The champion received $176,310 from the regular prize pool and another $79,027 in progressive knockout bounties. Former Sunday Million winner Charlie “JIZOINT” Combes finished runner-up, while Hungary’s “komarcus” secured an impressive third place worth more than $144,000. Online poker legend Niklas “Lena900” Astedt also reached the final table but had to settle for eighth.
PokerStars marked the 20th anniversary of its most iconic weekly tournament with the first phased Sunday Million Anniversary. Players could qualify for Phase 2 through numerous opening flights before the surviving fields were combined for the decisive stage. A total of 1,763 players advanced from the Phase 1 tournaments, but only 49 remained when the final session began on Monday, September 7.
Astedt entered that session in sixth place and appeared to be one of the leading candidates for the title, although the final day ultimately belonged to several less familiar screen names. The field was reduced to nine players with “AHTOCb,” Combes and “komarcus” still in contention. Astedt’s run ended in eighth place, earning the Swedish superstar $10,835 from the regular prize pool and another $14,703 in bounties for a total payout of $25,538.
Hungarian Player Reaches the Podium
Hungary’s “komarcus” produced one of the strongest regional results of the entire anniversary tournament. The Hungarian player survived until the final three and collected $109,854 for the finish, together with $34,314 in bounties. The combined payout of $144,168 represented one of the largest prizes awarded at the final table.
His elimination left “AHTOCb” heads-up against Charlie “JIZOINT” Combes. The British player already knew what it felt like to win the Sunday Million, but he was unable to add a second title in the tournament’s landmark edition.
The regular payouts for the final two players were almost identical. “AHTOCb” received $176,310, while Combes earned $176,304. The knockout rewards, however, created a much larger difference in their actual winnings. The Belarusian champion accumulated $79,027 in bounties compared to Combes’ $9,953, taking his final payday to $255,337.
Sunday Million 20th Anniversary Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize | Bounties | Total |
| 1 | AHTOCb | Belarus | $176,310 | $79,027 | $255,337 |
| 2 | Charlie “JIZOINT” Combes | United Kingdom | $176,304 | $9,953 | $186,257 |
| 3 | komarcus | Hungary | $109,854 | $34,314 | $144,168 |
| 4 | 2,34E+14 | Ukraine | $68,081 | $24,814 | $92,895 |
| 5 | Aleshak | Belarus | $44,028 | $11,171 | $55,198* |
| 6 | makassip | Denmark | $25,833 | $5,746 | $31,579 |
| 7 | RageReaperf | Finland | $16,711 | $16,001 | $32,712 |
| 8 | Niklas “Lena900” Astedt | Sweden | $10,835 | $14,703 | $25,538 |
| 9 | grid 92 | Ukraine | $6,802 | $6,198 | $13,000 |
An $11 Satellite Produces a $55,000 Payday
The anniversary event also created a remarkable satellite success story. Fifth-place finisher “Aleshak” reached the tournament through an $11 qualifier before turning that small investment into more than $55,000.
While “AHTOCb” claimed the trophy and the largest total payout, the final table demonstrated how dramatically the progressive bounty format can change the value of each finishing position. Seventh-place finisher “RageReaperf,” for example, earned more overall than the player who finished sixth after collecting $16,001 in bounties.
Twenty years after its launch, the Sunday Million remains capable of attracting enormous fields and producing life-changing prizes from a comparatively accessible buy-in. Its anniversary champion had to survive more than 55,000 entries to secure the title — and one of online poker’s most recognizable trophies.
Source: PokerStars, X, PSLive (Jules Pochy photo)