A Historical Look at the Aussie Millions Main Event
The Aussie Millions has a rich history, dating all the way back to 1998 when Alex Horowitz won what was then referred to as the "1998 Australian Poker Championships" and played in limit hold'em. The buy-in that year was $1,000, and that buy-in remained the same for 1999. In 2000 and 2001, the buy-in was increased to $1,500. For 2002's version, the buy-in was bumped up to $5,000, and in 2003 and on it has always been $10,000.
In 1999, the game was changed to pot-limit hold'em, and then no-limit hold'em from there on out. The largest event to date was in 2008 when Alexander Kostritsyn topped a field of 780 players to win $1,650,000.
The Aussie Millions is without a doubt the Southern Hemisphere's most prestigious poker tournament, and another impressive field of over 600 runners is in the making this time around. For the second year running, the event is partnered with the PokerStars.net Asia-Pacific Poker Tour, and many agree that the partnership has been beneficial on both sides.
Below is a historical table of the event, dating all the way back to 1998:
| Year | Entries | Prize Pool (AU$) | Winner | First Prize (AU$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 74 | $74,000 | Alex Horowitz | $25,900 |
| 1999 | 109 | $109,000 | Milo Nadalin | $38,150 |
| 2000 | 109 | $173,500 | Leo Boxell | $65,225 |
| 2001 | 101 | $151,500 | Sam Korman | $53,025 |
| 2002 | 66 | $330,000 | John Maver | $150,000 |
| 2003 | 122 | $1,220,000 | Peter Costa | $394,870 |
| 2004 | 133 | $1,330,000 | Tony Bloom | $426,500 |
| 2005 | 263 | $2,630,000 | Jamil Dia | $1,000,000 |
| 2006 | 418 | $4,180,000 | Lee Nelson | $1,295,800 |
| 2007 | 747 | $7,470,000 | Gus Hansen | $1,500,000 |
| 2008 | 780 | $7,758,500 | Alexander Kostritsyn | $1,650,000 |
| 2009 | 681 | $6,810,000 | Stewart Scott | $2,000,000 |
| 2010 | 746 | $7,460,000 | Tyron Krost | $2,000,000 |
| 2011 | 721 | $7,210,000 | David Gorr | $2,000,000 |
| 2012 | 659 | $6,590,000 | Oliver Speidel | $1,600,000 |
| 2013 | 629 | $6,290,000 | Mervin Chan | $1,600,000 |
| 2014 | 668 | $6,680,000 | Ami Barer | $1,600,000 |
The number to beat from last year is 668 entries, and we'll keep you posted on this year's field size as the third and final starting day wears on.