Join Esfandiari, Hellmuth & Tilly for $5,300 Big Deal Nov. 21 Charity Event in Las Vegas
For the second year in a row, Cirque du Soleil and Lune Rouge founder Guy Laliberté will host the Big Deal for One Drop charity poker event during F1 week in Las Vegas. The tournament will feature racing personalities, celebrities, poker amateurs, and stars battling it out on the felt, including inaugural Big One for One Drop winner Antonio Esfandiari and actress Jennifer Tilly, who finished fourth at the 2024 final table.
The Big Deal, a philanthropic poker tournament benefiting the One Drop Foundation’s safe water initiatives, will once again take place at the beautiful Allē Lounge on 66 at Resorts World Las Vegas during Race Week on Friday, November 21. The welcome reception begins at 11 a.m. PT, with cards in the air at noon, and is due to finish just ahead of the late afternoon action on the racetrack.
Players will each buy in for $5,300 USD to play for fun and an incredible cause, with $4,000 going to the prize pool and $1,000 going to One Drop’s safe water mission. Re-buys and add-ons of $1,000 will also be available. The tournament is open to all, but seats are limited, so early registration is recommended.
“The Big Deal is all about adding some high-intensity fun to Race Week in Vegas and making a difference for the vital cause of access to clean water,” said Laliberté. “The Vegas and poker communities have always shown up at the highest level for this cause – thank you – and hope to see you at Resorts World!”
Last year’s champion, Derek Adamian, will be there to defend his coveted title while Phil Hellmuth will serve as emcee for the second year in a row. Others slated to attend are racing legend David Coulthard, American rising-star racing driver Courtney Crone, multi-disciplinary racing community artist Paul Oz, and racing personality and photographer Kym Illman.
The event will also include a silent auction, with a fine selection of racing-related and other high-value items. Bidding is now live and will conclude on November 21 at 3 p.m. PT.
Highlights include:
- Singapore Grand Prix Private Suite, VIP Hospitality, and Art Experience, October 2026
- Podcast Production Package at Double Down Studios, Las Vegas
- Lewis Hamilton “El Primo” Limited-Edition Framed Canvas by F1 Artist Paul Oz
- Luxury Weekend Getaway at the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World
- Autographed F1 Best of 2024 Hardcover Photo Book by F1 Photographer Kym Illman
- Framed Elvis Presley Concert Ticket from Historic Hometown Performance 1956
- WPT Prime Seat, December 2025 Las Vegas, $5 Million Guarantee
- An Evening with Tony Orlando in Vegas
- VIP Grand Prix Experience in Montreal and an evening at the Cirque du Soleil, 2026
More detailed information can be found here. To bid remotely on the auction items, text BigDeal2025 to 76278. Bidding is now live and will conclude on November 21 at 3 p.m. Pacific Time.
The Big Deal marks the first collaboration between the One Drop Foundation and Elephant Cooperation, two organizations with interconnected, international missions, each having a deep impact in their respective areas of focus. Elephant Cooperation, founded by Scott Struthers and based in California, focuses on partnering to save the African Elephant and its habitats by building self-sustaining communities where people and wildlife thrive through raising awareness and advancing elephant conservation efforts, for which water is a fundamental element.
The Big Deal is also collaborating with a new interactive Race Week festival, Fan Prix at Resorts World, to add a charitable angle and a car-studded twist for race fans. Fan Prix is a free event and will take place on about 100,000 sq ft indoor/outdoor footprint at Resorts World’s The Complex, an entertainment district on The Strip, from November 20-22. Fan Prix will feature experiential activities, driver meet-and-greets and epic experiences. Former racing driver and current race commentator, Romain Grosjean, will host "Romain’s Garage 28" at Fan Prix, which will include a personal appearance by Grosjean on November 22.
Valued Big Deal for One Drop partners include Cashman Photo, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, Mentalist Jason Suran presented by Emily Jillette, and Drummer Dahov presented by Kula.
