Top 10 Largest Poker Tournaments in History (by Pool Size)

Poker tournaments attract thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of players who are looking to convert their entry fees into life-changing winnings. There are several ways to define the biggest poker tournaments in history — by total prize pool, first-place winnings, or field size. This article examines the top 10 events by total prize pool.

Multi-Million Dollar Competitions

Poker has maintained a significant presence in the live gaming space for many years. With the emergence of online poker platforms, competing with poker players worldwide is no longer confined to prominent events in Las Vegas or Macau. New competitions and events are frequently launched on platforms like BetMGM online casino. Interest in poker tournaments is ever-increasing, and prize pools also follow this trend.

The WSOP (World Series of Online Poker) has long reigned as the world's largest poker tournament. There's nothing more significant, longer, more lucrative, or more prestigious. Amateurs and professionals worldwide gather once a year in Las Vegas to try to win millions of dollars in this event. Regarding rankings for the biggest prize pools, the WSOP Main Event holds nine of the top ten spots. 

1. 2024 WSOP Main Event

The 2024 WSOP leads this list with its prize pool of $94,041,600, created from over 10,000 entries. The growing popularity of poker is evident from the increasing number of hopefuls aiming for the top. Jonathan Tamayo from the USA was the winner, who walked away with a staggering $10,000,000.

2. 2023 WSOP Main Event

Close on its heels, the 2023 edition of the WSOP Main Event had a prize pool of $93,399,900. Daniel Weinman won the enormous first prize after a brief heads-up battle with Steven Jones. Although he was already an accomplished player with multi-million dollar winnings, Weinman only made the Main Event once. After spending 16 years competing in the World Series, he finally went home with a $12,100,000 prize, surpassing Jamie Gold’s record win in 2006. 

3. 2006 WSOP Main Event

The 2006 WSOP Main Event was notable for its large prize pool of $82,512,162. Jamie Gold from the USA clinched the top prize of $12,000,000, which at the time was the largest payout in poker tournament history.

4. 2022 WSOP Main Event

In 2022, the WSOP Main Event attracted 8,663 entrants that gathered a pool of $80,782,475. Espen Jørstad won the main prize of 10,000,000, which made him number one on Norway’s “All Time Money List” and secured his place as Norway's first WSOP champion. 

5. 2019 WSOP Main Event

With a prize pool of $80,548,600, the 2019 WSOP Main Event saw Hossein Ensan of Germany outlast 8,569 competitors to win the $10,000,000 final prize. The final duel with Dario Sammartino lasted over five hours, where Ensan displayed strong endurance as he patiently brought down his opponent to 40 blinds, winning most of the pots.

6. 2018 WSOP Main Event

The 2018 WSOP Main Event had a prize pool of $74,015,600. With a $10,000 buy-in, John Cynn from the USA emerged victorious after a grueling 10-hour heads-up battle with Tony Miles. The final bluff by Miles concluded one of the longest heads-up duels in the tournament's history, securing Cynn's well-deserved win of $8,800,000.

7. 2010 WSOP Main Event

The 22-year-old Jonathan Duhamel from Canada won the 2010 WSOP Main Event with a prize pool of $68,799,059. He defeated John Racener and became the first Canadian to win the most prestigious bracelet. His victory was notable as it contributed to the popularity of poker in Canada.

8. 2017 WSOP Main Event

Scott Blumstein won the 2017 WSOP Main Event, which boasted a prize pool of $67,877,400. Blumstein's victory was against another US player, Dan Ott. Professional poker player did not participate in the first 72 tournaments of the 2017 World Series to prepare for the main event physically and mentally. It paid off as he defeated over 7,200 players for a prize of $8,150,000.

9. 2019 Triton Super High Roller Series (Triton Million)

The 2019 Triton Super High Roller Series, also known as Triton Million, featured a unique invite-only format with a staggering buy-in of £1,050,000. Not surprisingly, the tournament amassed a considerable prize pool of $65,660,000, and Aaron Zang from China took the top spot by beating 54 participants, bringing home $16,775,820 in winnings.

10. 2011 WSOP Main Event

The 2011 WSOP Main Event is rounding out our list, with a prize pool of $64,531,000. Pius Heinz from Germany clinched the top prize of $8,711,956, becoming the first German to win a WSOP bracelet. 

A World of Giants

As can be seen from the top list, the WSOP main events regularly offer the largest prize pools in the live poker industry. Organized in Las Vegas, this yearly event has become the holy grail of poker competitions, offering prizes reaching tens of millions of dollars. Legendary players have made history in the game, winning millions and leaving a mark on the poker world. As the stakes continue to rise, so does the allure of poker, promising future events that will likely continue to break records and captivate the imagination of players.