Twenty Three Players Already Confirmed For $1 Million Buy-In Big One For One Drop Poker Tournament
The first dealt hand is more than three months away, but there are already 23 confirmed players for the second running of the historic $1 million buy-in Big One For One Drop charity poker tournament being held as part of the 2014 World Series of Poker.
The first running of the event in 2012 sold out, reaching the predetermined cap of 48 players. In the end, poker pro Antonio Esfandiari emerged victorious, earning $18,346,673 and a platinum WSOP bracelet for the win while more than $5.3 million was raised for the One Drop charitable organization.
This year the event will run from from June 29 to July 1 with the cap on the field raised to 56 entrants, or seven eight-handed tables.
2012 Big One Champ Antonio Esfandiari
With the new field cap the first-place prize has the potential to reach $20,000,000 if every seat is filled. The winner this year will again earn a special edition WSOP platinum bracelet created by luxury watchmaker and jeweler Richard Mille. Seats in the event are first-come first-serve, with those providing a deposit guaranteeing their seat.
“I was thrilled when I got the call from the WSOP saying that with the commitments of the 2012 players alone, enough seats had been filled that the BIG ONE is a platinum bracelet event once again,” said Mille. “We are hard at work creating a unique new bracelet. It’s a wonderful event with the added benefit of giving back, something we strongly believe in.”
“I can’t wait to defend my title,” said 2012 champ Antonio Esfandiari. “The event was life-changing, but so was my trip to El Salvador after it with the ONE DROP organization to see first hand what a difference the money raised from this event can do for those in dire need of help.”
The $1 million buy-in for this event remains the largest ever in poker history. The event is rake free, with $111,111 of each buy-in taken out as a charitable donation to ONE DROP and $888,889 going directly into the prize pool.
“The inaugural event made history and I look forward to another historic moment again this June,” said event co-founder, ONE DROP Founder, and inaugural participant, Guy Laliberté. “The support from the poker community continues to be just incredible.”
“Amazingly I lost a million dollars in this event in 2012 but still had a great time,” said investor Bill Perkins. “Little do the others know, but that was all part of a plan to set them up for this year. I’m calling my shot now. I will win the 2014 BIG ONE for ONE DROP.”
Here is a look at the list of players who have committed to play the event so 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
Those interested in signing up are encouraged to contact Alexandre Meunier at ONE DROP (alexandre.meunier@onedrop.org) or Ty Stewart at the WSOP (tystewart@caesars.com). The 56-seat cap will be enforced, and those first to register will be guaranteed seats.