The world of online poker witnessed a historic anomaly this week as GGPoker’s GGMasters 6th Anniversary tournament concluded with the largest overlay in the history of the game. The $10 million guaranteed event fell short of its target by a staggering $1,791,760, a shortfall that has sent ripples through the online poker community and prompted industry analysis of the factors at play.
The tournament, which concluded on , saw a prize pool bolstered by nearly 18% thanks to GGPoker’s commitment to honoring the $10 million guarantee. This “overlay” – the difference between the guaranteed prize pool and the total buy-ins – effectively provided a substantial bonus to participating players.
While overlays aren’t uncommon in online poker, this instance dwarfs previous records. Prior to this week, the largest overlay was approximately $1.4 million, recorded in 2024 during the GOAT tournament on the Indian poker room PokerBaazi. The sheer scale of the GGMasters shortfall has positioned it as a unique event in the history of the game.
The GGMasters series, known for its freezeout format – tournaments without the option of re-buys – has become a flagship offering for GGPoker. The absence of re-buys is increasingly rare among online poker rooms, making the GGMasters events particularly appealing to players who prefer a more traditional tournament structure. The $150 buy-in for the Anniversary Edition has been a consistent feature since 2022.
Looking back at previous GGMasters Anniversary Editions reveals a pattern of guarantees and participation numbers. In , a $5 million guarantee attracted 33,806 entries, resulting in an overlay of $334,772. The guarantee was increased to $10 million in , drawing 64,622 entries and an overlay of $1,080,000. saw a similar $10 million guarantee and 66,894 entries, with an overlay of $768,628. Notably, the tournament was cancelled due to technical difficulties on Day 2.
The reasons behind this year’s record-breaking overlay are multifaceted. The $150 buy-in, while relatively accessible, requires a massive field – over 70,000 entries – to cover a $10 million guarantee. Achieving such participation numbers is a significant challenge, even for leading online poker platforms. The structure of the tournament itself, a freezeout, likely contributed to the shortfall, as it limits the potential for players to continually invest in the tournament.
The GGMasters 6th Anniversary event unfolded over seven starting flights, demonstrating GGPoker’s attempt to maximize participation. Despite these efforts, the tournament ultimately fell short of its ambitious goal. The result underscores the inherent risks associated with large guaranteed prize pools in online poker, where player turnout can be unpredictable.
This event is likely to prompt a re-evaluation of guarantee strategies among online poker operators. While overlays can be seen as a positive for players, consistently failing to meet guarantees can erode trust and potentially damage a platform’s reputation. The industry will be watching closely to see how GGPoker adjusts its approach to future GGMasters events and other large-scale tournaments.
The record overlay also highlights the evolving landscape of online poker. The game continues to attract a global audience, but maintaining consistent player engagement and attracting sufficient entries for high-guarantee tournaments remains a key challenge for operators. The GGMasters 6th Anniversary serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between ambition, risk, and player expectations in the competitive world of online poker.
