This summer’s World Series of Poker is fast approaching and the most anticipated tournament – even outshining the famous $10,000 Main Event – is the second-ever $1m Big One for One Drop. This week the WSOP revealed details of 23 players that have already reserved their seat, worth a whopping $1,000,000, and plenty of big names will be in the hunt. They include poker superstar (and boxing impresario) Phil Ivey, new Everest Poker pro Sam Trickett and the inaugural champion Antonio Esfandiari.
The first Big One for One Drop had a cap of 48 players on it and the event sold out. That created an $18m first prize for champion Esfandiari, while Trickett took home $10m as the runner-up. WSOP organisers have expanded the field size to a potential 56 players this time round, and they are expecting another sell-out. Event co-founder, poker player and ONE DROP charity founder Guy Laliberte said, ‘The inaugural event made history and I look forward to another historic moment again this June. The support from the poker community continues to be just incredible.’
Here is the list of confirmed players thus far:
1. Antonio Esfandiari
2. Guy Laliberté
3. Bobby Baldwin
4. David Einhorn
5. Phil Galfond
6. Philipp Gruissem
7. Phil Ivey
8. Jason Mercier
9. Paul Newey
10. Bill Perkins
11. Vivek Rajkumar
12. Brian Rast
13. Andrew Robl
14. Erik Seidel
15. Brandon Steven
16. Sam Trickett
17. Noah Schwartz
18. Anonymous Businessman
19. Anonymous Businessman
20. Anonymous Businessman
21. Aria Resort Satellite Seat
22. Bellagio Resort Satellite Seat
23. World Series of Poker Satellite Seat
*players in italics also competed in the 2012 event
The first Big One for One Drop was obviously a smash hit with the players, as every confirmed participant in 2014 thus far also played two years ago. One player to watch out for will be ‘Anonymous Businessman’ who has so far snapped up three seats in what could be an elaborate multi-accounting attempt. More likely it is just three separate billionaires from Macau…
Many more questions remain; will Instagram sensation Dan Bilzerian put his money where his mouth, Uzis and big-boobed strippers are and buy-in? How bright will Paul Newey’s Hawaiian shirt be this year? What’s the over/under on the number of players wearing sandals at the table? Will Chris Jesus’ Ferguson make an epic return, buying for a cool million with US player’s funds?
All these answers, and many more, will become clear when the hottest tournament of the summer kicks off on June 29.
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