At the final table of the $1,000,000 buy-in Big One for One Drop, Rick Salomon, Byron Kaverman, and Fedor Holz get all-in before the flop. Salomon shoots to. 2018 49TH ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER The Big One for One Drop by WSOP WSOP Europe 2017 High Roller for One Drop WSOP Europe 2017 Little One for One Drop Little One for One Drop: July 6, 2019 WSOP Event #75, $1,111 buy-in Stay Tuned News. WORLD WATER DAY.

Minutes before the €111,111 High Roller for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em event resumed at the World Series of Poker Europe on Saturday, WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart made a big announcement regarding the 2018 series in Las Vegas next summer.

'The WSOP's partnership with the One Drop foundation started with the Big One for One Drop back in 2012,' Stewart said. 'And I'm happy to announce that the Big One for One Drop will return next summer for the 2018 WSOP from July 15-17. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you there.'

The seven-figure buy-in event will return to Las Vegas after a four-year hiatus for its fourth-ever edition. The event will be capped at 48 players and once again, the WSOP will waive their fee so the entire $111,111 entry fee for each participant goes directly to the One Drop Foundation.

A Fruitful Partnership

The One Drop foundation is committed to providing sustainable safe water access to communities in need worldwide. The WSOP and One Drop began a partnership in 2012 which has raised over $20 million for the charity, started by Cirque du Soleil's founder Guy Laliberté. The Big One for One Drop has accounted for nearly $14 million of that contribution, and the event in Las Vegas in 2018 will further add to that figure.

Through the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop, the Little One for One Drop and the High Roller for One Drop, 11,000 unique players who have participated thereby contributing to the amazing amount that the partnership has raised for One Drop. Laliberté commented in the WSOP press release about the importance of the Big One and the partnership with the WSOP for One Drop.

“The Big One is an important landmark in the history of poker. Players that I meet here and there remind me on a constant basis that this history lives on and that they want to be a part of it. The thrill to compete for the chance of walking away with millions all the while contributing to an important cause - providing safe water access globally – has given strong roots to the event.

'I am currently working on a new major fundraising initiative that is tapping into another very important passion of mine and that will be announced soon. This leaves me with less time for poker, but I’m confident that after three editions, the Big One is mature enough to live without a big involvement on my part.'

During the announcement at the WSOPE, Stewart commented, 'I remember in 2012 people said that a $1 million buy-in tournament was crazy. They also then said that you couldn't have 11% juice on a mid-stakes tournament; that's crazy! Or have a $10 million guaranteed One Drop in Rozvadov!

'However, what is truly crazy is that to date we have raised more than $20 million because of the generosity of you all, which makes us one of the biggest charitable partnerships in the world.

'For anyone who says that poker players aren't charitable it's just truly amazing. That motivates us that there should be no end in sight.'

The first three versions of the Big One for One Drop took place in 2012, 2014 and 2016, with the first two at the Rio in Las Vegas and the most recent one in Monaco. It has attracted 86 unique players, with 22 players who have played in two or more. Here is a look at the three winners to date.

Who Will Participate?

Stewart introduced at the WSOPE High Roller for One Drop the first entry into the 2018 Big One for One Drop: King's Casino owner Leon Tsoukernik.

Tsoukernik responded, 'I know you all want to participate in this beautiful event, and I'm waiting for you all in Vegas. Thank you!'

In the WSOP press release, Tsoukernik elaborated on his support for One Drop.

“I had the opportunity to work closely with One Drop around the World Series of Poker Europe this year and to get acquainted with Guy, and this made me understand the unparalleled importance of the cause of water.

'I am a father of two and it really struck me when I heard that every 90 seconds a child dies from a water-borne disease. We all need to do something about it. Me, I have decided to do what I am best at: bringing people together to play poker. I am not only the first player to put his name on the list. I have also promised Guy that I will pick-up the phone to make sure the enthusiasm for the Big One translates once again into a great success for the charity.”

The remaining 47 competitors remain to be determined and players can reserve their seat for the Big One for One Drop event at the 2018 World Series of Poker July 15-17 on a first-come first-serve basis with a non-refundable $50,000 deposit by July 1. Interested players should contact Alexandre Meunier at One Drop ([email protected]) or Gregory Chochon at WSOP ([email protected]).

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  Antonio EsfandiariDaniel ColmanLeon TsoukernikElton Tsang

LAS VEGAS -- Daniel Colman let his poker play speak for itself.

Colman, a 23-year-old professional online poker player from Holden, Mass. (though he has lived in Montreal and Rio de Janeiro to maximize his online opportunities), won the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop event at the World Series of Poker on Tuesday night. First prize was worth $15,306,688 and Colman's first WSOP bracelet as he topped six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu in the final heads-up battle.

Colman ran off after doing the wrap-up interview for the ESPN broadcast of the event (July 29, Aug. 5 and Aug. 12), but Olivier Busquet, another online pro who has served as Colman's mentor and backer, said Colman doesn't like to do interviews and that he said in one interview that the focus should be on the charity. That's a good place to start.

One Drop was created by Guy Laliberte, the founder of Cirque du Soleil, in 2007 to raise money (and awareness) of the charity that brings much-needed water to parts of the world that don't have adequate sanitation systems. The Big One for One Drop tournament debuted in 2012 when 48 poker pros and businessmen entered and out of each million-dollar entry fee, $111,111 goes to One Drop. This year, 42 players entered to raise $4,666,662. One Drop is based in Montreal, so another nice tie-in with part-time resident Colman and the Canadian-born Negreanu.

'The focus should be on the charity, otherwise it's just a bunch of rich guys playing for obscene amounts of money,' Negreanu said. 'Poker is his (Colman's) job and he's here to work. If he doesn't want to do interviews, I respect it completely.'

Colman has earned his reputations as a heads-up sit-and-go specialist and finished third ($111,942) in the $10,000 buy-in heads-up no-limit hold 'em event that concluded a week ago Saturday. So, even though Negreanu was seen as the more experienced player ('KidPoker' turns 40 on July 26) and held a slight 68.5 million in chips to 57.5 million, he knew he was in for a battle.

'In heads-up, he's one of the best in the world,' Negreanu said. 'I'm happy with how I played and luck plays a role in this format, but he played great, too. He's going to win a lot more of these.'

The end of the battle came on the 46th hand of heads-up play as Colman held about a 5-1 chip advantage. Blinds were at 800K/1.6M and after Negreanu limped in on the button, Colman raised to 4 million. Negreanu went all-in and Colman called. Negreanu led with A-4 against Colman's K-Q and hit two pair on a flop of A-J-4. To the shock of the crowd at the Rio, Colman hit his straight on the turn and eliminated Negreanu who wasn't able to fill up on the river (7s).

Colman earned the lead only 15 hands earlier in a 60-million chip pot that featured Negreanu paying off his opponent on the river after a five-minute tank. When asked if that was the turning point, Negreanu actually pointed two hands earlier.

'I would say it was the A-8 versus A-Q hand,' he said. 'I was really cruising at that point and had a chance to take a bigger lead.'

Entering that hand, Negreanu lead 74 million to 51 million. He bet 2.5 million preflop and offered a 2.5 million continuation bet after a flop of J-J-9. Another J hit the board on the turn and Negreanu bet 4 million. Colman called and after an 8 on the river, both players checked. Colman's key catch there cut into Negreanu's lead and changed the feeling of the match. and Colman called.

Negreanu collected $8,288,001 and his consolation prize moved him atop the all-time poker tournament earnings list at $29.8 million, just $3 million ahead of 2012 One Drop winner Antonio Esfandiari. Colman's biggest previous tournament win was $2.2 million at EPT Monte Carlo a few months ago. Now he's sixth on the all-time list.

Tuesday's action started at 3 p.m. local time after the action lasted past 4 a.m. the night before with intentions of breaking the money bubble. After 30 hands of bubble play, organizers halted the action, but once the players returned, the biggest bubble of the year burst quickly. On Tuesday's first hand, businessman and Macau cash gamer Tom Hall lost a race to Negreanu (10-10 < A-Q) and left empty-handed. The remaining players were guaranteed at least $1.3 million and eliminations came quickly as four players remained with over 20 million in chips while the other four were under 10 million. By the next two levels, Cary Katz (eighth), Paul Newey (seventh), Scott Seiver (the only other previous bracelet winner at the final tables beside Negreanu, sixth) and Tobias Reinkemeier (fifth) had all fallen. Rick Salomon, the chip leader at the end of Monday's action, held on for fourth to collect $2.8 million. German Christoph Vogelsang took third for $4,480,000.

'I didn't win it, but it was cool to watch,' said Negreanu. Or it will be once the show goes through post-production.

Below are the complete results of Event 37 at the 2014 World Series of Poker:

Event 57: Big One for One Drop
Buy-in: $1 million
Entries: 42
Prize pool: $37,333,338
Players in the money: 8

Million One Drop Wsop Tournaments

1. Daniel Colman ($15,306,668)
2. Daniel Negreanu ($8,288,001)
3. Christoph Vogelsang ($4,480,001)
4. Rick Salomon ($2,800,000)
5. Tobias Reinkemeir ($2,053,334)
6. Scott Seiver ($1,680,000)
7. Paul Newey ($1,418,667)
8. Cary Katz ($1,306,667)