Live Poker vs. Live Streaming Poker
The PartyPoker UK Tour is fast approaching, with Aspers Casino Westfield Stratford City set to host the highly anticipated London stop from April 19-27.
Our team at poker.pro will be covering the action from the casino floor, and PartyPoker Ambassador and streamer Jaime Staples will be among those who won’t miss this exciting event.
Jaime sat down with poker.pro to discuss his perspective on the differences between live and online poker, reflecting on how each format offers unique challenges and opportunities. “I think between online and live, they’re both fantastic parts of poker, and I think sometimes they don’t get enough credit from each community,” Staples shared.
“The online players think online is the best, and live is, whatever, and it’s slow. And the live players are like, ‘Oh, that’s not real poker, it’s different or whatever.'”
He added that both aspects make poker richer and more enjoyable. “When you’re playing live poker, you have this human element that is accentuated, and for a lot of us, it’s just this beautiful part of the game where you’re not devising optimal strategies. You’re really focused on ‘Who is this human being? What is it that they’re doing, and why?’ It’s a universal language where everyone comes together to communicate,” Staples explained.
The Return of the PartyPoker Tour
The London stop is scheduled from April 19 to 27, with four more stops planned in the following months. Staples explained that he took time off from live poker and is super excited for both the return of the tour and to play live poker in general. He found his best online event cash in the $5,300 PartyPoker Millions Main Event, exiting in 20th place for $35,084. Staples remembered the run, stating, “I really do remember, yeah. And I think I lost like a set over set or something like that towards the end. And first place was a huge prize. Yeah, that one stings a bit.”
“I’m super pumped, yeah. I think this tour is just like the perfect sort of thing that we needed at PartyPoker,” Staples shared. “I think the size is exactly right and the UK is the right place to have it in the world right now, especially. So I’m really excited about that, and yeah, it’s been a long time since I’ve played live poker.
Jaime hasn’t played much live poker since COVID, making this an exciting return to the tables. “It’s going to be nice to engage with people on the felt, you know, play some of these side events, there’s some cool promotions going on. Everything’s looking great. So I’m pumped,” Staples elaborated.
He added that he has always had positive experiences in Europe, praising the dealers’ pitch and speed, as well as the professionalism of the tournaments. “I’ve never had a bad experience in Europe,” he remarked.
1,000 Seats Available Through Online Qualifiers
PartyPoker is making sure its 2025 UK Tour will be packed with action by sending 1,000 players to live events through online qualifiers. With buy-ins starting as low as £0.20, players can compete for £1,000 packages, including a £500 Main Event seat and £500 for expenses. Each of the five stops will feature a mix of tournaments, and thanks to PartyPoker’s qualifiers, hundreds of players will get the chance to take their shot at live poker glory.
The Future of Poker
Staples explained his thoughts on the future of live and online poker, clarifying the differences between both. “I think online poker is going to be fine, but it needs to continue innovating. It needs to continue investing resources into ensuring games are safe and fair for everyone to play.” He joked that the online scene has changed from 2005, when online poker was the “coolest thing on the internet.”
Staples added, “People are really loving playing live poker tours. It’s still very sexy and very cool. You know, people are enjoying traveling around, spending time on the felt, especially in a post-COVID world where there’s this desire to spend time together.”
He was honest in his thoughts on GGPoker acquiring WSOP, stating that often when private companies are bought out, it is not good for consumers. However, Staples hopes to be proved wrong as a fan of the live scene in general.
The Weight Loss Bet and How Life Outside Poker Transitioned to Poker
One event that catapulted Jaime and his brother Matt Staples to notoriety was a $150,000 weight loss bet against Bill Perkins, where the pair had to reach the same weight within a year. “So the ultimate sweat bet, where my brother and I had to meet within a pound, within a year. It was a huge undertaking, right? And a massive opportunity.”
Throughout the challenge, Jaime documented the entire journey on his vlog, sharing the highs and lows with viewers and fans. His videos amassed millions of views, as the poker community (and beyond) followed their dramatic transformation. “We were vlogging at the time, and we knew it was going to be really hard but sort of doable. And we accomplished the goal. I think I lost about 115 pounds, and Matt came up, you know, 50 or 55 pounds, and we got it done,” Jaime explained.
He continued, noting that it was a persistent, willpower-driven bet with a specific goal in mind. The inputs to the goal were very specific. Jaime pointed out the difference with poker, where you can be “doing everything wrong and winning everything. You’re thinking you’re the best. So it was very different skill sets between the two. But to accomplish both, there’s just a lot of hard work involved to get it done.”
Distracting himself was key to the bet, Jaime added. He also mentioned some struggles that occurred with the transition back after the bet and the toll it took on him physically and mentally. Meanwhile, in poker, the decision is usually more cut and dry, with the correct decision being made based on all the information from the hand. Once you make the correct decision, it’s simple to choose it and keep making those decisions throughout the tournament.
Staples concluded the interview by adding, “If anyone is interested in poker, you can check me out, Poker Staples, on the internet, Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, etc. I look forward to seeing people at the PartyPoker Tour this year in London, Manchester, and Glasgow—the last two stops to be announced.”
Stay tuned for all updates surrounding the 2025 PartyPoker Tour and for continued news coverage to keep you up to date.
2025 PartyPoker UK Tour London Schedule
| Date | Time | Event # | Event | Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 19 | 11:00 | – | Mini Main Satellite to event #1 | £20 |
| 14:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1A | £150 | |
| 18:00 | 2 | NLH Knockout | £200 | |
| 21:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| Sunday, April 20 | 11:00 | – | Mini Main Satellite to event #1 | £20 |
| 14:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1B | £150 | |
| 18:00 | 3 | PokerPRO Omaha 7-Max | £200 | |
| 21:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| Monday, April 21 | 11:00 | – | Mini Main Satellite to event #1 | £20 |
| 14:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1C | £150 | |
| 19:00 | 4 | Mystery Prize Added Value NLH | £30 | |
| 21:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| Tuesday, April 22 | 11:00 | – | Mini Main Satellite to event #1 | £20 |
| 14:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1D | £150 | |
| 17:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| 20:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1E Turbo | £150 | |
| Wednesday, April 23 | 13:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event Day 1F Hyper | £150 |
| 18:00 | 1 | Mini Main Event – Day 2 | CLOSED | |
| 19:00 | 5 | Gamblers Connect NLH | £100 | |
| 21:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| Thursday, April 24 | 12:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 |
| 14:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 1A | £500 | |
| 18:00 | 1 | Mini Event – Day 3 | CLOSED | |
| 21:00 | 7 | NLH 7-Max Turbo | £200 | |
| 22:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| Friday, April 25 | 10:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 |
| 12:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 1B | £500 | |
| 17:00 | – | Main Event Satellite to event #6 | £60 | |
| 20:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 1C Turbo | £500 | |
| 20:00 | – | Player’s Party | CLOSED | |
| Saturday, April 26 | 11:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 1D Hyper | £500 |
| 16:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 2 | CLOSED | |
| 17:00 | 8 | Mystery Bounty Day 1A | £250 | |
| 21:00 | 9 | 4/5/6 Card Omaha Turbo | £150 | |
| Sunday, April 27 | 11:00 | 8 | Mystery Bounty Day 1B | £250 |
| 14:00 | 6 | Main Event Day 3 | CLOSED | |
| 16:00 | 8 | Mystery Bounty Day 2 | CLOSED | |
| 16:00 | 10 | High Roller | £1,000 | |
| 18:00 | 11 | Faded Spade NLH | £200 | |
| Monday, April 28 | 18:00 | – | Online Closer Mystery Bounty | £150 |
