issue-18

HISTORY OF THE AUSSIE MILLIONS
You won't find a better poker atmosphere
outside the World Series than at the Aussie
Millions and it boasts more than its fair share
of action and adventure. This year’s tenth
anniversary event, which took place in January
2012, saw Oliver Speidel walk away as champion
with a cool AU$1.6 million (US$1.7 million). Just
as big a story was Phil Ivey’s Aussie Millions
campaign. Ivey finished 12th in the Main Event
and took down the AU$250,000 Super High Roller
for a monstrous AU$2 million, showing just why
many consider him up there with the likes of Stu
Ungar – vying for the title of “greatest ever to
grace the felt”.
AUSSIE MILLIONS 10 YEARS ON
Crown’s Aussie Millions has played an
important role in the development of poker in
Australia. The Crown Poker Room first opened in
June 1997, which makes its meteoric rise to one
of the most respected poker rooms in the world
particularly impressive.
In July 1998 the first Australasian Poker
Championship was held with an AU$1,000 buy-in
and just 74 runners. In 2000 the buy-in was upped
to AU$1,500, increasing to AU$5,000 in 2002 when
the tournament rescheduled to January, where it
has remained ever since. Re-branded as the “Aussie
Millions Poker Championship” in 2003 with an
increased buy-in of AU$10,000, this was the year
it truly became recognized as a major event on the
international poker circuit.
The Aussie Millions became increasingly
popular with European players in the early
2000s as they escaped the harsh European
winter for the sunshine of the Australian summer.
Internationals dominated the early years with
winners Peter “the Poet” Costa and Tony “the
Lizard” Bloom hailing from England and Lee
“Final Table” Nelson and Jamil “the Real Deal”
Dia coming from New Zealand. By 2005 the prize
pool had soared to over AU$2.6 million and Dia
became the first winner to walk away with AU$1
million for first place. Player numbers continued
to grow – increasing by over 70 percent year on
year – before hitting a new high of 747 entrants
in 2007, the year poker superstar Gus “the Great
Dane” Hansen lifted the trophy.
In 2009 the Aussie Millions saw its first ever
homegrown champion in the form of Stewart Scott
and this heralded a period of Aussie dominance
that continues to the present day. Every champion
since 2009 has been Australian, keeping the trophy
firmly on home soil. Since 2007 the tournament
has averaged 722 entrants and with an entry fee of
AU$10,000 a pop that makes it one of the biggest
poker tournaments held anywhere in the world.
10 YEARS OF CHAMPIONS
Year Winner Country
First Prize
(AU$)
Runners
Prize Pool
(AU$)
Peter Costa
England
2003 394,870 122 1,220,000
Tony Bloom
England
2004 426,500 133 1,330,000
Jamil Dia
New Zealand
2005 1,000,000 263 2,630,000
Lee Nelson
New Zealand
2006 1,295,800 418 4,180,000
Gus Hansen
Denmark
2007 1,500,000 747 7,470,000
Alexander Kostritsyn
Russia
2008 1,650,000 780 7,800,000
Stewart Scott
Australia
2009 2,000,000 681 6,810,000
Tyron Krost
Australia
2010 2,000,000 746 7,460,000
David Gorr
Australia
2011 2,000,000 721 7,210,000
Oliver Speidel
Australia
2012 1,600,000 659 6,590,000
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#18 WSOP 2012 SPECIAL ISSUE