As the holiday season rolls in, the poker tables are buzzing with unrelenting energy! While the international poker scene sees major action unfold at WSOP Paradise and WPT World Championship, back home in India, poker enthusiasts witnessed a Sunday for the history books across online platforms. With record-breaking wins, fierce rivalries, and rising stars grabbing the spotlight, Indian poker’s ecosystem reached new heights.
Tarun Goyal Steals the Show: The ₹5 Crore Mystery Bounty Magic
Leading the headlines yet again, 2024 POY frontrunner Tarun Goyal proved why he’s the name everyone’s watching. The former IT professional, already a WSOP bracelet holder, had an unbelievable run on Natural8 India. Participating in the ₹2.75 Lakhs buy-in Mystery Millions Online 2750, Goyal finished in a modest 97th place out of 2,185 entries. But poker’s magic lies in the unpredictable—Goyal drew an insane ₹5 Crores mystery bounty, the largest online prize ever won by an Indian player. This jaw-dropping haul pushed his event earnings to ₹5.05 Crores and cemented his status as Sunday’s undeniable MVP.
With this historic bounty win, Goyal’s annual earnings skyrocketed to an eye-popping ₹12.37 Crores, including ₹11.74 Crores earned exclusively on Natural8 India. By achieving his fifth eight-figure score this year, Goyal has set a standard that few will dare to challenge.
Other Standout Performances Across Platforms
Natural8 India: A Day of Close Finishes
- Anonymity-guarding ‘dontraiseplz’ continued their stellar form, finishing runner-up in the Bounty Hunters Main Event 54. The result earned them a career-best ₹46.67 Lakhs, marking them as the day’s second-biggest winner.
- Poker pro Rahul Purohit had another strong showing, cashing ₹16.80 Lakhs with a final table finish in the Season’s Greetings Opener 125.
PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online:
Day 8 of the WPT India Online raised the bar with ₹4.55 Crores in guarantees across six events. Two prestigious WPT Online trophies were up for grabs, and the competition delivered epic results:
- Meghalaya’s ‘Pokerman84’ emerged as the star, winning the ₹2 Crores GTD WPT#44 Mini Main for ₹30 Lakhs—68 times their previous best! This life-changing payday marked their first major title and a significant breakthrough.
- Mumbai’s Nishant Kumar, known for his title in The MoneyMaker 72.0, came close but settled for runner-up with ₹17.14 Lakhs. This pushed his Sunday total to ₹17.22 Lakhs.
Other notable results:
- ‘Noob’ conquered the ₹1 Crore GTD WPT#43 Milestone, winning ₹15 Lakhs—8.5 times their previous best—and their first WPT Online trophy.
- Online poker legend Satyam Verma took down the WPT#39 Monsterstack for ₹7.50 Lakhs, pushing his yearly winnings past ₹4 Crores.
Adda52 and Pocket52:
- Poker veteran Dhaval Mudgal, riding on last week’s momentum, dominated Adda52 Millions for ₹4.89 Lakhs and cashed in multiple events, totaling ₹8.30 Lakhs in earnings.
- ‘puchu91’, the runner-up in the Adda52 Millions, posted a site-best ₹3.62 Lakhs, almost nine times their previous record.
- Over at Pocket52, ‘dardedisco’ emerged victorious in the Pocket Kings marquee, claiming ₹4.20 Lakhs.
Junglee Poker & Other Platforms: New Champions Emerge
Multi-format maestro Lavesh Meena scored a decisive win in Junglee Poker’s Sunday Special Knockout, banking ₹2.42 Lakhs. Meena’s continued consistency further solidified his reputation as a player to watch.
Meanwhile, marquee events saw victories from top names like Devashish Jain, Anmol Narang, Sreeharsha Boneni, Tejas Joshi, and Penjo Wangchuk, proving that Indian poker continues to produce exceptional talent across all levels.
From record-shattering mystery bounties to WPT Online glory, Indian poker reached new milestones this Sunday. Tarun Goyal redefined success with his unprecedented ₹5 Crore bounty win, while rising stars and seasoned veterans shone across platforms like Natural8 India, PokerBaazi, Adda52, and Pocket52.
With December’s poker calendar heating up and the holiday season yet to peak, the best action is still to come. Buckle up—Indian poker is just getting started!
1 Comment
Pingback: GGPoker Bounty Hunter Series 2025