The 2026 Aussie Millions Main Event returned with a thunderous clap on Monday, with exactly 200 players taking their seat for the first of three Day 1 flights to obliterate even the most ambitious of expectations.
To put the Day 1A result into context, the last time the Aussie Millions was held in 2020, there were just a little over 150 players on Day 1A but that was enough to see a total field of 820 players by the time all three flights were run and done – just two players shy of the all-time record.
Will we see the record come under fire in 2026?
Monday’s field saw plenty of big names get in early for their shot at glory, among them Australia’s 2005 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Hachem and defending WSOP champ Michael Mizrachi. While Mizrachi was an early casualty, Hachem made it through with a healthy stack of 140,000 – well above the average stack of 85,106 when the day’s play ended.
NBA star Josh Giddey was also front and centre on Day 1A, having the honour of calling “Shuffle up and deal” and impressing along the way as he bagged 160,000. Other notables to progress included Ash Gupta (195,000), Nelson Dong (176,300), WSOP bracelet winner Malcolm Trayner (147,500), former Aussie Millions champ Tyron Krost (140,000), Jackson Warne (139,500) and WPT Australia champ Alan Pham (91,800).
A total of 141 players made it through the day’s play, all of whom will now enjoy two days off before returning on Thursday for Day 2.
Thomas McMahon stands out as the chip leader from Day 1A with a stack of 329,000.
High Rollin’
Monday also saw Day 2 of the $25K Challenge play out, with just nine players left standing by the time the chips were bagged and tagged.
Japan’s Kei Tanaka will take the chip lead into today’s final table, kicking off from 2:10pm, after soaring highest during the final stages of play, although there is a wealth of talent eyeing the massive $652,670 first prize alongside him including Andy Lee, Matthew Wakeman, Joe Sandaev and Michael Egan.
| Seat | Player | Chips |
| 1 | Michael Egan | 3,650,000 |
| 2 | Hieu Nguyen | 1,260,00 |
| 3 | Matthew Wakeman | 3,950,000 |
| 4 | Joe Sandaev | 2,300,000 |
| 5 | Andy Lee | 4,160,000 |
| 6 | Aaron Li | 2,080,000 |
| 7 | Josh Hutchins | 1,850,000 |
| 8 | Kei Tanaka | 8,450,000 |
| 9 | Luke Martinelli | 1,705,000 |
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