The third installment of the Aussie Millions begins with the first preliminary event today at the Crowne Casino in Melbourne, Australia. The last two series have been met with large playing fields stuffed with many popular pros, including just about the entire roster of Team Full Tilt, which is the main sponsor of the event.
Team Full Tilt member Gus Hansen won the event in 2007, beating out 746 other players for $1.2 million (all prize denominations are in U.S. dollars). Young player Jimmy Fricke was last year’s runner-up, winning $800,000. Lee Nelson won nearly $1 million in the first Aussie Millions in 2006 by outlasting 417 players in an event wherein both Nenad Medic and Shannon Shorr made the final table.
Satellites for Aussie Millions seats ran on Full Tilt until mid-December, and 89 of its players qualified through the online site, including Scott Clements, Karina Jett, and Card Player’s own Steve Zolotow. The package is worth $18,000.
Last year was also the first time an AUD $100,000 buy-in event was held there. This year’s AUD $100,000 event is to take place Saturday, Jan. 12. The AUD $10,000 main event is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 14. This year, 16 events will take place with buy-ins ranging from AUD $1,000 on up.
Click here for a list of this year’s events.
The first AUD $100,000 buy-in event attracted 18 players and was loaded with some of today’s greats. Hansen, Daniel Negreanu, Nelson, John D’Agostino, and John Juanda were some of the players who played in this event. Erick Lindgren made history by winning this first version, earning AUD $1 million ($800,000).
