Under the magnificent glass dome of Cove Manila, the 2025 APPT Manila (Asia Pacific Poker Tour) kicked off in grand fashion.
Despite a week of tropical thunderstorms followed by brilliant sunshine, the festival — held from July 23 to August 4, 2025 — successfully celebrated its 16th edition, once again solidifying its place as the Philippines’ premier annual poker event.
The dazzling venue hosted players from across the globe for nearly two weeks of world-class competition.
When the cards finally hit the felt for the last time, 64 champions were crowned, and a total of ₱285 million (~US$4.98 million) in prize money was awarded.
Among the standout performers, local star Justin Ong stole the spotlight by capturing two championship titles, marking one of the most impressive performances of the series.
2025 APPT Manila – Key Statistics and Highlights
🏆 Total Prize Pool: ₱258,034,231 (~US$4.98 million)
👥 Total Entries: 5,601
💰 Top Earner: Justin Ong — ₱19,140,000 (~US$334,500)
🎯 Main Event Champion: Justin Ong — ₱14,800,000 (~US$256,400)
💵 Main Event Prize Pool: ₱87,020,640 (~US$1.52 million)
🔥 PokerStars Red Dragon Champion: Justin Ong — ₱4,340,000 (~US$81,600)
🎁 PokerStars Player Special Bonus: ₱95,000 (~US$1,655)
💣 Top Bounty Winner: Junghyun Lee — ₱1,300,000 (~US$22,700)
🎯 Mystery Bounty Champion: Junghyun Lee — ₱3,207,700 (~US$56,000) (including all bounties)
💎 APPT High Roller Champion: Jason Kyle Magbanua — ₱4,303,800 (~US$74,500)
♠️ Mini Main Event Champion: Michael Gabby Concepcion — ₱1,600,000 (~US$27,700)
🏅 Multiple Title Winner: Justin Ong
🌍 Trophy Distribution by Country
Country | Trophies |
|---|---|
🇯🇵 Japan | 16 |
🇰🇷 South Korea | 15 |
🇵🇭 Philippines | 10 |
🇦🇺 Australia | 4 |
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 4 |
🇨🇦 Canada | 4 |
🇲🇴 Macau | 3 |
🇷🇺 Russia | 3 |
🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1 |
🇮🇳 India | 1 |
🇺🇸 United States | 1 |
🇨🇳 China | 1 |
🇲🇾 Malaysia | 1 |
🇮🇹 Italy | 1 |
South Korea followed closely with 15 trophies, including Youngtaek Lim’s victory in the APPT National, earning one of the signature APPT shard trophies.
Another major standout was Junghyun Lee, who claimed over ₱3.2 million (~US$56,000) in the Mystery Bounty event.
🔜 Next Up: 2025 APPT Manila Championship
Although the 2025 APPT Manila Festival has concluded, the poker action in the Philippines is far from over!
The 2nd Annual APPT Manila Championship will take place from October 16–27, 2025, at the world-class Okada Manila resort.
💰 Guaranteed Prize Pool: ₱145,000,000 (~US$2.53 million)
🗓 Schedule: 11 headline events across a total of 62 tournaments
This fall series promises to once again bring together Asia’s best and the world’s elite players for another unforgettable celebration of poker excellence.
2024 APPT Manila Championship — Champion: Hieu Ngo
The 2024 APPT Manila Championship Main Event featured a record-breaking ₱60,000,000 (~US$1.04 million) guarantee, generating a total prize pool of ₱59,000,000, setting a new milestone for the series.
Vietnam’s Hieu Ngo emerged victorious, becoming the inaugural champion and taking home ₱11,600,000 (~US$199,000) in prize money.
🗓 Key Event Schedule
Event | Dates | Guarantee | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
Okada Kick-off | Oct 16–18 | ₱8,000,000 | ₱20,000 |
APPT Open | Oct 17–20 | ₱20,000,000 | ₱60,000 |
PokerStars Red Dragon | Oct 19–21 | ₱20,000,000 | ₱70,000 |
APPT National | Oct 21–24 | ₱10,000,000 | ₱35,000 |
APPT Super High Roller | Oct 22–23 | ₱10,000,000 | ₱500,000 |
Mystery Bounty | Oct 23–26 | ₱10,000,000 | ₱25,000 |
APPT Main Event | Oct 23–27 | ₱60,000,000 | ₱165,000 |
APPT Million Challenge | Oct 23–24 | — | ₱1,000,000 |
APPT Mini Championship | Oct 26 | ₱3,000,000 | ₱35,000 |
APPT Championship High Roller | Oct 26–27 | ₱10,000,000 | ₱300,000 |
The 2024 edition of the APPT Manila Championship marked a new era for the series,combining PokerStars’ global prestige with the luxurious setting of Okada Manila,delivering one of the largest and most exciting poker festivals ever hosted in the Philippines.
Red Dragon Poker APP Officially Launched
The long-established tournament brand Red Dragon Cup has now released its own app — “Red Dragon Poker.”
The Red Dragon Cup is a well-known Asian poker brand with a strong reputation across the region. Originating in Macau, it quickly became one of the most influential poker events in Asia. Red Dragon Poker tournaments regularly attract players from all over the world, offering massive fields and impressive prize pools.
For those interested, we highly recommend downloading the “Red Dragon Poker” app to join more exciting tournaments.