One Drop Poker Tournament 2012: The Million Dollar Event

The One Drop poker tournament, held in 2012, was a significant event in the poker world. The tournament featured 48 players who each paid $1 million to participate. This unprecedented entry fee made it one of the most exclusive and high-stakes tournaments in poker history.

The One Drop tournament was broadcast live on ESPN and contributed to a 17% increase in WSOP-2012 ratings compared to 2011. The tournament's popularity and the charity component helped boost the image of poker. 11.11% of the tournament entry fee went to the One Drop Foundation, founded by billionaire Guy Laliberté, raising nearly $5.5 million. Additionally, Laliberté himself donated his $1.834 million prize for 5th place, bringing the total raised to $7.28 million.

Notable players included Phil Galfond, Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, and Daniel Negreanu. Russian players Mikhail Smirnov and Ilya Bulychev also participated. Michael Mizrachi sold stakes in the tournament totaling $900,000 in just four days. Mikhail Smirnov made a notable fold in the tournament, discussing the move on various poker forums. Ilya Bulychev became the most expensive bubble boy in poker history. The final table included five representatives from the USA, one from Canada, one from the UK, and one from Macau. The final heads-up match was between Antonio Esfandiari and Sam Trickett.