The Aussie Millions 2026 Opening Event has drawn a record-breaking 2,144 entries across four Day 1 flights at Crown Melbourne, smashing the previous all-time mark of 1,752 and generating a A$2,787,200 prize pool that nearly tripled the A$1,000,000 guarantee.

The numbers confirmed what many suspected when the festival returned after a six-year absence: demand for live poker at Crown Melbourne had not faded. It had built up.

Day 1A drew 403 entries on April 24, Day 1B added 589 on April 25, and the final two flights on April 26 pushed the total past 2,100. Demand on Sunday was so high that scheduled Main Event satellites had to be cancelled.

After 11 levels of Day 2 play on April 27, 20 players remain heading into today’s final (April 28, 12:30pm local). Spencer Davies leads with 11,250,000 chips (90 big blinds), the only player above the 11-million mark. First place pays A$438,400.

Record Field by the Numbers

The A$1,500 buy-in Opening Event is the traditional curtain-raiser for the Aussie Millions. This year’s edition shattered every benchmark for the tournament’s 28-year history.

The previous Aussie Millions record came in a different era. That 1,752-entry field predates the six-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Crown Melbourne’s regulatory overhaul, and Blackstone Group’s A$8.9 billion takeover of Crown Resorts in 2022.

Manns Claims First 2026 Aussie Millions Trophy

Germany’s Sascha Manns won the A$2,500 H.O.R.S.E. event for A$43,200, becoming the first player to lift a trophy at the 2026 Aussie Millions. The mixed-game event drew 64 entries and a A$144,000 prize pool, exceeding expectations enough to force the tournament into a second day.

Manns entered the final table as chip leader and stayed near the top throughout. When three players remained, he struck a deal with Australia’s Gary Benson (A$28,584) and series ambassador Van Marcus (A$25,468) before playing on for the title.

He eliminated Marcus first, then closed out the tournament against Benson in Omaha Hi-Lo, winning the final hand with a flush over flush.

The win added to Manns’s recent triumph in the same discipline at the Irish Open. He dedicated the victory to Antoine Degiorgio, known in the mixed-games community as “Malta Poker Fish,” who recently suffered serious health complications.

Big Names Fall on Day 2

Day 2 of the Opening Event began with 355 players returning from the four Day 1 flights. The bubble burst during the second level of play, and from there, the field was cut to 20 across 11 levels.

Several high-profile players cashed but fell short of the final day. Reigning WSOP Main Event champion Michael Mizrachi returned eighth in chips on Day 2 but could not convert his stack into a deep run. The four-time Poker Players Championship winner was named series ambassador earlier this month.

Australia’s Joe Hachem, the 2005 WSOP Main Event champion, was also among the Day 2 casualties. So was Vincent “Wonky” Wan, who won the 2020 Aussie Millions Main Event the last time the festival was held.

What’s Next at the Aussie Millions

The Opening Event final gets underway today (April 28) at 12:30pm local time, with 20 players returning on Level 27 (blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 big blind ante). Davies holds a commanding lead, but with 20 players and plenty of play remaining, the title is far from decided.

The festival runs through May 10 with 18 events on the schedule. Key upcoming tournaments include the A$5,000 Six-Max, the A$5,000 Challenge (May 1 to 2), and the A$25,000 Challenge (May 3 to 4). The centrepiece A$10,600 Main Event begins on May 4, with the final table set for May 10.

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