The Aussie Millions, which is held every January at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, recently released its schedule of events for 2009. The festivities kick off in a little over one month and will feature a Main Event that guarantees at least AUD $2 million to its winner. Also in 2009, the Aussie Millions tournament series will play host to the world’s largest cash game, according to its organizers, which has a $1 million buy-in.
Over 800 players are expected from around the world in the AUD $10,500 Main Event, which was won in 2008 by Russian Alexander Kostritsyn, who took home AUD $1.6 million. Full Tilt Poker pro and eight-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Erik Seidel finished as the runner up. The Aussie Millions Main Event has ballooned in size since Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP Main Event. In 2004, it sported 133 entrants. That number nearly doubled to 263 in 2005 and jumped to 418 in 2006. This year, 780 players took the field, which was up from 747 in 2007.
Aussie Millions organizers expect 2,000 total entries throughout the course of the two week tournament series. The 2009 agenda includes a $100,500 buy-in tournament, which is the largest price tag event held anywhere in the world. Here is a look at the 2009 Aussie Millions schedule. All times are local and all dollar values are given in Australian currency:
Event 1: Friday, January 9th at 12:30pm
AUD $500,000 Guaranteed – Day 1A
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #1: Saturday, January 10th at 12:30pm
AUD $500,000 Guaranteed – Day 1B
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #2: Sunday, January 11th at 4:30pm
PokerPro No Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,050 buy-in
Event #3: Monday, January 12th at 12:30pm
Limit Omaha High-Low
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #4: Tuesday, January 13th at 12:30pm
Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #5: Wednesday, January 14th at 12:30pm
HORSE
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #6: Thursday, January 15th at 12:30pm
No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys
AUD $1,150 buy-in with $1,000 rebuys
Event #7: Friday, January 16th at 12:30pm
No Limit Hold’em with Bounties
AUD $1,650 buy-in
Event #8: Saturday, January 17th at 2:15pm
AUD $100,000 No Limit Hold’em Challenge
AUD $100,500 buy-in
Event #9: Sunday, January 18th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event – Day 1A
AUD $10,500 buy-in
Event #9: Monday, January 19th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event – Day 1B
AUD $10,500 buy-in
Event #9: Tuesday, January 20th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event – Day 1C
AUD $10,500 buy-in
Event #10: Tuesday, January 20th at 2:30pm
Australian Heads-Up Championship – Field A
AUD $5,300 buy-in
Event #10: Wednesday, January 21st at 2:30pm
Australian Heads-Up Championship – Field B
AUD $5,300 buy-in
Event #11: Wednesday, January 21st at 4.30pm
Pot Limit Omaha
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #12: Thursday, January 22nd at 12:45pm
Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
AUD $3,250 buy-in with $3,000 rebuys
Event #13: Thursday, January 22nd at 2.30pm
Mixed Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #14: Friday, January 23rd at 12:45pm
No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed
AUD $2,200 buy-in
Event #15: Saturday, January 24th at 12.45pm
No Limit Hold’em Teams Event
AUD $2,200 buy-in
Event #16: Saturday, January 24th at 2:15pm
HORSE
AUD $10,200 buy-in
Event #17: Sunday, January 25th at 12:30pm
Turbo No Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in
Event #18: Monday, January 26th at 12:30pm
Australian Two Card Manila Championship
AUD $1,100 buy-in plus $1,000 rebuys
In Event #7, play will be conducted ten-handed. However, when the field reaches 32 players, the tournament becomes a shootout, with the top two players at each of the remaining tables advancing to the final table. Play in the Main Event will begin eight-handed. When there are 36 payers remaining, the field will be divided into six six-handed tables.
The Main Event will air on Fox Sports Net and be beamed into over 20 million homes around the world. Previous winners of the featured tournament besides Kostritsyn in 2008 include Gus Hansen (2007), Lee Nelson (2006), Jamil Dia (2005), Tony Bloom (2004), and Peter Costa (2003). The very first Aussie Millions was held back in 1998.
