The Festival Series – Meet Niklas ‘Sports Betting Tycoon’ Borg
Where one edition has only just been completed, the next is already ready to start. This time we're going back to the roots and The Festival Series will take place in the amazing Portomaso Casino, in sunny Malta. This festival is not only known for its huge selection of different poker games, but is mainly at the forefront when it comes to qualifier opportunities. Qualifying moments that can easily ensure that you have arranged accommodation, hospitality package and tournament purchases before you even landed. One of these qualifiers, true friend from The Festival Series, sports betting tycoon, and poker fanatic Niklas Borg, is already super excited to visit the island on the rock!
Melvin TF: Hi Niklas. It is a pleasure to interview you. Secured already two packages for Malta. What makes satellites interesting for you?
- Niklas: Hello Melvin. Nice to talk to you. My background is all about betting on sports games. The satellites to The Festival Series are unique when it comes to timing. During the days that you have European Football Cups, it is great to play some poker on the side. Especially because those tournaments do not last forever, it’s a good way of killing time. I like the setups of such tournaments a lot as well, and the playing level is nicely relaxed.
Melvin TF: You started off a long time ago in the gambling industry. How you ended up playing poker?
- Niklas: I was already active in the gambling industry way before the real poker boom kicked off. One day, before everything was about online gaming, we were always playing 5-card draw poker in several poker clubs in Sweden, and at some point, some of us went to Las Vegas for it. A bit after that the real boom came along with the Moneymaker effect, of course. Since I was involved with betting/gambling companies at that time (co-founder of 24hbet/Entraction), we collaborated a bit with Unibet and poker came more into the light.
- Nowadays, I am active in the sports betting industry, and also involved in The Gambling Cabin Sweden, where a bunch of professional poker players and betting experts provide all their knowledge to their viewers.
Melvin TF: Are you going often to live poker events?
Niklas: When I play poker, I usually do not play online. I like the social part of it more, and have been couples times to Vegas, Tallinn, Bratislava, Malta. Have visited a lot of nice places. Enjoying time with friends and travel.
Melvin TF: We have seen you already during our stop in Bratislava in October 2022. What does The Festival Series mean to you?
- Niklas: First of all it is such a great concept, with all sorts of tournaments and available for all kind of poker players. You don’t need to be a super pro, to get your results in. It really has the ‘home game’ atmosphere, which is super easy to join as well through one of the many great satellites available. You can bring your friends along, go out to some restaurants for a nice piece of food, wine. The Festival is another level compared to the EPT for example, that is something for like 1 or 2 percent of the poker players.
- I would just like to mention that I really advise everyone to play one of the many satellites for this event. There are nice packages to be won, which is overall pretty easy, although you need a bit of luck as well off course. It doesn’t cost you half of the night, just have a good time for a couple hours and the value is super.
FACTS ABOUT NIKLAS BORG
- Niklas Borg already secured himself of two packages for The Festival Series in Malta. One package worth $620 for the PokerListings Championship, and one $1600 worth of package through Paf poker.
- With a total of $15,355, shared over just three live poker results, he will be on the hunt for victories in Malta!
- Niklas Borg became Swedish Champion of Sviten Special back in 2022 when he beat one of our former "Player of the Festival" Thomas ‘Totti’ Lind during the heads-up battle. If you want to play against Niklas, then look for the Sviten tournament in The Festival Malta schedule below, and you may find Niklas sitting across from Franke at the mentioned tournament, and most likely he will "re-pot" the pot when Franke says 'pot'.
Are you getting curious what satellites are currently running on various poker clients? Do not wait any longer, and register yourself on any poker client available to you! More information you can find on our qualify section.
Want to know what you will be fighting for at the virtual poker tables? The Festival Series Malta has got 50+ events divided over a staggering 8 poker days! Find below the schedule of the Series right here:
