Aussie Millions Poker Championship Returns with Record-Breaking Fields in 2026
After a six-year hiatus, the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, presented by CrownBet, has made a triumphant return to Crown Melbourne, drawing record-breaking fields across multiple events in its first week. The series, running from April 24th to May 10th, 2026, is already exceeding expectations, according to tournament director Danny McDonagh.
Record Turnout in Opening Events
The A$1,500 Mystery Bounty event has been a significant driver of the early momentum, attracting 912 entries across two starting flights and generating a prize pool of $1,185,600. The A$1,500 Opening Event saw an even larger field, with 2,144 entries. Other events, including the A$5,000 Six-Max (305 entries) and the A$2,500 H.O.R.S.E. (its largest field to date), have also experienced strong participation.
Current Chip Leaders in the $1,500 Mystery Bounty
As Day 2 of the $1,500 Mystery Bounty event commences, Johan Schumacher of Belgium leads the remaining 124 players with a stack of 990,000 chips (99 big blinds). Darragh Curtin of New Zealand is second with 871,000 chips (87 big blinds), and Australia’s Thomas Lee rounds out the top three with 776,000 chips (78 big blinds).
Experienced Players in the Mix
Johan Schumacher brings considerable experience to the final day, having earned over USD $1,300,000 in live tournament winnings. His notable achievements include a 43rd-place finish in the WSOP Main Event last year, a runner-up finish in a WSOP Shootout event in 2021, and a seventh-place finish in the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event for AUD $235,000. Other players still in contention include Morry Edelstein, Max Sarafin, Ahmed Abdellatif, Paul Altis, Patrick Barba, Chris Kokkinos, and Robert Damelian.
Bubble Pressure Looms
With 114 spots remaining for a payout from the 124 players returning for Day 2, the pressure is on to avoid becoming part of the money bubble.
Return After Six-Year Hiatus
The 2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship marks the return of the iconic series after a six-year absence. Tournament director Danny McDonagh expressed surprise at the strong turnout, noting that the numbers have exceeded expectations. He emphasized the pride of the Australian poker community in the series’ successful comeback.
The Aussie Millions Poker Championship runs through May 10th, 2026, at Crown Melbourne, featuring 18 tournaments and an estimated prize pool of AU$14 million.