Five of the Biggest PokerStars Sunday Million Tournaments

PokerStars ran its first-ever Sunday Million on March 6, 2006. It was a first for online poker, a tournament with a $215 buy-in and a $1 million guaranteed. Every poker tournament player worth their salt dreams of winning the Sunday Million. Doing do awards a massive prize and give you bragging rights over your peers, at least for one week!

A special edition of the Sunday Million is scheduled across the weekend of March 22-24. This monster-sized tournament retains its $215 buy-in but boasts of a $12.5 million guaranteed prize pool! Two $1 million prizes are guaranteed to be won.

Everything points to this 14th anniversary edition being the biggest Sunday Million ever. It will be if it hits its ambitious guarantee. PokerStars is allowing players to re-enter up to five times while late registration is open, which lasts until the start of Day 2, to help reach 62,500 entrants.

Now’s the perfect time to look back at some of the biggest Sunday Million tournaments in history. Will this latest one be written about for years to come?

10th Anniversary Sunday Million is Still The Biggest Ever

December 18, 2011 is the date the Sunday Million broke all records. It was the 10th anniversary edition and it was nothing short of gigantic.

A field of 62,116 players built a gargantuan $12,432,200 prize pool, which is still the largest recorded. All but one of the tournament’s final table members banked six-figure prizes.

Three players busted before the final six players discussed a deal for the remainder of the prize pool. They agreed to a deal that left $200,000 extra for the eventual champion, that champion being Canada’s Kyle “First-Eagle” Weir. Weir walked away with $1,146,574 for his victory which is still the largest-ever Sunday Million prize awarded.

Last Year’s Sunday Million Anniversary Edition Was Also Huge

PokerStars ran a $10 million guaranteed Sunday Million to celebrate its 13th anniversary and it also grew to be the largest. Some 61,342 players turned out in force to build a $12,268,400 pot shared among the top 10,196 finishers.

This event also ended in a chop when the final five players struck a deal. Nobody won less than $509,664 while “wangli0402” of China scooped $611,944 and the title of champion.

11th Anniversary Edition Comes in Third Place

The 11th anniversary of the Sunday Million is the third-largest event in PokerStars’ history. A prize pool of $11,167,000 was made possible thanks to 55,835 entrants paying $215 to enter.

This edition played through without any deals, unlike the two largest tournaments on our list. A Panamanian going by the alias “Xavi666” was the last man standing. They defeated Sweden’s “Mouzen” heads-up to triumph in what was the biggest Sunday Million at the time.

Mouzen padded their bankroll with $785,999 after falling in second-place, with Xavi666 netting an incredible $1,093,204.

10th Anniversary Edition Breaks Through $11 Million

The 10th Anniversary edition of the Sunday Million was the largest at the time with an $11,011,800 prize pool. Unsurprisingly, this mammoth-sized event finished with the assistance of a four-handed deal.

Argentina’s “canario508” finished in fourth for $560,000 with “prophetdream” of South Korea netting $678,517.

Bulgaria’s “mladenova62” fell in second-place and padded his bankroll with $650,000. “a.urli” got his hand on the lion’s share of the prize pool, namely $970,000, from his home in Canada.

The Only Sunday Million Anniversary That Overlaid

It’s hard to believe that a special edition Sunday Million failed to reach its guarantee, yet that happened. “Only” 43,975 players turned out for the 12th anniversary edition, which had $10 million guaranteed. The mathematicians among you will realize this figure is 6,025 players short of the requirements.

Those playing in that tournament enjoyed an overlay of $1,205,000, which is almost unthinkable.

A Brazilian by the name of Luis “Hulk9950” Felipe bulldozed his way to victory and turned his $215 into $960,000. His prize would have been more substantial had he not made a deal with two opponents.

“Sasuke234” busted in third-place and won $640,000 with Bulgaria’s “kapchin” banking $707,574.

Matthew Pitt

If it’s something you can play online for real money, chances are Matthew knows a bit about it. He’s been writing about slots, craps and poker for the better part of the last decade. He’s written for PokerNews, PartyPoker and many other respected online gambling websites during the last nine years.

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