2010 Aussie Millions Event Notification

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2010 AUSSIE MILLIONS POKER CHAMPIONSHIP

For over 10 years, Crown’s Aussie Millions Poker Championship has been the Southern Hemisphere’s undisputed poker championship, drawing record crowds, generating unprecedented prize pools and making legends one hand at a time. This year, at the 20-tournament series, the expected prize pool will reach over AUD$13 million with the action commencing on Thursday 14 January with Event Number 1. ‘Opening Event - No-Limit Holdem’ at 7:10pm in Crown’s prestigious Poker Room.
 
WHAT: 2010 Aussie Millions Poker Championship

WHEN: Thursday 14 January to Sunday 31 January, 2010

WHERE: Crown Poker Room (Crown Entertainment Complex) 

ACCREDITATION:  Media must display their Media Accreditation passes. If you have not yet completed the online application please refer to the ‘PRESS’ section of www.aussiemillions.com, or make contact with Nicole Vignone from the Crown Media Relations Department on 03 9292 8608.

VISUALS:  Famous faces expected to hit the felts throughout the 2010 Aussie Millions Poker Championship include 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Patrik Antonius, Tom Dwan, Erik Seidel, Chris Fergusen, Erick Lindgren, Mike Matusow, Eli Elezra, Greg Raymer and Annette Obrestad to name a few. Along with locals Shane Warne, Luke Hodge, Andy Lee, Zoe Badwi, Brian McFadden, Megan Gale, Grant Smilie, Michael Klim and many more! 

HISTORY: Outside of the World Series of Poker, Crown’s Aussie Millions Poker Championship is regarded by many as the best poker series in the world.

The 2010 Aussie Millions Poker Championship will include a total of 20 events, with the AUD$10,500 Main Event and the elite AUD$100,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em event as the biggest highlights.

Winning the ‘Main Event’ at Crown’s Aussie Millions makes instant stars and often instant millionaires out of those with a dream and the determination to outmanoeuvre and outlast the competition. Day 1 of the ‘Main Event’ will commence on Sunday 24 January 2010, and will be developed into a television series for international audiences. Past Aussie Millions Champions attending are Lee Nelson (2006), Gus Hansen (2007), Alexander Kostritsyn (2008) and Stewart Scott (2009) who walked away with AUD$2 million! 
LIVE REPORTING: For live, minute by minute results and updates visit www.pokernews.com

For further media information please contact:

Natasha Stipanov
Media Relations Manager - Gaming
Crown Entertainment Complex 
Telephone: +61 3 9292 7317
Email: natashas@crownmelbourne.com.au 

Ann Peacock
General Manager - Public Relations
Crown Entertainment Complex 
Telephone: +61 3 9292 7292
Email: annp@crownmelbourne.com.au

ABOUT
Crown’s Aussie Millions Poker Championship is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the Southern Hemisphere and is ranked fifth in the world. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the Aussie Millions is also poker’s longest running tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, dating back to 1998.

In 2009, the event attracted more than 2,500 entrants from a cast of nations and awarded just under AUD$10 million in prize money, as players competed for game’s most coveted trophy, the Aussie Millions ‘Main Event’ Champion.

FACTS AND FIGURES
- The Aussie Millions is held each January at Crown Casino, in Melbourne Australia
- The Aussie Millions ranks as the fifth largest poker tournament in the world by player number
- The championship includes over 20 tournaments culminating in the AUD$10,000 No Limit Holdem ‘Main Event’
- The 2010 Aussie Millions is expected to reach a prize pool of almost  AUD$15 Million with an expected first prize of AUD$2.5 million for the AUD$10,000 No Limit Holdem ‘Main Event’
- Over 2,500 individual entrants will participant in the two week series of 20 tournaments
- More than 600 international visitors are expected to attend including players from the United States, England, Ireland, South Africa, Scandinavia, Canada, Israel, Estonia, Portugal and Russia
- Huge growth in the number of Australian participants is expected, reflecting the increasing popularity of the game locally
- The Aussie Millions generated approximately 8,000 room nights across Melbourne in January 2009, including over 5,000 at Crown alone
- The 2009 Aussie Millions held the largest, cash buy in tournament ever with a $100,500 event attracting 30 players
- The AUD$10,000 No Limit Holdem ‘Main Event’ will be televised nationally and internationally
- It is expected that there will be almost 1,000 individual players in the $10,000 Buy-In No Limit Holdem ‘Main Event’

HISTORY
‘The Crown Australasian Poker Championships’ really became the first ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’ in 2003, when the event was increased to a AUD$10,000 buy-in and reached AUD$1 million in prize money. It was very well received and supported by both our local players and some well known international players as well. Since, has been re-branded to become known internationally as the ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’ and has become one of the major stops on the international circuit.

The first Aussie Millions was held in 1998 with a AUD$1,000 buy-in and AUD$74,000 prize pool and 10 international participants mainly from New Zealand. The tournament has grown to become a major event on the international poker tournament schedule.

GROWTH OF THE AUD$10,000 NO LIMIT HOLDEM ‘MAIN EVENT’:

Date Entrants ‘Main Event’ Buy-In  Prize Pool   1st Prize
1998 74 $1,100  $81,400  $25,900
1999 109 $1,500  $163,500 $38,150
2000 109 $1,500 $163,500 $65,225
2001 101 $1,500 $151,500 $53,025
2002 66 $5,000 $330,000 $150,000
2003 122 $10,500 $1.22 million $394,870
2004 133 $10,500 $1.33 million  $426,500
2005 263 $10,500 $2.63 million $1,000,000
2006 418 $10,500 $4.18 million  $1.3 million
2007 747 $10,500 $7.47 million  $1.5 million
2008 780 $10,500 $7.80 million  $1.65 million
2009 681 $10,500 $6.81 million $2 million

CROWN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
Covering 510,000 square metres (the equivalent of two city blocks), Melbourne’s premier entertainment complex is recognised as one of the largest and most diverse in the Southern Hemisphere. Crown’s integrated facilities feature Crown Casino, with 350 tables and 2500 gaming machines; Crown Towers, Crown Promenade and Crown Metropol (open mid-2010) hotels; the Palladium, which is Australia’s largest ballroom; more than 50 restaurants and bars; an extensive collection of international designer boutiques, 14 cinemas, two nightclubs, a live entertainment theatre and Crown’s Capital Golf Club.

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