The History of Micro Millions
Not every poker player has the bankroll to play hundred-dollar poker tournaments online, let alone tournaments with a four or five digit buy-in, so while they are limited to play satellites and the smallest events during series like WCOOP and SCOOP, micro grinders got their own online series on PokerStars called MicroMillions.
History
Ten years after launching the hugely successful WCOOP series, PokerStars introduced MicroMillions in March of 2012. Designed to appeal to poker players with small bankrolls, the series focused on tournaments with buy-ins from mere pennies to the $22 main event. The series handed out over $5 million in the first year, including a $1 million prize pool in the main event that drew 54,065 players. The player of the series, PokerStars pro Marcin Horecki cashed in 34 of 89 events he played, winning a 2013 PCA package in the process.
Four months later PokerStars was at it again with a second MicroMillions. Again, awarding over $5 million dollars, the series attracted over 65 thousand players to the $22 main event, won by Argentina’s SoyDelGlobo for $157,218.68. Brazilian Fabio_bruxo won the player of the series and another 2013 PCA package. MicroMillions 3 was held in November in the same year, this time upping the overall prize pool to over $8 million over 100 events, drawing over 61 thousand to the $22 main event. Pro Marcin Horecki grinded the series hard again, winning his second player of the series and another 2013 PCA package.
Over the years PokerStars has tinkered with the timing and the number of events that are held, holding the series multiple times a year. Currently the last MicroMillions event sees 122 events held but the series is now a yearly event typically scheduled in July after the WSOP wraps up.
Format
Unlike the WCOOP and SCOOP series, the MicroMillions series are individual tournaments with one level of buy-ins but covers all poker variants and styles. Most series the cheapest event buy-in has been $1.10 with the main event being the most expensive to enter at just $22. The series typically lasts one week and two weekends averaging 10 tournaments a day all spread out, giving players from around the world an opportunity to chase after a title.
MicroMillions Main Event Winners
| Series | Year | Entrants | Entrants | Entrants | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 2012 | 54,065 | $1,081,300 | Zabaleta1 | $140,000.00 |
| 2 | July 2012 | 65,053 | $1,320,260 | SoyDelGlobo | $157,218.68 |
| 3 | November 2012 | 61,072 | $1,221,440 | Axel397 | $140,062.92 |
| 4 | March 2013 | 68,081 | $1,361,620 | Ges26 | $140,468.56* |
| 5 | July 2013 | 59,213 | $1,184,260 | stygher | $160,726.00 |
| 6 | November 2013 | 65,397 | $1,307,940 | TheManM | $126,000.00 |
| 7 | March 2014 | 63,237 | $1,264,740 | RainmanRJA | $78,802.23* |
| 8 | July 2014 | 57,886 | $1,157,720 | 69FABIAN69 | $100,668.00* |
| 9 | November 2014 | 58,032 | $1,160,640 | Makarios007 | $92,899.00* |
| 10 | March 2015 | 59,648 | $1,192,960 | BgsaPnaples | $110,743.00 |
| 11 | July 2015 | 55,524 | $1,110,480 | Nolet20 | $89,854.00* |
| 12 | July 2016 | 65,232 | $1,304,640 | JiiJay | $82,173.00* |
| 13 | July 2017 | 85,090 | $1,701,800 | ElCheikhh | $95,829.86* |
| 14 | July 2018 | 63,817 | $1,276,340 | Marlin5555 | $120,951.00 |
| 15 | July 2019 | 58,126 | $1,162,520 | Lxxz | $100,058.16 |
| 16 | November 2019 | 59,699 | $1,195,580.00 | Dougiedan678 | $100,060.85 |
| 17 | April 2020 | 128,753 | $1,261,779.40 | TTPlayer18 | $71,000.00 |
| 18 | November 2020 | 33,751 | $1,000,000.00 | ibotown | $95,120.74 |
| 19 | July 2021 | 52,696 | $1,059,380.00 | Badbomen | $87,466.00 |
| 20 | July 2022 | 27,544 | $550,880.00 | Mathews085 | $36,295.00 |
*MM4 had a five-way deal; MM6 had a three-way deal; MM7 & MM8 had a two-way deal; MM9 had a three-way deal; MM11 had a five-way deal; MM12 had a four-way deal; MM13 had a five-way deal; MM17 ME was an $11 buy-in & a five-way deal MM20 ME was a $22 PKO.
A True Poker Marathon
While MicroMillions may not be the most prestigious series for online poker players, it is certainly the most grueling. Over the years main event champions have had to endure battling thousands of hopefuls to reach the final table with only the most recent events being played out over multiple days – meaning that past champions would have to navigate fields with more than 50,000 players in one shot with the end only coming when all of the chips were amassed by one player.
Player profiles in the Micro Millions
The initial year of the MicroMillions could easily have been named after PokerStars Team Pro Marcin “Goral” Horecki, who amassed the most points over the 200 events in MM1 and MM3, winning the Player of the Series both times and two 2013 PCA packages.
Streaming from the Micro Millions
While PokerStars focuses on daily streaming schedules for the bigger buy-in series like WCOOP and SCOOP, MicroMillions tends to not be a focal point for Stars’ main streaming channel. Instead, poker enthusiasts looking to catch the action must turn to individual streamers’ channels to watch the tournaments play out. Poker streamers like GJ Reggie, Mason Pye, Tom Hayward, Fintan Hand and Ben “Spraggy” Spragg have streamed events like the main on their channels in the past and most likely will continue to do so the next time the series comes around.
