Sunday Million Season Returns with $6M Anniversary and $400K in Tickets

A Celebration of Poker’s Most Iconic Online Tournament

Since its launch in 2006, the Sunday Million has been something of a gold standard for weekly online poker tournaments. Over the years, it has paid out a staggering $1.4 billion in prizes, turning everyday grinders into poker legends. Now, PokerStars is celebrating its legacy with another Sunday Million Season, running from this Sunday, February 23 to April 8, 2025.

The schedule features a mix of tournaments with buy-ins from $3.30 to $1,050, including Mystery Bounties, Phased formats, and a few milestone anniversary events. The action culminates in the $215 buy-in Sunday Million Anniversary on April 6, boasting a $6 million guaranteed prize pool.

So, How Does This Sunday Million Season Work?

Each Sunday Million Season event awards leaderboard points, with double points for key episodes and triple points for the Anniversary tournament. Players who finish at the top of the leaderboard will win a share of $100,000 in SCOOP tickets.

Beyond leaderboard glory, PokerStars is giving away $300,000 in Sunday Million Anniversary tickets through its Sunday Million Ticket Machine. Players who opt in and play a tournament each week will automatically earn entries into the raffle. The more tournaments played, the higher the chance of securing a ticket.

In addition, players participating in at least one event per week will automatically qualify for leaderboard points, ensuring even casual players have a shot at additional prizes.

The Key Events and Some More Themed Episodes

The series includes several marquee tournaments, each with a unique twist. Here are the major events players should have on their radar:

*Each of these tournaments awards leaderboard points, and winners of key events will also receive a trophy and an exclusive hoodie.

Sunday Million Anniversary – The (Now) $6M Showdown

As you saw from the table, the season’s grand finale is the Sunday Million Anniversary on April 6. This three-day event offers a massive $6 million guarantee, with a $215 buy-in. Late registration will remain open until April 7 at 13:20 ET, and players will be able to enter up to five times.

Feeling the anniversary jitters no doubt, PokerStars is making qualification easier than ever, offering multiple routes, including:

• Daily Freerolls — awarding direct entry tickets
• Spin & Go satellites — starting at $4, where players can win $215 seats instantly
• Traditional satellites — from $2.20, allowing gradual step-ups into the Anniversary event
• Power Path tickets — a free promotion where players receive a $0.50 Power Path ticket every day
• Knocking out PokerStars Ambassadors — in select tournaments, rewarding eliminators with a $215 ticket

For players who secure multiple tickets, re-entries are available throughout the registration period, giving them extra chances to chase the life-changing payouts.

New Format: The First-Ever Phased Sunday Million

By now you’ve probably heard that one of the standout features this year is the introduction of the Phased Sunday Million, which kicks off the Sunday Million Season. Phase 1s began on February 16 and run daily, leading up to the final Last Chance Phase 1 on February 23 at 1:00 pm ET. Players who advance from Phase 1 will continue to Phase 2 on February 23, playing for their share of $1 million.

This Phased format allows players to qualify over multiple days, giving everything greater flexibility than the traditional one-day Sunday Million structure. The Last Chance Phase 1 will have its own unique structure, ending three hours earlier than usual, thus making sure players have time to prepare for the final showdown in Phase 2.

Merch, Bounties, and Special Prizes

Beyond prize pools and leaderboard rewards, the Sunday Million Season comes with exclusive giveaways and unique formats. Here’s what players can look forward to:

• Special Edition Spin & Go’s — with $215 Sunday Million tickets up for grabs.
• Ambassador Bounties — in select events, awarding a $215 ticket and a Lex Throwable for knocking out a PokerStars Ambassador.
• Exclusive merchandise — including limited edition Sunday Million hoodies and physical trophies for event winners.
• Spraggy’s April Foolishness (April 1) — A Mystery Bounty event where 99% of the bounty pool is concentrated on just five players.
• Lex Veldhuis’s Spectral Shadow Events — Special Heads-Up Total Knockout (HUTKO) events where eliminations come with added mystery prizes.

Additionally, unique tournaments will be spread throughout the schedule, including PKO formats, turbo events, and low-to-high tier editions, ensuring there’s something for every bankroll level.