Jason Koon confirmed for WPT Big One for One Drop, four other players announced

Dave Woods
Published by:
Posted on: November 16, 2023 2:35 pm EST

Five more names have been announced for the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop, that plays out December 18-20 at the WPT World Championship festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

Among them is super-high roller end-boss Jason Koon, who has already won six Triton titles this year.

Aleksejs Ponakovs, Artur Martirosyan, Orpen Kisacikoglu and Santhosh Suvarna also join the confirmed field.

The news was announced by WPT on Thursday night.

Up to double figures – how big will it get?

With the new names, the 2023 Big One for One Drop is now up to 13 players.

Already announced are Mikita Badziakouski, Phil Ivey, Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Rick Salomon, David Einhorn, Talal Shakerchi, Chris Brewer, and Nick Petrangelo.

That’s an intimidating line-up.

Mikita Badziakouski playing the Alpha8 for One Drop event
Mikita Badziakouski playing the Alpha8 for One Drop event

How many more players will join them at Wynn Las Vegas? It’s hard to make any sort of accurate guess. Big One fields have ranged from 27 (in 2018) to 48 (the first, in 2012). If the 2023 tournament avoids being the smallest, then we think it will be considered a success. Triton has the super high-roller market well covered, and there aren’t many bankrolls that can stand the hit or players great enough to raise this sort of action.

However, WPT has been trickling names out gradually, and we imagine there will be more to come between now and December 18. We’re already up to two tables, and we think it will be at least three by the time the WPT World Championship starts on December 12.

The WPT Festival offers buy-ins to suit everyone, and sitting underneath the $1 million Big One and $10,400 World Championship is the $1,110 Prime Championship.

There are 14 days of livestreaming action from the festival, including the final tables from the big three December 19-21. How many of the names above will be on the final table of the Big One playing for a massive first prize?

WPT World Championship festival streaming schedule

DateEventTime (PST)
December 7Creator Cash Game                              4pm-10pm
December 8Ladies Championship Final Table                            TBA
December 9High Stakes Cash Game                      4pm
December 10High Stakes Cash Game                             4pm
December 11PLO Cash Game       4pm-10pm
December 12Prime Championship Day 3       4.30pm/second break
December 14Ladies Cash Game4pm-10pm
December 15Million Dollar Cash Game4pm
December 16World Championship Day 21pm-8.30pm
December 17World Championship Day 312.30pm-8.30pm
December 18World Championship Day 412pm-11.15pm
December 18Daniel Arsham Celebrity Invitational4pm
December 19World Championship Day 512pm-11.15pm
December 19Prime Championship Final Table4pm
December 20World Championship Day 612pm to final six
December 20Big One for One Drop Final Table4pm
December 21World Championship Final Table4pm

Featured image courtesy of Joe Giron/Triton