The 2006 Crown Australian Poker Championship officially began this Friday. The third edition of the Championship, better known as the "Aussie Millions", offers a plethora of Limit, Pot Limit and No Holdem events, as well as a couple of Omaha tournaments, and a unique Speed Poker tourney. The $5 million main event starts January 15. It's is a No Limit Texas Holdem tournament with a buy-in of $10,000+$500. It will be filmed by Fox Sports and broadcast in March 2006.
The
Aussie Millions is hosted by Australia's premier casino, the Crown
Hotel and Casino, located on the southern bank of Melbourne's Yarra
River. The Crown Entertainment complex spans 500,000 square meters,
and besides the world renowned casino features two world class hotels,
the Crown Towers and the Crown Promenade Hotel. Under the same roof
you will also find more than 40 restaurants, 30 bars and the Club
Odeon and Mercury Lounge night clubs.
In just a few years the Aussie Millions has evolved into one of the biggest poker tournaments worldwide. The No Limit Holdem main event has an estimated prize pool of $5 million dollars, with a first prize of over $1 million USD. Around 500 players are expected to cough up the $10,000+$500 buy in to compete for the $1 million first prize. Overall the tourney more than doubled up from last year, both in terms of prize money and players participating.
Australia's own Joe Hachem, the winner of the 2005 World Series of Poker, will compete in the main event, which starts on January 15 and lasts until January 17. The Australian Tax Office decided Joe didn't have to pay taxes on his $10 million WSoP winnings because he derived the income from a "hobby", but if Hachem wins this time we're sure they'll know where to find him.