Dan Wilson Leads Record-Breaking 2022 Irish Open Main Event

Take a look at the attendance of the 2022 Irish Open Main Event if you need evidence that live poker is as popular as it ever was. A massive 2,014 players bought into the 2022 Irish Open Main Event, making it the best-attended Main Event in the tour’s long and illustrious history. The prize pool weighs in at €1,989,000, blowing the €1,000,000 guarantee out of the water. Some €318,700 of that sum goes to the last player standing, and Dan Wilson is the man in pole position to become the champion right now.

2022 Irish Open Main Event Top 10 Chip Counts

Place | Player | Chip
1 | Dan WIlson | 1,757,000
2 | Espen Sandvik | 1,350,000
3 | Chris Williams | 1,343,000
4 | Kyle Maguire | 1,234,000
5 | Frank Lillis | 1,190,000
6 | Thomas Jakobson | 1,100,000
7 | John Howlett | 1,045,000
8 | Paul Coyle | 1,030,000
9 | Ben Winsor | 1,001,000
10 | Garry Spinks | 1,000,370

Only 118 of the bumper crowd remain in contention for the title of champion, each of the in the money places. The bubble burst during Day 2 when a trio of players crashed out at the same time, meaning Sean Prendiville, Eamon McNamee, and Darragh Smith chopped the €1,970 263rd place prize.

Irish legend Andy Black finished in the money

Their exits meant the likes of Katie Swift, Max Silver, JJ Hazan, Rob Cowen, David Lappin, Ben Vinson, Dominik Nitsche, Iaran Lightbourne, Rupinder Bedi, and Andy Black saw returns on their investments.

Each of the 118 surviving players is guaranteed at least €3,460 for their efforts, but with the top 20 receiving a five-figure score, and four of the finalists netting six-figures, nobody will want to bank the smaller sum.

Dan Wilson is the man to catch going into Day 3 courtesy of his 1,757,000 chips. Wilson has been in this position before having taken down the 2016 Irish Open Main Event for €150,000. Epsen Sandvik (1,350,000) is Wilson’s closest rival at the restart, but the chasing pack is brimming with incredible poker talent so expect a completely different top ten when the dust settles in Dublin on late on April 17.

$30 million man Steve O’Dwyer is still in contention

Look out for Irish online sensation Frank Lillis (1,190,000) who currently occupies fifth place. Also, do not write off the likes of Ben Winsor (1,001,000) or the 2014 Irish Open champion Patrick Clarke (900,000).

Others still in contention include Alex Kulev (834,000), Daragh Davey (712,000), Marc Macdonnell (704,000), Steve O’Dwyer (686,000), Will Kassouf (620,000), Paul Newey (605,000), former football star Anthony Gardner (490,000), Dermot Blain (370,000), and Kevin Allen (318,000).

Latest 2022 Irish Open Side Event Results

Event | Entrants | Prize pool | Champion | Prize
#20 Championship Event – €250 Ladies | 51 | €10,939 | Migle Kriksciunaite | €3,345
#21 Championship Event – €350 Short Deck | 53 | €16,019 | Riku Koivurinne | €4,782
#23 €150 PLO | 117 | €14,829 | Tarique Iman | €3,104
#28 €150 NLH | 306 | €38,785 | Roni Tal | €5,792
#30 €150 NLH (€25 Scalps) | 239 | €24,468 | Tobias Revenas | €5,168