Aussie Millions Prizepool Set, Phil Ivey Near The Top

Registration has closed for the 2012 Aussie Millions main event, and with that the official numbers are in. A total of 659 players posted the $10,000 AUD buy-in, building a $6,590,000 AUD prizepool and a first-place prize of $1.6 million AUD.

This year, 72 players will make the money, with a min-cash being worth $15,000 AUD. At the end of play on day 2, 74 players remained, with many notable names in the mix. Second in chips heading into day three is Phil Ivey with 778,500.

After months of staying off the radar in the wake of Black Friday, Phil Ivey made his first reappearance at a poker tournament in November’s Asian Pacific Poker Tour Macau main event. Earlier at the Aussie Millions, Ivey played the $100,000 Challenge, finishing outside of the money.

Joining Ivey towards the top of the chips heading into day three were Jason Koon (667,500), David Steicke (453,000), and 2006 Aussie Millions champ Lee Nelson (432,500).

There was a 9% decrease in field size from last year’s 721 entrants, but considering some of the global economic problems and the negative affect of poker’s Black Friday, the fact that the decrease was so small is encouraging for the state of the global tournament poker community.

Here is a look at the Aussie Millions main event field sizes and prizepools since it became a $10,000 AUD event in 2003:

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