In 2023, Asia transformed into a thriving hub for poker festivals, offering players a multitude of options every month. Despite numerous festivals overlapping, players flocked in, resulting in record-breaking attendance at various events. By the end of the year, at least ten festivals had amassed Main Event seven figure USD prize pools, and that number didn’t even include mainland China events.
This year, the trend has continued. In January, starting with U Series of Poker (USOP), the brand’s season opener in Taipei City, Taiwan saw a 1,100 Main Event turnout and a prize pool of NTD 32,010,000, equivalent to USD 1,030,500. This was the brand’s third consecutive seven figure pot following USOP Hanoi – VN₫ 29,158,200,000 (~USD 1,212,000) and USOP Da Nang – VN₫ 34,810,800,000 (~$1,434,020).
Towards the end of January was the WPT Cambodia Championship, the first World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Tour in Southeast Asia. Players from around the world converged for the inaugural event resulting in 51 nations represented. The USD 3,500 buy in drew an impressive 760 entries for a WPT Asia record prize pool of USD 2,432,760. This was the fourth time in history the brand had paid out seven figures in Asia.
In early-February, Poker Dream added its own chapter to the seven figure story. Running its 8th edition in Malaysia – its most popular stop, the Main Event’s unique format attracted 2,219 entries for a prize pool of RM 5,733,896 (~USD 1,215,450). This was a new record for the brand having come close to eclipsing a million back in August last year.
In the imminent future, the prestigious tournaments boasting prize pools surpassing seven figures are gearing up to make their grand entrance in the coming months. The Ace Poker League (APL) in South Korea, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) in Taipei, and the U Series Of Poker (USOP) in Da Nang, Vietnam, are all poised to captivate enthusiasts. The opportunity for athletes to ascend to the realm of million-dollar fortunes is abundant and eagerly anticipated in the near horizon.
