For the last several years, the largest tournament in the world has been the World Series of Poker Main Event. With the exception of 1992, the US$10,000 buy-in tournament increased in prize pool year-over-year from its start in 1970 until 2007 (the latter a result of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which reduced the number of players winning their seats via online play).
The first tournament to reach a million dollar prize pool was the 1983 WSOP Main Event. The WSOP Main Event of 2004 had the first prize pool of above $10,000,000.
The largest non Hold'em Tournament has been the 2008 WSOP $50K HORSE with a prize pool of $7,104,000 and the first prize of $1,989,120 going to Scotty Nguyen.
Below are the largest poker tournaments with respect to the prize pool in United States dollars and not number of entrants. This list includes live and online poker.
Currently, 19 of the 21 largest prize pools in history have been WSOP Main Events. Other two tournament to complete this TOP 21 is Triton Super High Roller Series - Triton Million (2019).
All of the 90 richest tournaments to date were played in No Limit Hold'em with more than $15,000,000 prize pool or player prize.
Event Prize pool (US$) Winner 1st prize Ref. 2024 WSOP Main Event $94,041,600 $10,000,000 2023 WSOP Main Event $93,399,900 $12,100,000 2025 WSOP Main Event $90,535,500 $10,000,000 2026 WSOP Main Event $85,634,400 $10,000,000 2006 WSOP Main Event $82,512,162 $12,000,000 2022 WSOP Main Event $80,782,475 $10,000,000 2019 WSOP Main Event $80,548,600 $10,000,000 2018 WSOP Main Event $74,015,600 $8,800,000 2025 WSOP Paradise - Super Main Event $72,275,000 $10,000,000 2010 WSOP Main Event $68,799,059 $8,944,310 2017 WSOP Main Event $67,877,400 Scott Blumstein $8,150,000 2019 Triton Super High Roller Series - Triton Million $65,660,000(£54,000,000) Aaron Zang $16,775,820*(£13,779,491) 2019 Triton Super High Roller Series - Triton Million $65,660,000(£54,000,000) Bryn Kenney* $20,563,324*(£16,775,820) 2011 WSOP Main Event $64,531,000 $8,711,956 2008 WSOP Main Event $64,333,600 $9,152,416 2016 WSOP Main Event $63,327,800 Qui Nguyen $8,005,310 2014 WSOP Main Event $62,820,200 Martin Jacobson $10,000,000 2012 WSOP Main Event $62,021,200 $8,527,982 2021 WSOP Main Event $62,011,250 $8,000,000 2009 WSOP Main Event $61,043,600 $8,547,042 2015 WSOP Main Event $60,348,000 $7,680,021 2007 WSOP Main Event $59,784,954 $8,250,000 2013 WSOP Main Event $59,708,800 $8,359,531 2005 WSOP Main Event $52,818,610 $7,500,000 2024 WSOP Paradise - Super Main Event $48,500,000 $6,000,000 2024 WSOP Paradise - Triton Million $44,603,000 $12,070,000 2012 WSOP Event 55 – The Big One for One Drop $42,666,672 $18,346,673 2023 WPT Championship $40,000,000 Daniel Sepiol $5,282,954 2014 WSOP Event 57 – The Big One for One Drop $37,333,338 $15,306,6682026 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju$34,600,000 Joao Simao$7,250,000 2025 WSOP Paradise - Triton Million $33,250,000 $7,725,000 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London $29,500,000 $6,860,000 2022 WPT Championship $29,008,000 $4,136,000 2023 WSOP Online co-hosted by GGPoker $28,609,250 $2,783,433 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $28,500,000 $5,555,000 2025 WSOP Online co-hosted by GGPoker $28,314,750 $3,900,707 2020 WSOP Online co-hosted by GGPoker $27,559,500 $3,904,686 2016 Monte-Carlo One Drop Extravaganza $27,437,564 $12,248,912 2026 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $27,400,000 $6,370,000 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $26,600,000 $6,180,000 2019 PSPC PokerStars Players Championship $26,455,500 $5,100,000 2023 PSPC PokerStars Players Championship $24,843,000 $3,121,839 2018 WSOP Event 78 – The Big One for One Drop $24,840,000 $10,000,000 2004 WSOP Main Event $24,224,400 $5,000,000 2025 WSOP Paradise - Triton Main Event $23,700,000 $4,750,000 2022 WSOP Online co-hosted by GGPoker (International) $23,674,000 $2,793,575 2012 Macau High Stakes Challenge Super High Roller $23,511,128 $6,465,560 2024 WPT Championship $23,441,600 Scott Stewart $2,563,900 2022 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Cyprus $23,000,000 $5,500,000 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $22,800,000 $4,099,975 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $21,600,000 $4,330,000 2015 Super High Roller Bowl I $21,500,000 $7,525,000 2018 partypoker Millions Online $21,385,000 $2,329,944 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $21,375,000 $4,737,000 2019 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London $21,168,355(£17,507,500) $5,821,826(£4,815,000) 2019 partypoker Millions Online $21,090,000 $2,259,113 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo $20,400,000 $5,130,000 2021 WSOP Online co-hosted by GGPoker (International) $20,000,000 $2,543,073 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo $19,875,000 $4,410,0002026 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju$19,600,000 Nick Schulman$3,854,888 2016 WSOP Event 67 – High Roller for One Drop $19,316,565 $4,981,775 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $19,200,000 $4,610,000 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London $18,875,000 $4,185,000 2024 WSOP Super High Roller $18,675,000 $5,415,152 2020 PokerStars Sunday Million 14th Anniversary Online $18,603,200 $1,192,802 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $18,600,000 $4,789,0002018 Super High Roller Bowl China$18,550,297(HK$ 145,500,000) $4,823,077(HK$37,830,000) 2024 WSOP Paradise - Triton Million $18,200,000 $3,850,000 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $18,150,000 $4,350,000 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $18,000,000 $3,446,298 2013 WSOP Event 47 – One Drop High Roller $17,891,148 Anthony Gregg $4,830,619 2026 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $17,800,000 $3,766,000 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $17,550,000 $4,210,000 2025 WSOP Mystery Millions $17,295,520 $1,000,000 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Cyprus $17,200,000 $4,122,554 2023 WSOP Super High Roller $17,181,000 Chris Brewer $5,293,556 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju $17,100,000 $3,835,059 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo $16,875,000 $3,461,261 2017 Super High Roller Bowl III $16,800,000 $6,000,000 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London $16,200,000 $3,052,002 2025 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $16,200,000 $3,393,656 2024 WSOP Mystery Millions $16,199,920 $1,000,000 2025 WSOP Millionaire Maker $15,924,690 undefined 2026 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $15,900,000 $3,522,000 2026 WSOP Monster Stack $15,841,057 $1,302,125 2025 WSOP $250,000 Super High Roller $15,513,750 $4,752,551 2007 WPT Championship $15,495,750 $3,970,415 2013 GuangDong Asia Millions Main Event $15,376,897(HK$ 119,375,000) $4,456,885(HK$34,600,000) 2011 Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure $15,132,000 $2,300,000 2016 Super High Roller Bowl II $15,000,000 $5,000,000 2023 WSOP Paradise Main Event $15,000,000 $2,000,000
*Due to a prize splitting deal Aaron Zang received £13,779,491 ($16,775,820) for 1st, original payout for 1st was £19,000,000 ($23,100,000). Bryn Kenney received a larger cash prize of £16,775,820 ($20,563,324) for 2nd place.
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