The poker world was abuzz with excitement in July of 2012, when the $1 Million Big One for One Drop tournament was announced. This tournament, held at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, was the first of its kind, offering a record-breaking prize pool of $1 million. The tournament was open to both professional and amateur players, and attracted some of the biggest names in poker.

The tournament was the brainchild of Guy Laliberté, the founder of Cirque du Soleil. Laliberté wanted to use the tournament to raise money for his charity, One Drop, which works to provide clean water to people in need around the world. To that end, each player who entered the tournament had to pay a $1 million buy-in, with all proceeds going to One Drop.

The tournament drew 56 players, including some of the biggest names in poker, such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Antonio Esfandiari. The final table was an all-star affair, featuring Negreanu, Esfandiari, Ivey, and Sam Trickett. In the end, it was Esfandiari who emerged victorious, taking home the first-place prize of $18.3 million.

The success of the $1 Million Big One for One Drop has had a lasting impact on the poker world. Not only did it raise a record-breaking amount of money for charity, but it also showed that poker can be a vehicle for positive change. The tournament also helped to legitimize poker as a sport, as it attracted a wide variety of players from around the world.

The $1 Million Big One for One Drop was a groundbreaking event in the history of poker. It showed that poker can be used to make a difference in the world, while also providing an opportunity for professional and amateur players alike to compete for a record-breaking prize pool. The tournament has set a new standard for high-stakes poker tournaments and has helped to further legitimize the sport.