PRESS RELEASE: 2026 APL Million Poker Series Returns to the Gold Coast with Over $7.5 Million in Event Guarantees
Building on a record-breaking 2025 series, Australia’s largest Poker series returns to Southport Sharks for 18 days — headlined by a $3 Million guaranteed Main Event.
The Australian Poker League (APL) has today announced the return of the APL Million, the country’s largest live poker series, to its’ home at Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast from 14 to 31 August 2026.
The 2026 series will feature more than $7.5 Million in Event guarantees across 100 events — 55 of them fully dealer-dealt — with buy-ins ranging from $80 to $5,000. The schedule is headlined by the $3,000,000 guaranteed Main Event ($1,500 buy-in), with ten flights running across the 18 days, including a turbo flight on the closing weekend.
Following a Record-Breaking 2025
The 2026 announcement follows a 2025 series that rewrote the Australian poker record books. Across 18 days and 91 events at Southport Sharks, the 2025 APL Million generated a record $15.7 million in total prize pool money, with the Main Event alone attracting 3,375 entries for a $4,387,500 prize pool — the largest tournament ever staged in Australia. Brazilian poker professional Higor Seibel claimed the title and a $738,920 first prize, taking his place in APL Million history alongside 2024 champion Amin Riyazati.
For 2026, APL has lifted the headline guarantees again, with the Main Event guarantee increasing from $2 million to $3 Million — a 50% year-on-year jump — and a stacked High Roller calendar unmatched in the Australian poker landscape:
• $1,000,000 GTD Jackstar Super High Roller — $1,500 buy-in
• $1,000,000 GTD Centurion — $2,500 buy-in, the deepest structure of the series
• $750,000 GTD $5K High Roller Shot Clock Challenge
• $300,000 GTD Opening Event – $1,150 buy-in
• $150,000 GTD High Roller PLO — $2,500 buy-in
• $100,000 GTD Monster Freeze — $1,200 buy-in – new for 2026
Returning for 2026 is the $100,000 Player of the Series — fully funded by APL, with no deductions from any Tournament’s prize pool. The $100,000 Player of the Series is separated into three distinct prize pools: $70,000 prize pool for top 5 highest performers in events priced $600 and above; $20,000 prize pool for top 5 in the $250-599 buy-in bracket while players participating in events priced under $249 compete for a $10,000 POTS prize pool – all in addition to the massive prize pools these Events will organically generate.
Every major event will be live streamed by the APL Media team, led by Chris Wadih, bringing the action to poker fans across Australia and internationally.
Joel Williams, Head of Poker, Australian Poker League says: “Rather than using endless superlatives to describe this year’s APL Million schedule for August at Southport Sharks, let’s just concentrate on facts. 100 Events. 55 Dealer dealt events. Over $7.5Million in Event guarantees including a $3Million guaranteed Main Event prize pool. Two other Events with $1Million guarantees. Every price point and game variant imaginable from $80-$5,000 with almost all Events eligible for a piece of the $100,000 Player of the Series 3-tiered prize pool (again completely funded by APL). There has never been (and will never be) another Poker offering like this in Australia. This Main Event has (twice) been the largest Event ever staged in Australia. What more can you say? There is only one APL Million…”
The series is hosted at Southport Sharks, the Gold Coast’s premier sport, leisure and entertainment destination. The venue offers world-class facilities including multiple dining options, on-site accommodation at the Mantra at Sharks— making it one of the most player-friendly tournament venues in the country.
The full 100-event schedule, registration details, and accommodation booking are available here –
ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN POKER LEAGUE
The Australian Poker League (APL) is the largest poker league in Australia, hosting live tournament series at venues across the country. Founded to grow and support the Australian poker community, APL runs the country’s premier major event — the APL Million — alongside year-round league and championship poker at partner venues nationally. The 2025 APL Million Main Event ($4.39M prize pool) is the largest live tournament ever staged in Australia.
