THE RETURN OF THE 2026 AUSSIE MILLIONS AT CROWN MELBOURNE

The wait is finally over. One of the most celebrated poker festivals in the world is officially coming back. The Aussie Millions Poker Championship will return to Crown Melbourne from 24 April to 10 May 2026, bringing eighteen days of elite tournament action and more than fourteen million dollars in estimated prize pools.

The schedule features 18 events with buy-ins starting at $1,500 and climbing to $25,000. The centrepiece remains the $10,600 Main Event, a tournament that has produced some of the most iconic champions in the Southern Hemisphere of poker.

One of the most remarkable wins from this famous series was the 2017 champion, Shurane Vijayaram, a long time friend of the Australian Poker Schedule. His story is one of the best in Aussie Millions history and was told so well my former Aussie Millions Head Tournament Director Joel Williams recently on the Poker Pulse Podcast. After his car broke down and ruined a planned fishing trip, he returned to Melbourne, entered a $130 satellite, won a Main Event seat, then tried to sell the ticket but Crown rules did not allow it. Five days later he found himself heads up against UK high stakes star Ben Heath. The final hand became an instant classic when Vijayaram went deep into the tank before calling with pocket fives to secure the title. His victory topped a field of 725 entries and earned him $1,600,000.

The last Aussie Millions Main Event played in 2020, when Vincent “Wonky” Wan outlasted Ngoc Tai Hoang to capture a payday worth more than $1,300,000. Only months after Wan’s win, the global shutdown brought the poker world to a halt. The 2021 edition was cancelled and the years that followed created doubt about whether the festival would ever return. Shifting regulations and a long period of silence kept players guessing.

Hints of a comeback began to surface thanks to the Poker Pulse Podcast, hosted by Australian Poker Schedule founder Craig Abernethy. On the show, it was co-host and poker pro Troy Mclean, shared with listeners that the return had been confirmed. His comments put fuel behind growing speculation that the event would finally reappear on the live poker calendar.

The revival now has a date and a home once again. Crown Melbourne will welcome players from around the world, from rising talents to seasoned regulars, all chasing titles, hopefully the famous rings and a share of one of the most storied prize pools this side of the world. Historic wins like those of Wan and Vijayaram remain a vital part of the tournament’s rich legacy.