The Big One for One Drop is a $1,000,000 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold 'em poker tournament hosted first in 2012, and for its first four editions, with the World Series of Poker (WSOP). It became the highest buy-in poker tournament in history as well as the largest single payout offered. The event was hosted again in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Big One returned in December 2023 and was hosted by the World Poker Tour (WPT) during the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
The event is well known for its charitable contributions, with a percentage of each player's buy-in donated to the One Drop Foundation. The One Drop Foundation is an international non-profit organization, created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, that works to ensure unconditional access to safe water and sanitation in regions facing the most extreme barriers worldwide[[1]].
History
Canadian entrepreneur Guy Laliberté started the Big One for One Drop in 2012[2] as a No-Limit Hold 'em event hosted at the World Series of Poker. The event was hosted again by WSOP in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and was hosted by the WPT at Wynn Las Vegas in 2023. Big One for One Drop buy-ins are $1,000,000 or €1,000,000.
In 2016, the Big One for One Drop Extravaganza was held in Monte Carlo. The €1,000,000 buy-in tournament was open only to recreational players. Chinese Canadian businessman Elton Tsang won the event for €11,111,111, defeating Anatoliy Gurtovoy of Russia heads up.[6][7]
In 2018, the Big One returned to the World Series of Poker.[8] in Las Vegas. 27 players entered for a total prizepool of $24,840,000. $80,000 from each buy-in was donated to the One Drop Foundation for a total donation of $2,160,000.
In 2023, One Drop entered an agreement with the World Poker Tour to host a series of events, including the Big One for One Drop. In December 2023, the fifth edition of the Big One for One Drop was held at the WPT® World Championship at the Wynn Las Vegas. Mikita Badziakouski defeated 16 opponents to win $7,114,500 and become champion of the first-ever WPT® Big One for One Drop.[9] Runner-up, Mario Mosböck, took home $4,663,950.[9] Mikita Badziakouski commented after his win: “The tournament itself is the biggest title I’ve ever had. I just got lucky in a couple big coolers.”
A smaller event, known during the WSOP partnership as the "High Roller for One Drop," (2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017), and known during the WPT partnership as "Alpha8 for One Drop" (2023), had a buy in of $111,111, of which $11,111 per player was donated to One Drop Foundation charity.[10]
In 2013, Anthony Gregg won the $111,111 buy-in High Roller event, defeating Chris Klodnicki heads up and earning $4,830,619.[11]Jonathan Duhamel (2015), Fedor Holz (2016) and Doug Polk (2017) were the subsequent winners of the High Roller for One Drop tournaments.[12][13][14]
In 2023, two Alpha8 for One Drop tournaments were held. Jonathan Jaffe won the first Alpha8 Las Vegas 45-player event winning $1,537,600.[15] Steve O’Dwyer won the Alpha8 18-player tournament in Jeju, South Korea, taking home $1,009,520.[16]
