The biggest buy-in event in poker history was designed to be different than any other big buy-in event ever. The 2016 Big One for One Drop had a buy-in of €1,000,000 ($1.1 million US) and for the first time in the history of the event, no pros allowed, just rich businessmen who play the game as a hobby.

Elton Tsang outlasted 26 other players – some who entered more than once – to win €11,111,111 ($12,189,918 US) and a special edition WSOP bracelet. Tsang, who has had some success in super high roller events in Asia over the years, beat out a final table that included Brandon Steven, Rick Salomon, James Bord, Haralabos Voulgaris and Andrew Pantling to win the third largest first place payout in poker history, behind only the first two version of the Big One for One Drop.

“I was feeling good, feeling comfortable, getting cards, my bluffs were working, getting a good read on the table,” said Tsang. “It was just going my way. It was going good.”

Tsang came into the final table with the third biggest stack, trailing only Pantling and Salomon. On the second hand of the night however, Tsang took the chip lead for himself after taking a big pot from Pantling. Voulgaris and Steven were both eliminated outside of an in-the-money finish before Tsang went back to work building his stack and eliminating his opponents.

From the hijack, Tsang rasied to 1,300,000 and Pantling moved all in from the big blind. Tsang called and tabled and found himself ahead of Pantling’s . The flop wasn’t a great one for Pantling but he did improve on the turn, picking up a straight draw when the hit. The river was no help and Pantling, one of two players to enter this event twice, was eliminated in sixth place. The €1,500,000 payout however, wasn’t enough to cover his buy-ins.

Tsang picked up the next elimination just 20 hands later. Bord raised to 1,500,000 from UTG, Tsang put in a button-raise to 4,000,000 and Katz called off his final 2,125,000 from the small blind. Bord folded, leaving Tsang heads-up against Katz. Katz, who is a super high roller regular in Las Vegas, turned over while Tsang showed . The flop gave Tsang the lead and neither the turn or river were any relief and he was out in fifth place.

Just 25 hands later Anatoly Gurtovoy raised to 2,000,000 from UTG, Tsang called from the button as did Bord, from the big blind. The flop came and Gurtovoy fired 3,000,000 into the middle, Tsang folded and Bord moved all in for 12,000,000. Gurtovoy called and tabled for top pair, top kicker while Bond flipped over for top pair, worse kicker. The turn was the and the river was the to send Bord, 2010 WSOP Europe Main Event champion, was sent home in fourth place.

Rick Salomon, who finished fourth at the 2014 Big One for One Drop in Las Vegas, was the next to go. Tsang opened to 2,600,000 from the button, Salomon moved all in fro 15,600,000 and Gurtovoy called, forcing Tsang to fold. Salomon got the bad news when he turned up only to find out Gurtovoy had . The flop put Salomon ahead, but the turn changed all of that and when the river was the the former husband of Pamela Anderson was out in third place.

When heads-up play began, Tsang had a 2-1 chip lead over Gurtovoy. It took 45 hands of one-on-one play for Tsang to finish the job. Gurtovoy opened to 3,200,000 and Tsang called. The flop was and both players checked. The turn got a check from Tsang before Gurtovoy bet 3,000,000. Tsang raised to 9,000,000 and Gurtovoy moved all in. Tsang called and flipped over for a six-high straight while Gurtovoy showed for a lower straight. The river changed nothing, giving Tsang the final pot of the night and the third Big One for One Drop title.

The Monte Carlo event drew 26 players with just two players, tournament founder Guy Laliberte and the previously mentioned Pantling, taking advantage of the unlimited re-entry.

Payouts

1. Elton Tsang – €11,111,111
2. Anatoly Gurtovoy – €5,427,781
3. Rick Salomon – €3,000,000
4. James Bord – €2,100,000
5. Cary Katz – €1,750,000
6. Andrew Pantling – €1,500,000