High roller winners collect crores at the 2024 PokerBaazi G.O.A.T, with Kabir Chhatwal among them.
India's Largest Poker Tournaments Break Records
In the world of Indian poker, the stakes have never been higher. Two monumental tournaments have made headlines for their record-breaking prize pools and participation.
The Epic Poker Championship 2025
The all-time biggest prize pool in Indian poker history was the ₹28 Crore Guaranteed (GTD) Epic Poker Championship 2025, held at the Deltin Royale casino in Goa. This series distributed over ₹29 Crores in prize money across 128 events, including a massive ₹5 Crore GTD Main Event.
The Main Event was won by Phanindra Akkina, who took home a career-best ₹53 Lakhs. Other notable winners included Devang Yadav and Sahil Mahboobani.
The Upcoming PokerBaazi GOAT 2025
Set to break this record is the upcoming PokerBaazi GOAT 2025, with a ₹30 Crores guarantee and a ₹5 Crores top prize, scheduled for October 2025. This tournament is poised to become the new biggest prize pool in Indian history.
The Evolution of the G.O.A.T
The Greatest of All Tournaments (G.O.A.T) has progressively evolved, with the GTD only moving in an upswing, making it the biggest and most prestigious Indian poker tournament. In 2022, the G.O.A.T had a guarantee of ₹5 Crore, which jumped to ₹10 Crore in 2023. Over just twelve months, the prize pool has risen 5x.
The announced prize pool of the G.O.A.T was a whopping ₹25 Crore, the biggest ever single tournament prize pool in India. The tournament had more than 15,000 entries and 1,118 players finished in the payout.
Notable Wins and Future Prospects
Kabir Chhatwal won the G.O.A.T 2024 title and took home a mind-blowing ₹3.11 Crore. Sanjay Chaudhary also made history by taking home the biggest payout in Indian poker history, a massive ₹4.14 Crore.
Roy D'Silva, a published author with a decade-long experience covering various beats, including Bollywood, OTT, and now poker, is looking to be right, front, and center of that one big story in the poker world. Several celebrities have expressed interest in PokerBaazi's GOAT Tournament.
Summary
| Tournament | Prize Pool | Winners | Notes | |--------------------------------------|---------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Epic Poker Championship 2025 | ₹28 Crores GTD | Phanindra Akkina, Devang Yadav, Sahil Mahboobani | Biggest completed Indian poker event in history[1] | | PokerBaazi GOAT 2025 (upcoming) | ₹30 Crores GTD | TBD | Scheduled for October 2025, will likely be new biggest prize pool[5] |
As the poker world in India continues to grow, so too does the excitement and anticipation for these record-breaking tournaments. Stay tuned for more updates as these events unfold.
- In addition to poker tournaments, India's casino-and-gambling industry is also thriving, with sports-betting becoming increasingly popular.
- Phanindra Akkina, the winner of the Epic Poker Championship 2025, might consider diversifying his winnings by trying his hand at casino-games like blackjack or roulette.
- As the sports-betting market in India expands, platforms like PokerBaazi could potentially introduce sports betting options, offering players an even broader range of gaming experiences.
