every bankroll, allowing players to chase both the shard and the title. We’re equally excited to return to the Coral Lounge, with the livestream taking place at the center stage, it is going to be an explosive lead-up to the APPT Championship.

A total of 10 Packages are up for grabs at the ₱23.5K Super Qualifier WYS At 100K Chips and 2 Packages at the Warm Up. Additionally, champion of the Mystery Bounty will receive a seat to the APPT Championship. 

For all the info and structures, click the PLAYER GUIDE.

Coral Lounge In Okada Manila

The newly designed Coral Lounge in Okada Manila is the place to be for the APPT Manila Championship. To kick off the festivities, a Players Welcome Food & Drinks will be held at the Coral Lounge on October 18 at 21:10.

On the other hand, the much-awaited APPT Players Party will be hosted on October 24 starting at 6:00 PM, set against the stunning backdrop of the Okada Manila Fountain. A full Players Party schedule is attached below.

A dedicated Stars Lounge (Players Lounge) will be open throughout the tournament. High Roller players are invited to unwind and relax at the Okada Manila Chairman’s Lounge daily, where they can enjoy a food spread curated by the Okada Manila culinary team. Player activities include access to a game zone and optional massage services.

For more tournament information, please visit APPT.com