The Big Game, a groundbreaking cash game show hosted by PokerStars between 2010-2011, is set to return on May 11, 2024, bringing back the thrill and excitement that made it a staple in the world of televised poker. This iconic show, known for featuring top-tier poker pros such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Tony G, created unforgettable moments and intense rivalries that captivated audiences as reflected by the tens of millions of views in the series' YouTube premieres.
June 2010 marks the most fun I've ever had playing poker.
— Lex Veldhuis (@LexVeldhuis) October 31, 2023
Next week we go again.@Pokerstars BIG GAME IS BACK!
And so am I. pic.twitter.com/AAdC9gveUN
The Big Game Format
The format of the The Big Game was quite unique at the time of its' airing, introducing an intentional blend of professional and recreational players.
The original show was a standard high stakes No-Limit Holdem cash game featuring $100/200 blinds.
What made the show special was their introduction of "loose cannons", which were recreational players from around the world staked for $100,000 who got to keep any amount in excess of that initial buy-in amount. The maximum that each loose cannon could win was $500,000.
Legendary Moments From The Show's History
This show has produced some unforgettable moments that poker fans around the world have never forgotten. To take you all on memory lane, below are our top picks from the show's history.
1. Math Teacher (Loose Cannon) correctly folds AA preflop and avoids Quads
2. Phil Hellmuth losing 3/4 runouts with 85% equity against Loose Cannon Ernest Wiggins
3. Tony Guoga tricking Phil Hellmuth into calling all-in saying "he didn't look at his cards"
The Big Game Results (2010-2011)
Here at Highroll Poker, we have tracked the results for the players across all of The Big Game seasons.
Below are the biggest winners from the show's history:
Player Name | Net Winnings | VPIP | PFR |
|---|---|---|---|
+$556,000 | 42% | 17% | |
+$474,400 | 37% | 26% | |
+$310,100 | 24% | 16% | |
+$194,700 | 33% | 17% | |
+$185,500 | 31% | 23% |
For the full-results, you can visit our PokerStars Live tracker page to access them for free.
New Faces for 2024 The Big Game Return
With the return of the The Big Game, fans around the world have been curious about which new faces to expect in the lineups. While not every new appearance has been announced, we do have a partial list of who we can expect to make their debut on the show:
Debut appearances
Alan Keating - HCL VPIP God
Nikki Limo (Loose Cannon) - YouTuber/Commentator
Lily Newhouse (Loose Cannon) - Mindset coach
Arden Cho - Actress
Michael Ian Black - American producer