Sydney-based high stakes crusher Hun Wei Lee, better known as Andy, has taken down the $25K Challenge at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship Presented by CrownBet, securing a massive $652,670 payday after a dominant final table performance.
Despite facing some of the best talent on the local poker scene – including Michael Egan, Joe Sandaev, Matthew Wakeman and Luke Martinelli – Lee showed his class by taking an early chip lead and barely relinquishing it before finishing the job off in rapid time once play reached four-handed.
With an impressive field of 98 starters in the $25K Challenge, this was Lee’s largest live score – comfortably surpassing the $270,000 he secured for winning the Star Poker Summer Series Main Event in 2011. It was also his first live tournament victory taking down the Australian Poker Tour’s $15K TLPT Main Event in September 2024.
Speaking with PokerMedia Australia shortly after lifting the trophy, Lee said, he was “very relieved” to take the win.
“Right before I came out from my house, my wife goes, ‘it’s been a while, go win something. So, as any married man would tell you, life is a lot easier when you just do what your wife tells you! So, I’m happy that I finally got a trophy.”
On his final table performance, Lee added, “Obviously the cards fell my way and I was lucky enough to get out to a big chip lead. From there I could apply a lot of ICM pressure. I don’t know if I played to the best of my ability, but I tried.”
One moment midway through the day’s play encapsulated Lee’s class and sent a message to his tablemates that he was not a man to be messed.
After Michael Egan opened with 3♠4♠, Lee first flatted with 7♦9♦ and then proceeded to call down all three streets, including a hefty river bet, as Egan triple-barreled on the 5♠A♠7♥8♣K♦ board.
“In that hand, I don’t think Michael’s value betting too lightly,” Lee recounted. “So, he’s value betting all his two pairs but I feel like, because of the ICM and the way all the chips are, I don’t think he’ll be value betting too lightly. So, obviously, he’s got value in his range but there’s also a lot of missed draws that could be in his range as well. And considering that I don’t block any spades, I don’t block the flush draw, and I thought I was getting the right price, I made a call. Thankfully I was right
“That hand did make a huge difference because momentum was on my side and I had a big chip lead after that. The rest is history.”
While Lee is no stranger to the local high stakes scene – albeit typically as a PLO cash game specialist – he now joins a special group of players to have won an Aussie Millions trophy.
“I’m very happy,” he continued. “A $25K event in Australia, we don’t usually get this kind of prize. To have such a big field and to be able to win it is an unbelievable thing. So, I’m really glad. It’s awesome.”
AUSSIE MILLIONS POKER CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY CROWNBET
$25K Challenge Final Table Placings:
| Position | Player | Prize (AU$) |
| 1st | Andy Lee | $652,670 |
| 2nd | Josh Hutchins | $405,720 |
| 3rd | Aaron Li | $264,600 |
| 4th | Joe Sandaev | $209,330 |
| 5th | Michael Egan | $162,290 |
| 6th | Matthew Wakeman | $132,890 |
| 7th | Kei Tanaka | $111,720 |
| 8th | Luke Martinelli | $92,905 |
| 9th | Hieu Nguyen | $75,265 |
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