button in Safari$5K Challenge Set to Begin at the 2026 Aussie Millions
The Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026 Presented by CrownBet is in full swing at Crown Melbourne, and today sees the start of Event #8: the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Challenge.
Day 1 gets underway at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026, with players scheduled to play 10 levels before bagging up for Day 2, which resumes at the same time on Saturday, May 2. The tournament features a 250,000 starting stack and 60-minute levels, along with a 30-second shot clock to keep play moving.
The $5,000 buy-in includes $4,600 toward the prize pool, and late registration is open until the start of Level 12 on Day 2. Play begins at 500/1,000 with a big blind ante, and the event will run eight-handed until the final table, where it switches to nine-handed. Time banks are distributed throughout play.
Blind Structure
| Level | Small Blind | Big Blind | BB Ante |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 500 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| 3 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| 4 | 1,500 | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| 5 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| 6 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| 7 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| 8 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| 9 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| 10 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
Be sure to follow PokerNews for live updates and coverage of this event, and the entire 2026 Aussie Millions.