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Good morning once again from Crown Melbourne, where the 2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship rolls into its second full day of action on Saturday, April 25 — ANZAC Day, one of the most significant national days on the Australian calendar.
ANZAC Day commemorates members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.
Across Australia, the day is marked by dawn services, marches, and moments of remembrance. The parade in Melbourne this morning was a particularly eye-watering spectacle. And while the poker tables remain active inside Crown Melbourne, the significance of the day will not be lost on those in attendance.
Once the commemorations conclude, attention will turn back to the felt, where Day 1B of the AUS $1M GTD $1,500 Opening Event headlines a busy schedule that also includes the start of Event #2: $2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Strong Start for Opening Event as 403 Entries Turn Out for Day 1A
The Opening Event made an immediate statement on Friday, drawing 403 entries across Day 1A and putting the tournament well on track to eclipse its AUD $1,000,000 guarantee.
By the time play wrapped after 15 levels, just 56 players remained standing, each successfully navigating the first hurdle on the road to Tuesday’s final table.
Among those taking their shot in the opening flight was 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event champion Manny Stavropoulos, though the former titleholder was unable to find a bag at the end of the night. Australian high-stakes regular Matthew Wakeman also entered Day 1A but fell short of advancing.
When the dust settled, Xin Li emerged as the Day 1A chip leader after bagging an impressive 810,000, setting the early benchmark for the remaining starting flights.
Several others also built strong stacks heading into Day 2 contention, with multiple players surpassing the half-million mark.
Day 1A Chip Counts
One local player who did secure a return seat was Luke Martinelli, who bagged 212,000 (21 big blinds) at the close of play. Martinelli, like many in the room, spoke about the excitement surrounding the long-awaited return of the festival.
"Everyone's very excited," Martinelli said. "They've been running satellites all the way up and they've just been getting bigger and bigger numbers the whole way through. The first flight getting 400 runners, it's going to be huge. It's pretty exciting."
That sentiment was echoed by fellow player John Lane, who captured up the mood as he packed away his chips.
"It's great to have the Aussie Millions back."
Day 1B Headlines Today’s Schedule
Attention now shifts to Day 1B of the $1,500 Opening Event, which begins at 12:10 p.m. local time and is expected to attract another sizable field.
Players will again start with 40,000 chips and play 15 levels of 40 minutes, with late registration remaining open until the start of Level 10. Survivors will join the Day 1A qualifiers in Monday’s Day 2 session.
Also getting underway today is $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. at 2:10 p.m, alongside another wave of satellite events.
Today’s Schedule — Saturday, April 25
| Date | Time | Event | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Apr 25 | 12:10 p.m. | Event #1: Opening Event Day 1B – $1M GTD | AUD $1,500 (1,300+200) |
| Sat, Apr 25 | 2:10 p.m. | Event #2: H.O.R.S.E. | AUD $2,500 (2,250+250) |
| Sat, Apr 25 | 2:10 p.m. | AM Phase 2 Satellite (1 in 5) | AUD $280 (230+50) |
| Sat, Apr 25 | 4:10 p.m. | AM Phase 2 Satellite (1 in 5) | AUD $280 (230+50) |
| Sat, Apr 25 | 7:10 p.m. | AM Phase 3 Satellite (1 in 10) | AUD $1,150 (1,060+90) |
| Sat, Apr 25 | 9:10 p.m. | Main Event Rebuy Satellite – 1 Seat GTD | AUD $240 (200+40) / $100 rebuys |
PokerNews will once again be on the floor throughout the day, tracking entries, notable names, and the biggest stacks as Day 1B of the Opening Event unfolds.
Stay tuned to the PokerNews Highlight Blog to keep up with all the action as the 2026 Aussie Millions continues to gather pace.
