Crown Casino have announced an exciting partnership with the worlds largest poker brand, the World Series Of Poker. Set to take place at Crown Casino in Melbourne from April 4-15 2013, the World Series of poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC) is a natural extension in the worlds largest gaming market.

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said, “Our goal is to establish the worldwide grand slam of poker and use our platform to elevate the game through a series of major championships,”

“With WSOP Las Vegas growing annually and WSOP Europe poised for long-term success after five years, the time is right to turn our attention to the dynamic poker scene in Asia and Australia. Given Crown’s success with the ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’, we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Crown to establish the Asia-Pacific’s definitive poker festival.”

Crown Casino in Melbourne already plays host to the worlds largest tournament series outside of the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas with the Aussie Millions series each January attracting the worlds premier players. Crown Melbourne's CEO Greg Hawkins said, “This exciting partnership brings together two industry leaders, and two strong brands, to create a premier poker event in this region,”

“Our agreement firmly aligns with our objective of attracting the very best local and international players, all vying for a coveted WSOP bracelet. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Aussie Millions and look forward to featuring WSOP Asia Pacific on our poker calendar in April 2013.”

The WSOP brand is one of the worlds most iconic and every poker player in the world dreams of someday being the proud owner of coveted WSOP Bracelet. The WSOP brand is 42-years old and in 2007 it expanded beyond the USA with the launch of the WSOP Europe in London (2007-2010) and subsequently into France (2011). The WSOP APAC is set to tap into the tremendous growth of peer-2-peer gaming in this region.

As part of the agreement with the WSOP, the WSOP APAC events are expected to be televised globally across ESPN.

One person who is no stranger to ESPN and the WSOP is Aussie local hero, Joe Hachem. In 2005 Joe won the most prestigious poker event in the world, the World Series Of Poker Main Event.

“It’s thrilling to think the World Series of Poker is coming to Australian soil,” said Joe Hachem. “I know first-hand what a life-changing moment winning the WSOP gold bracelet was and how it served as a catalyst for the growth of poker in Australia and Asia. It will be a dream come true to host a worldwide poker event such as this at Crown. I can’t wait.”

The full WSOP APAC schedule is set to be released later this year.

After almost a week of poker action, Melbourne local Oliver Speidel has won the most prestigious poker tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, the 2012 $10,600 Buy-In Aussie Millions Main Event.

Speidel has had an incredible Aussie Millions series and yesterday's win is the icing on the cake that all poker players dream of. Last year was the first time the event was won by a local player, and Speidel will certainly be partying over the coming days in celebration of his monumental victory.

This year's Aussie MIllions saw 659 players stump up the $10,600 buy-in needed to take your seat creating a massive $6,590,000 prize pool, the largest for any sporting event in the country.

As if winning the Aussie Millions wasn't cool enough, Speidel did it in the ultimate fashion when his final winning hand was nothing other than two black aces, A♣ A♠.

Oliver even managed to fulfil the wish of the i2i Poker TV Director(Rob Huxley), when he won he dove onto the table and washed himself in cold hard cash, the finish was certainly worthy of a monumental victory and a special moment for the young local player.

In what can only be described as surgical poker, Phil Ivey has once again put the poker world on notice cementing his title as the greatest poker player of the modern era after winning the largest buy-in poker tournament in the world, the $250,000 Buy-in Super High Roller Event at Crown Casino, event 20 of the Aussie Millions.

Last year was the first time the $250K Challenge was ran, and the event drew an incredible 20 players to the table creating history for Crown Casino and the Aussie Millions. Crown's Executive Manager of Table Games Sean McCreery is credited with the concept of the $250K challenge and said that the idea for the super high-stakes game is part of a plan by the casino to make Australia one the foremost destinations for poker players in the world.

"If you think about it, some of these players have to fly 40 hours just to be in the tournament," he said.

"We try to create a whole experience for them here at Crown. Some of the players have told me this is their favourite event of the season."

This years Super High Rollers Event saw 16 of the worlds top players combined with some of the worlds richest businessmen take their seats to compete for the $4,000,000 prize pool. Phil Ivey was having a very nice run in the Aussie Millions Main event leading up to the Super High Rollers, and his presence in the Main Event even prompted the Aussie Millions Organisers to move the Super High Rollers Event on the official schedule to accommodate the super star.  Phil's run in the Aussie Millions Main Event ended when he finished in 12th place collecting $100,000 for his efforts.

Saturday was shaping up to be a long day for Phil however, as after his bust out from the Aussie Millions Main Event, he walked up to Studio 3 and entered the richest buy-in poker tournament in the world, the $250,000 buy-in Super High Rollers Event.

When the tournament came down to the final four players, the top 4 tournament players in the world were seated together ready to burst the biggest bubble in modern poker. 4th place was set to walk away with $0 while 3rd would pocket a whopping $800,000. The final four players consisted of Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey.

During four handed play, Daniel made the following comment to Gus, "Wouldn't it be sick if you bubble this event as well?"

Daniel was referencing the $100K buy-in event that took place only a few days earlier where Gus was unfortunate enough to be the bubble boy of that tournament.

As the poker gods had it however, Daniel would soon "Eat Some Of That" and he was the first player to make an error four handed when he made a bad read on Patrik and came over the top of Patrik's pre-flop raise holding only a measly A♠ 8♦ against the monster of J♣ J♦ that Patrik was holding.

Once Daniel became the Bubble boy, Phil Ivey put on a poker clinic against two of the worlds best tournament players and was soon crowned the latest $250K Super High Roller Champion.

When play arrived heads up, Phil Ivey ushered what is set to be quite possibly the greatest comment of this year's Aussie Millions.

Ivey looked at Antonius and said, "You want to make a deal?"

Keeping in mind that there was $2,000,000 for the winner with $1,200,000 going to second place. Phil Ivey had just busted out of the Aussie Millions Main Event 18 hours earlier, sat down with the best players in the world for the biggest buy-in in the world, made it heads up where he was guaranteed at least $1.2 Million, and he says, "I want to play for it all!!!!"

Phil Ivey - We salute you

The 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event is well and truly underway, with the total number of players sitting at 654 for the three day 1 flights. This number is set to increase thank's to a Crown incentive program that they have introduced for this year's event at the last minute. Crown are allowing anyone who played in the main event to sit down today with 40% of the average stack for a further $10,600. This will certainly increase the number of players in the field to somewhere in the realm of 700+, and the move was made on the basis that Chinese New Year has hampered the travel plans of many of the top Asian pro players - Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Moving forward into day 2 are some big names, but none bigger than the cupcake destroying man himself, Phil Ivey. Ivey managed to bag up 184,000 in chips after eating 17 cupcakes by the end of play. On one of the last hands of the day, Australian cricket sensation and 888 Poker representative Shane Warne (Also and avid Cupcake lover himself) clashed with Phil Ivey in one of the biggest pots of the day.

On a flop of A♥ Q♥ J♥ there were three players, Phil Ivey, George Moussa and Shane Warne. After a raise war that saw both Ivey and Warne finally get all their chips and cup cakes into the middle, both players turned over their cards.

Phil Ivey 6♥ 8♥ 66%

Shane Warne A♦ A♣ 34%

Warnie was behind and needed help to catch up. The turn would drop

TURN

A♥ Q♥ J♥ 3♦

Now Ivey was an even bigger favourite to win the hand.

Phil Ivey 6♥ 8♥ 77%

Shane Warne A♦ A♣ 23%

The river flowed down with

RIVER

A♥ Q♥ J♥ 3♦ 5♥

And with that Shane Warne was left with just 300 chips. If he had have won that hand, he would be sitting with around 170K in chips, well and truly above average stack and a big chance to go very deep in the biggest and best tournament in Australia. This year around however, he will have to be content with Liz Hurley and twenty 20 cricket.

For all those seeking to find their seat draw for the 2012 Aussie Millions, here they are along with the chip counts for day 2.

American music blogger Sandeep Pulusani has won Event 3 $1,100 NLH Shootout at the 2012 Aussie Millions collecting $37,500 for his efforts.

Pulusani is a veritable legend in the music world and is the music blogger behind the website Vibe Addict. Pulusani's has enjoyed moderate success in poker with his biggest cash to date being $13,020 at the 2011 WSOP where he finished 34th in the $1,500 NLH event. This win represents the first major title for the American and it is safe to say that we haven't seen the last of him in the poker world.

Local fan favourite Jackie Glazier was poised to take down her first Aussie Millions title however an ice cold deck would send the local female pro to the rail in a disappointing 6th place finish. Glazier had a horrendous run of luck when her Pocket Aces were taken down by Ace-Jack and her Ace-King was beaten by Ace-Seven sending her to the rail.

In the end, it was the final table chip leader and previous Aussie Millions Championship Ring bearer Oliver Speidel who would go head to head with Sandeep for the title. Unfortunately for Speidel there was no repeat Championship for him as Pulusani would eventually walk away with the title and the glory of being the Aussie Millions Event 3 Champion.

The 2012 Aussie Millions is now in full swing with two championship rings having already been awarded in the past few days. Today will see yet another Aussie Millions Championship ring awarded as play at the final table of event 3 $1,100 NLH Shootout concludes at midday inside the Crown Poker Room.

Leading the charge at today's final table will be Oliver Speidel who carries to the table the chip lead and enough experience to take down the title. Last year Speidel won a Championship ring at the 2011 Aussie Millions in the $1,100 NLH event, and to make things even more interesting he is joined by Englishman Mark Segal who has also experienced the thrill of winning an Aussie Millions Championship event taking down the $1,100 NLH event in 2010. Mark comes to the table relatively short in chips, but what he lacks in chips he no doubt makes up for in experience.

Without doubt though, all eyes will be on local favourite and female poker sensation, Jackie Glazier who comes to the final table third in chips and looming for a major title. Jackie burst onto the poker scene in early 2010 when she made a deep run in the worlds most prestigious poker event, the $10,000 buy-in World Series Of Poker. Jackie will be railed by a large crowd today hoping she can cement her position in the poker world as one of the best players on the tour.

American online superstar Dan 'djk123' Kelly has taken down the 2nd event at this year's Aussie Millions, the $1,100 Buy-in Pot Limit Omaha.

While it's widely known that No Limit holdem is the most popular card game in the world, Pot Limit Omaha is game for those seeking to play cash games at a high level. Pot Limit Omaha (Widely knows as PLO) is generally the one game that garners the largest pots, the biggest action, and without doubt the biggest names in the game. Even though the majority of the international super stars of the poker world are yet to arrive, there is still a very strong contingent of internationals here early to play out the Aussie Millions Series. Players such as Richard Ashby, Tony Bloom, JP Kelly, Vitaly Lunkin and Sam Holden are all here soaking up the Australian sun as well as taking in the early events on offer in the series.

Because Pot Limit Omaha is such as specialised game, the fields are generally smaller, but there is no question that the level of skill of the players in the fields are generally of the highest calibre. The 2nd event on the Aussie Millions calendar saw 129 players take their seats generating a prize pool of $129,000 with $33,400 up top for the eventual winner.

While the American Kelly may have succeeded in taking down the title of the 2nd Aussie Millions event and the gold ring, there were several high profile Australian Omaha specialists at the final table vying for the title including Billy 'The Croc' Argyros, Van Marcus and ANZPT Melbourne Champion Martin Kozlov.

It was Kozlov that eventually managed to find his way into the heads up battle with the American, however in the end the yanks were simply too good on the day.

Aussie Millions Event 2 $1,100 Pot Limit Omaha Results

• 1^st – Dan Kelly $33,400
• 2^nd – Martin Kozlov $25,000
• 3^rd – Van Marcus $18,050
• 4^th – Charles Cuschieri $14,270
• 5^th – Geoffrey Smith $10,800
• 6^th – McLean Karr $8,250
• 7^th – Michael Guzzardi $6,100
• 8^th – Billy Argyros $4,190

Qualify online for the Aussie Millions Main Event tonight via online poker site PokerStars. Tonight (10pm AEDT) and next Wednesday are your last two chance to qualify online for the Main Event at this years Aussie Millions, and with online satellites running all day and all week, there isn't a better way to get your seat at the big dance than by qualifying online via Pokerstars.

The Aussie Millions qualifier tournament is a $530 buy-in that guarantees one seat into the main event and $1,000 cash for every $11,971.00 in the prize pool. The Aussie MIllions tournament series officially kicks off tomorrow with the opening event, and numbers are set to break all records at this years event.

The 2012 Aussie Millions marks the 10th anniversary of Australia's biggest tournament series, and with Chinese New Year coinciding with the series, the number of high rollers and action players is set to break all previous records. "Gong Hey Fat Choy"

If you still don't have an account online at Pokerstars, fear not as you can down load the world leading software for free from our exclusive Pokerstars Review page.

POKERSTARS REVIEW

To locate the events, simple open the Pokerstars lobby and click, 'Events' and 'Special'.

Feeder satellites for tonights Aussie Millions Main Event Qualifier start from as little $4.40, so what are you waiting for, this year's Aussie Millions Main Event could have your name on it along with the estimated $2 Million dollar first place payout.