header-bg
  • »
  • News
  • »
  • Guts Poker partners with The Festival Series

Guts Poker partners with The Festival Series

Welcome to the newest addition to The Festival family - Guts Poker! Jostein Grødum, head of poker at Guts, filled me in on what players can expect from the partnership.

Strong partnership with other live events

Guts Logo

“Guts is a gaming brand offering more than poker - we have casino and sports book as well - but the poker brand has existed since 2016,” Jostein tells me. “We have had a strong partnership with other live events in the past. Like, you’re working now with Franke and Mauritz - we used to be a part of their Cash Game Festival tour.”

Indeed, I Jostein as a familiar face on the floor from a number of events, many of them involving our very own Franke von Zweigbergk in an organisational role. “Oh, the Franke events are great!” Jostein enthuses. “I met Franke many, many years ago in Barcelona at the EPT. Back then I was working for Nordic Bet and he pitched to me the Cash Game Festival, and I knew then it was something we had to be involved in - Nordic Bet were one of the first partners in the Cash Game Festival. And then when I moved to Guts, they were already taking part in the Cash Game Festival back then, and of course we’ve been a part of other events that Franke has worked at, like the Norwegian Championships in Dublin and the MPNPT tour - I know you worked there as well.”

I point out that all the events that Jostein has namedropped are, in my opinion, among the funnest events on the European poker circuit. Is that what Guts are all about then? “Yes!” he agrees. “Because I believe that for our customer base, it’s all about sending them to live events where it’s not just about the poker tournament or poker itself - it’s also about the social, the gathering round, making friends in the community, and having a full experience around it. And so this is why these events where the focus is on the full package and not just about the pure tournament itself - they are the most fun for customers to experience. It’s those types of events that we want to work with and promote and send customers to.”

Qualifiers on Guts starting in August

The details of Guts Poker’s partnership are still being ironed out, but there will be qualifiers running during August for the poker Main Event at The Festival in Bratislava - although Jostein is also keen on getting the non-poker side of the business involved for future events.. “We’re running the Bratislava event [qualifier] as a sort of trial,” Jostein explains. “For now, in the beginning, it will be just poker, and then seeing how the casino events are working and all that - that will allow me to feed back to the wider business and say, like: ‘the roulette or blackjack tournaments are really good, we should open up to that and send some players also to those events’.”

Like many of us in the industry, Jostein can’t wait to get back into the casino and be a part of a proper live event again, with all the social and recreational aspects that that entails. Bringing that social, party-atmosphere aspect of live events to Guts Poker’s customers is something he regards as very important. “We’re in a market today where standing out from other brands can be hard,” he says. “The way I see it, Guts has always been a brand that really cared about our customers and bringing them the best experience, both online and live - you know, the closeness between our customers and us working here, trying to establish a connection - for me, that’s been our USP, in how I work at least!” We hear you, Jostein. Bring on The Festival in Bratislava!

» All satellites to The Festival Series

Festival News

Horst Leads Player of Series 

A further four events that qualify for the Rozvadov Player of the Series race were completed on Wednesday, after which three players have emerged as front runners in the race…

June 12, 2025 | Jonathan Raab
Binder Overturns Huge Chip Deficit to Win the €250 8-Game

Lukas Binder has overcome an insane chip deficit of around 15:1, even higher than first estimated by this particular poker blogger here in Rozvadov. He has taken home €4,032 for…

June 12, 2025 | Patrick Cole
NLH Mystery Bounty Down to the Final Three

Currently more bounties remain than players here at King's Resort in Rozvadov. The final three are €11,000 bounty puller Anja Schmidt, Mariya Todorova and Mikhail Zaitsev. The two €6,000 bounties…

June 12, 2025 | Patrick Cole
Heads-Up in the €250 8-Game

Koen Roos has a commanding chip lead, estimated to be around 9 or 10:1, over his opponent Markus Binder. Horst Boschen departed in third place. Below are the payouts so…

June 12, 2025 | Patrick Cole
NLH Mystery Bounty Update

The field of 71 that started Day 2 of The Festival Series in Rozvadov has streamlined to 7-handed play here at King's Resort. The two €6,000 bounties remain in play.…

June 11, 2025 | Patrick Cole
The Hendon Mob Championship 2025 Winner Haik Tougu King's Resort, Rozvadov, Czechia
Check Out Our Interview With Record Breaking Hendon Mob Champ Haik Tougu (Estonian)

Click the video below to hear Mairo Toom's interview with Check record-breaking Hendon Mob Champ Haik Tougu. This interview was conducted in Estonian, and there is also an English version…

June 11, 2025 | Patrick Cole
Bubble Burst in The Festival Series NLH Mystery Bounty – Final Day

The remaining field of 35 is all in the money. Tommy Alm fell victim to the bubble, departing in 45th place.

June 11, 2025 | Patrick Cole
Still Tight at the Top of the Leaderboard

Just one further event that counts towards the Player of the Series raced was completed on Tuesday, the €125 PLO Tuesday knockout. None of the players who were in the…

June 11, 2025 | Jonathan Raab
More News about The Festival