One of online poker’s most recognizable tournaments is celebrating a major milestone this summer, with PokerStars unveiling the biggest-ever anniversary edition of the Sunday Million.
The Sunday Million Anniversary 20 features a $5 million guaranteed prize pool and introduces a phased format that gives players more opportunities than ever to qualify for the tournament’s final stages.
Running from June 28 through September 7, the event stretches across 10 weeks of daily Phase 1 flights before all surviving players return for the conclusion in early September. The tournament carries its traditional $109 buy-in, while satellites begin from as little as $0.55, making it accessible to players of almost every bankroll.
A New Format for a Poker Classic
Although the Sunday Million has experimented with different formats over the past two decades, including freezeouts, re-entries, Progressive Knockouts, and Mystery Bounties, this year’s anniversary edition is taking a different approach.
Instead of a single starting day, players can enter one of the many Phase 1 flights running throughout the summer. Anyone who bags chips advances to Phase 2, where the remaining field combines to play for the championship.
The extended schedule gives recreational players greater flexibility, allowing them to choose a starting flight that suits their calendar rather than committing to one specific weekend. Those who fall short can simply try again in another Phase 1.
More Than One Way to Qualify
PokerStars is offering multiple qualification routes into the anniversary event.
Traditional satellites begin at just $0.55, while special Spin & Go tournaments also award seats. Additional promotional pathways will be available in selected markets through seasonal challenges and leaderboard promotions.
The result is one of the widest qualification campaigns ever offered for the Sunday Million, giving thousands of players the chance to compete without paying the full buy-in.
Twenty Years of Online Poker History
Since launching in 2006, the Sunday Million has become one of the defining tournaments of online poker.
Winning the event has long been considered a career milestone, with countless professionals and recreational players using deep Sunday Million runs as the springboard to bigger opportunities.
The anniversary editions have produced some of the largest online tournament payouts ever seen.
Among the recent champions is Vanessa Kade, who won the 2021 Anniversary event for approximately $1.5 million. In 2023, Brazil’s Ricardo Nagamoto captured a $1 million first prize after navigating a field of almost 40,000 entries. The 2024 edition also awarded a seven-figure top prize, while last year’s champion emerged after a four-way deal to claim nearly $400,000.
Those results highlight why the anniversary edition remains one of the most anticipated tournaments on the online poker calendar.
Why Phased Events Appeal to Players
Phased tournaments have become increasingly popular because they remove some of the scheduling pressure associated with traditional multi-day events.
Rather than committing to one specific starting flight, players can choose when to play and, if necessary, make another attempt before the qualification period ends.
Another benefit is that surviving Phase 1 guarantees a return when Phase 2 begins, rewarding players who successfully navigate their opening flight.
With thousands of entries expected over the 10-week schedule, PokerStars is once again targeting one of the biggest online fields of the year.
Another Chapter Begins
Few online tournaments have enjoyed the longevity of the Sunday Million.
Over the past two decades it has adapted alongside the game itself while maintaining its reputation as one of poker’s most prestigious weekly events.
The 20th Anniversary edition aims to celebrate that history with its largest summer-long qualification campaign to date, a $5 million guarantee, and the chance for another player to add their name to one of online poker’s most celebrated titles.
For players chasing a life-changing score or simply hoping to become part of Sunday Million history, the road begins when the first Phase 1 flights get underway on June 28.
