It's widely considered as one of the most popular poker festivals out there, but after a long absence, it looks like the Aussie Millions might be making a comeback.
As reported by the Poker Pulse Podcast, hosted by Australian Poker Schedule founder Craig Abernethy, the event is set to make its return to Crown Melbourne in April 2025.
While there has been no official announcement, the much-loved event would be a welcome return to the live poker calendar for 2025.
The news was broken on the podcast by Troy Mclean, who said that the April date was "confirmed".
"I had heard on the grapevine that it would be returning next year," said Mclean. "But it's been confirmed now. It's very exciting stuff. After APO [Australian Poker Open] I've heard. There was a rumour that it might not be a A$10,000 Main, it might be an A$8,000 Main, but that's a rumour at the moment."
"It's been confirmed now. It's very exciting stuff..."
"You seem to know a lot more than others," said fellow podcast co-host Catherine Young. "You've dropped it first, so I'll trust your word right now."
"I hope it's a $10k but last week [...] that it could possibly by an A$8k," said Mclean.
The event was known for attracting a large field combined of international poker players keen on taking part in the iconic poker festival, and Australian satellite winners who were taking their shot at the big one. Mclean says that plans to offer satellites are underway.
"They are starting to run satellites I have heard," he said. "In the next month they're going to run 6-7 seats a week so trying to build the numbers back up."
The 2020 Aussie Millions Main Event, won by Vincent Wan with Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel finishing fifth had 820 entrants, with podcasts hosts speculating that an event held in 2025 could attract around half that amount.
"It'll be interesting how they go the first time," said Abernethy. "It was such a major event and so many pros did love playing it. If it can get back up and running how it was, that's got to be the goal because it was an amazing stop on the international poker calendar, not just Australian."
The Aussie Millions, or to call it by its proper name the Crown Australian Poker Championship, first took place in 1998. While the first year was a modest affair, comprising mainly of players from the South Pacific, the festival quickly gained international prestige.
The event also became known for its high-stakes tournaments — the $100,000 Challenge was first held in 2006, while the $250,000 Challenge was the first-ever $250k tournament in history. The $250,000 Challenge made its debut in 2011 and quickly became synonymous with one man — Phil Ivey. He won the event three times (2012, 2024, 2015) for combined cashes of over A$8 million.
Meanwhile the Main Event continued to go from strength to strength, generating massive prize pools through generous daily local satellite programs, attracting players from across the globe. The events allure also lied in its timing during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, which allows international players to escape colder climates and enjoy both poker and Australia’s warm-weather appeal.
In 2023, Crown Resorts said in a press release that the Aussie Millions Poker Championship was "an iconic part of poker history" but said that it had been "postponed for the time being." PokerNewshas reached out to Crown Resorts for comment.
Since the Aussie Millions last took place in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic dramatically impacted the live poker scene, with Australia being no exception to this worldwide disruption. The iconic poker festival was among many events put on hold, as lockdowns, travel restrictions, and health concerns made large gatherings impossible. For fans and players alike, the absence of Aussie Millions left a significant void in the global poker calendar, as it had become a staple for both local and international players over the years.
In recent years, however, poker events have begun to make a comeback in Australia, hinting at a return to form for the country's vibrant poker community. The World Poker Tour (WPT) has successfully hosted events in Australia for the last three consecutive years. James Obst became the most recent WPT Australia champion just two months ago.
Additionally, 2024 marked the launch of the inaugural Australian Poker Open, an exciting new event won by Hasan "Huss" Onay.
The return of the Aussie Millions would add yet another thrilling event to Australia’s poker calendar. With an established reputation and a passionate player base, a revived Aussie Millions would bolster Australia’s position further on the global poker stage and would certainly be one of the most anticipated events of 2025.
| Year | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 74 | A$74,000 | Alex Horowitz | Australia | A$25,900 |
| 1999 | 109 | A$109,000 | Milo Nadalin | Australia | A$38,150 |
| 2000 | 109 | A$173,500 | Leo Boxell | Australia | A$65,225 |
| 2001 | 101 | A$151,500 | Sam Korman | Australia | A$53,025 |
| 2002 | 66 | A$330,000 | John Maver | Australia | A$150,000 |
| 2003 | 122 | A$1,220,000 | Peter Costa | United Kingdom | A$394,870 |
| 2004 | 133 | A$1,330,000 | Tony Bloom | United Kingdom | A$426,500 |
| 2005 | 263 | A$2,630,000 | Jamil Dia | New Zealand | A$1,000,000 |
| 2006 | 418 | A$4,180,000 | Lee Nelson | New Zealand | A$1,295,800 |
| 2007 | 747 | A$7,470,000 | Gus Hansen | Denmark | A$1,500,000 |
| 2008 | 780 | A$7,758,500 | Alexander Kostritsyn | Russia | A$1,650,000 |
| 2009 | 681 | A$6,810,000 | Stewart Scott | Australia | A$2,000,000 |
| 2010 | 746 | A$7,460,000 | Tyron Krost | Australia | A$2,000,000 |
| 2011 | 721 | A$7,210,000 | David Gorr | Australia | A$2,000,000 |
| 2012 | 659 | A$6,590,000 | Oliver Speidel | Australia | A$1,600,000 |
| 2013 | 629 | A$6,290,000 | Mervin Chan | Malaysia | A$1,600,000 |
| 2014 | 668 | A$6,680,000 | Ami Barer | Canada | A$1,600,000 |
| 2015 | 648 | A$6,480,000 | Manny Stavropoulos | Australia | A$1,385,500 |
| 2016 | 732 | A$7,320,000 | Ari Engel | Canada | A$1,600,000 |
| 2017 | 725 | A$7,250,000 | Shurane Vijayaram | Australia | A$1,600,000 |
| 2018 | 800 | A$8,000,000 | Toby Lewis | United Kingdom | A$1,458,198 |
| 2019 | 822 | A$8,220,000 | Bryn Kenney | United States | A$1,272,598 |
| 2020 | 820 | A$8,200,000 | Vincent Wan | Australia | A$1,318,000 |
