The PokerStars Sunday Million is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 with a $5,000,000 guarantee, making it the operator's largest tournament of the year and one of the biggest online poker events on the entire calendar. For a $109 buy-in, players get a shot at a share of an eight-figure prize pool in the tournament that arguably did more than any other to define online poker's golden era. This year's edition also breaks new ground structurally, using a phased format for the first time to give players unprecedented flexibility in how they qualify for the finale.
Two Decades of the Sunday Million
When the Sunday Million launched two decades ago, the idea of a weekly online tournament handing out a million dollars in guarantees felt almost fantastical. It quickly became the beating heart of the online poker week — the event that recreational players circled every Sunday and that professionals treated as a marquee target. Over 20 years it has minted countless life-changing scores and become shorthand for the accessibility that made online poker a global phenomenon: a modest buy-in, a massive field, and a genuine shot at a fortune.
The 20th anniversary edition honors that legacy by supersizing the guarantee to $5 million. For context, that makes this single tournament one of the largest online poker events of 2026, and it sits alongside the 25th anniversary WCOOP as a centerpiece of PokerStars' milestone-heavy year. The symbolism is deliberate: the Sunday Million is being celebrated not as a relic but as a living institution still capable of drawing enormous fields.
A Phased Format for the First Time
The most significant change for the anniversary is structural. For the first time, the Sunday Million anniversary is using a phased format, with Phase 1 flights running daily from June 28 through September 6. Players can enter as many Phase 1 flights as they like and keep firing until they bag a stack that carries them through to Phase 2. The Phase 2 finale takes place on September 6, with the tournament playing down to crown its champion on September 7.
This phased structure is a meaningful upgrade for players. Traditional one-day online majors force everyone into a single starting flight at a fixed time, which is inconvenient for anyone in the wrong time zone or with a busy schedule. Phased events remove that friction entirely: you play a Phase 1 whenever suits you, and if you bust, you simply try again another day. It democratizes access to the finale and rewards persistence, because a player who fires multiple Phase 1s dramatically increases the odds of reaching Day 2 with chips.
The anniversary edition is also running as a Progressive Knockout event, adding a bounty element on top of the standard prize pool. That format tends to encourage action and gives skilled players an extra edge, since correctly valuing bounties — knowing when to gamble to collect a knockout and when to preserve your stack — is a genuine skill. For players still getting comfortable with the math of these spots, our what is ICM explainer and broader poker strategy guides cover the decision-making that separates winners from the pack in big-field events.
Getting In the Cheap Way
PokerStars is leaning hard into accessibility for the anniversary. The operator is giving away $800,000 in entry tickets via its Ticket Machine promotion, meaning a substantial number of the finalists will have reached the $5 million tournament for little or no direct cost. Daily $109 heats run right up until Phase 2 begins on September 6, giving players a long window to grind or satellite their way in.
This ticket-giveaway approach is smart ecosystem design. By seeding the field with recreational players who qualified cheaply, PokerStars keeps the tournament welcoming and beatable rather than turning it into a shark tank of professionals. For value-conscious players, it is a reminder that the smartest way into a major is rarely a direct buy-in — satellites and promotions can turn a few dollars into a seat at a five-million-dollar table. Our tournaments hub tracks these kinds of high-value qualifying opportunities across the online landscape.
Why the Sunday Million Still Matters
In an era of ever-larger guarantees and an increasingly crowded online series calendar, it would be easy to assume a 20-year-old weekly tournament might feel dated. The opposite is true. The Sunday Million endures precisely because its formula is timeless: an affordable buy-in, a huge and beatable field, and a prize pool large enough to change a life. Those are the same ingredients driving growth across recreational-friendly online poker, and they explain why the event remains a fixture two decades on.
For players weighing where to invest their time, the Sunday Million is a case study in the appeal of large-field tournaments over other formats. The trade-off, of course, is variance — surviving thousands of opponents requires running well over many hours — which is exactly why the cash games vs tournaments debate matters when you are planning your poker week. Tournaments like this one offer enormous upside for a small, fixed risk; cash games offer steadier, more controllable returns. Knowing which suits your temperament and bankroll is half the battle.
What This Means for Players
The 20th anniversary Sunday Million is a rare combination of history, value, and opportunity. A $5 million guarantee for a $109 buy-in, a flexible phased format that lets you qualify on your own schedule, a progressive-bounty structure, and $800,000 in free tickets add up to one of the best value propositions in online poker this year. Whether you are a longtime grinder chasing a milestone title or a recreational player looking for one big shot, the anniversary Sunday Million is worth targeting. Take advantage of the extended Phase 1 window, fire multiple flights if your bankroll allows, and give yourself the maximum number of chances to be there for the September 7 finale. Two decades in, the Sunday Million is still the ultimate weekly dream — and this year the dream is bigger than ever. Compare the top rooms and their weekly majors in our real money poker rankings to build the best online schedule for your game.