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The Aussie Millions makes its long awaited comeback in 2026, after a six-year hiatus, reclaiming its place as the Southern Hemisphere’s richest and most prestigious poker festival. Since 1998, the Aussie Millions Poker Championships (formerly the Crown Australian Poker Championship) has been held at the iconic Crown Casino in Melbourne, drawing the world’s best players. The return of the series has generated immense anticipation, with players and fans alike eager to see who will rise to the occasion in this year’s Main Event.
At 12:30 p.m. local time, the first of three starting flights of the A$10,600 Aussie Millions Main Event will commence. Players will begin with 60,000 chips and face 6 levels of 90-minutes each on Day 1a, with a 15-minute break after each level. There is a scheduled 60-minute dinner break after Level 4 (approximately 7.15 p.m). Late registration will remain open until the end of Level 9 on Day 2.
Day 1a Structure
| Level | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | BB Ante |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| 2 | 90 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| 3 | 90 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| 4 | 90 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| 5 | 90 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| 6 | 90 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
Survivors of today’s flight will advance to Day 2, where they will merge with qualifiers from Day 1b and Day 1c, continuing their journey toward the final table and the coveted trophy.
The event has consistently attracted huge fields, with 822 entries standing as the largest turnout to date in 2019. Eyes now turn to this year’s Main Event as it draws ever closer.
The return of the Aussie Millions has already surpassed expectations across the early events. The massive A$1,500 Opening Event drew unprecedented participation, setting the tone for what promises to be a landmark series.
Danny McDonagh, Tournament Director of Crown Poker, remarked “Nobody expected the opening event number, that’s for sure.” He noted that the turnout went far beyond what anyone anticipated, with the Opening Event ultimately drawing 2,144 entries. He continued by saying: "To kick off with three record-breaking events is brilliant for the festival. It’s motivating too.”
Looking ahead to the A$10,600 Main Event, McDonagh highlighted the single-entry format as a key factor in creating a level playing field, ensuring that both satellite qualifiers and seasoned professionals compete on equal footing.
Aussie Millions Main Event History
| Year | Buy-in | Winner | Country | First Prize (AUD) | Entries | Total Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | A$1,000 | Alex Horowitz | Australia | A$25,900 | 74 | A$74,000 |
| 1999 | A$1,000 | Milo Nadalin | Australia | A$38,150 | 109 | A$109,000 |
| 2000 | A$1,500 | Leo Boxell | Australia | A$65,225 | 109 | A$173,500 |
| 2001 | A$1,500 | Sam Korman | Australia | A$53,025 | 101 | A$151,500 |
| 2002 | A$5,000 | John Maver | Australia | A$150,000 | 66 | A$330,000 |
| 2003 | A$10,000 | Peter Costa | United Kingdom | A$394,870 | 122 | A$1,220,000 |
| 2004 | A$10,000 | Tony Bloom | United Kingdom | A$426,500 | 133 | A$1,330,000 |
| 2005 | A$10,000 | Jamil Dia | New Zealand | A$1,000,000 | 263 | A$2,630,000 |
| 2006 | A$10,000 | Lee Nelson | New Zealand | A$1,295,800 | 418 | A$4,180,000 |
| 2007 | A$10,000 | Gus Hansen | Denmark | A$1,500,000 | 747 | A$7,470,000 |
| 2008 | A$10,000 | Alexander Kostritsyn | Russia | A$1,650,000 | 780 | A$7,758,500 |
| 2009 | A$10,000 | Stewart Scott | Australia | A$2,000,000 | 681 | A$6,810,000 |
| 2010 | A$10,000 | Tyron Krost | Australia | A$2,000,000 | 746 | A$7,460,000 |
| 2011 | A$10,000 | David Gorr | Australia | A$2,000,000 | 721 | A$7,210,000 |
| 2012 | A$10,000 | Oliver Speidel | Australia | A$1,600,000 | 659 | A$6,590,000 |
| 2013 | A$10,000 | Mervin Chan | Australia | A$1,600,000 | 629 | A$6,290,000 |
| 2014 | A$10,600 | Ami Barer | Canada | A$1,600,000 | 668 | A$6,680,000 |
| 2015 | A$10,600 | Manny Stavropoulos | Australia | A$1,385,500 | 648 | A$6,480,000 |
| 2016 | A$10,600 | Ari Engel | Canada | A$1,600,000 | 732 | A$7,320,000 |
| 2017 | A$10,600 | Shurane Vijayaram | Australia | A$1,600,000 | 725 | A$7,370,000 |
| 2018 | A$10,600 | Toby Lewis | United Kingdom | A$1,458,198 | 800 | A$8,000,000 |
| 2019 | A$10,600 | Bryn Kenney | United States | A$1,272,598 | 822 | A$8,220,000 |
| 2020 | A$10,600 | Vincent Wan | Australia | A$1,318,000 | 820 | A$8,200,000 |
The Aussie Millions has a storied legacy with many notable past champions including Gus Hansen (2007 Champion), Ari Engel (2016 Champion), Bryn Kenney (2019 Champion) and Vincent Wan (2020 Champion). Joining Wan at the final table during the last Main Event was Erik Seidel, a Poker Hall of Famer and one of the game’s most decorated professionals. Seidel finished 5th for A$378,660, while Wan went on to claim the title and A$1,318,000.
The stage is set, the cards are ready, and the journey begins today in Melbourne to crown another Aussie Millions Main Event champion.
Stay with PokerNews as we cover all the action from cards in the air, through all starting flights, down until a winner is crowned.