What Players Should You Expect for the WPT $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop?
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The $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for One Drop will debut from Dec. 18-20 at the WPT World Championship festival at Wynn Las Vegas. It marks the fifth edition of the seven-figure buy-in event, and the first one since 2018.
“After a five-year hiatus it seems the grounds have never been more fertile for the Big One, it is clear it has been missed,” said Alexandre Meunier, One Drop Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Events Officer. “Past players from the worlds of business and high stakes poker are showing strong interest as well as players who have never played a Big One before which is very encouraging. We would go as far to say that we haven’t seen such strong interest at this stage since the early editions of the history-making event.”
According to WPT, the tournament features the lowest rake it has ever offered and 6% of each buy-in will directly benefit the One Drop Foundation "to continue their mission of ensuring sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for communities facing extreme challenges, and one percent will be held as the house fee."
Below is a look at the players previously confirmed by WPT to be playing. The field is sure to grow as the tournament grows closer given anyone with the seven-figure buy-in is welcome to join, and rumors on the ground suggest there are other players likely to jump into action.
With so many big name poker players and recreational businessmen in Vegas for the WPT World Championship, the world will just have to wait and see who might be inclined to jump into action.
Confirmed Big One Players:
| Phil Ivey | Chris Brewer | Dan Cates | Nick Petrangelo |
| David Einhorn | Talal Shakerchi | Rick Salomon | Mikita Badziakouski |
| Jason Koon | Artur Martirosian | Orpen Kisacikoglu | Santhosh Suvarna |
| Aleksejs Ponakovs |
Phil Ivey First to Sign Up
Back in September, Phil Ivey became the first player to officially register for the Big One for One Drop. Ivey, who is widely recognized as the greatest poker player of all time, will look to add to his $4.4 million in lifetime WPT earnings and $40.7 million in lifetime earnings five years after coming up short in recent One Drop offerings. Ivey finished three spots outside of the money in the last Big One for One Drop in 2018 and bubbled the EveryOne for One Drop earlier this summer.
“The Big One is what high stakes is all about," Ivey said in a press release. "Everyone's game elevates when they play in the biggest buy-in event in WPT history.
Six More Players Confirm in October
In October, six more players confirmed that they would join Ivey at Wynn Las Vegas later this year for the biggest buy-in event of the year.
Those players included high-stakes regulars Rick Salomon and Talal Shakerchi, investor David Einhorn, top pros Chris Brewer and Nick Petrangelo and two-time Poker Players Championship winner Dan "Jungleman" Cates.
“Our partnership with the One Drop Foundation has already seen some big names turn up in the Alpha8 fields,” WPT CEO Adam Pliska said in a press release at the time. “As the Big One draws near, we are elated with every new entry, building excitement and securing further support for the One Drop Foundation’s global cause.”
A few of the six new players confirmed for the Big One for One Drop have had success in the event in the past. Salomon played all four editions of the Big One, finishing fourth in the 2014 and 2018 offerings and third in the 2016 WSOP Monte Carlo event for $3.3 million, while Einhorn finished third in the 2012 tournament for $4.3 million.
Cates, Shakerchi and Petrangelo have also played previous One Drop editions, while Brewer, who has had a fantastic year of high-stakes tournament poker that has brought him his four biggest tournament cashes, will be making his One Drop debut.
“It is amazing to witness the first wave of entrants into the Big One, which includes some of our past participants as well as new faces,” One Drop Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Events Officer Alexandre Meunier said in a press release. “Rick, David and Talal have been a part of every Big One since its inception. We welcome all the players and cannot wait to add more incredible names to the lineup.”
Five More Players Announce in Mid-November
In the middle of November, five more players confirmed their participation in the seven-figure event.
High-stakes veteran Jason Koon will once again be taking part in the Big One For One Drop, while newer high-stakes grinders Aleksejs Ponakovs, Artur Martirosian, Orpen Kisacikoglu and Santhosh Suvarna will all make their Big One debuts.
Koon, who sits fourth on the all-time money list with $52.6 million in live earnings, played the 2018 One Drop but failed to cash.
Previous Big One for One Drop Winners
| YEAR | ENTRANTS | WINNER | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 48 | Antonio Esfandiari | $18,346,673 | |
| 2014 | 42 | Dan Colman | $15,306,668 | |
| 2016 | 28 | Elton Tsang | $12,248,912 | |
| 2018 | 27 | Justin Bonomo | $10,000,000 |
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*Images courtesy of WPT.
