Las Vegas, NV (Nov. 16, 2023) – The WPT® Big One for One Drop lineup continues to expand as five more players have officially joined the $1 million buy-in event. Four The Big One for One Drop newcomers, Aleksejs Ponakovs, Artur Martirosyan, Orpen Kisacikoglu and Santhosh Suvarna, have confirmed they will play as has high-stakes legend Jason Koon bringing the publicly confirmed entries to 13 total.
The iconic Big One for One Drop makes its WPT debut December 18-20 at the 2023 WPT World Championship festival at Wynn Las Vegas and will feature a televised final table. Six percent of each buy-in will directly benefit the One Drop Foundation, continuing their mission of ensuring sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for communities facing extreme barriers.
“The Big One is just over one month away, and exceptional entries continue to fill the seats of this one-of-a-kind event,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “These players are well-respected members of the poker community. We were honored to hear of their commitment.”
Koon has countless High Roller tournaments under his belt with multiple scores of over $1 million. The West Virginia native first participated in The Big One for One Drop in 2018 and is now making his second appearance in the massive event this December.
“Our excitement grows each day as more entries come forward,” said Alexandre Meunier, One Drop Foundation’s Chief Marketing and Events Officer. “It is amazing to welcome Aleksejs Ponakovs, Artur Martirosyan, Orpen Kisacikoglu and Santhosh Suvarna as first-time participants in the Big One playing a crucial role in supporting One Drop Foundation’s water mission. The best of luck to all.”
The four newcomers are plying their first $1 million buy-in event, but all are regulars in the high-stakes tournament scene. Ponakovs is a professional poker player who ranks #1 on the Latvia All Time Money List. Martirosyan is also a poker pro, ranking #2 on the Russia All Time Money List, while Kisacikoglu hails from the world of business as does Suvarna, who is a Dubai-based entrepreneur. They join Phil Ivey, Rick Salomon, David Einhorn, Talal Shakerchi, Daniel ‘Jungleman” Cates, Chris Brewer, Nick Petrangelo, and Mikita Badziakouski in publicly expressing their intention to play.
For more information on the One Drop Foundation, visit onedrop.org. Any players interested in entering The Big One for One Drop should contact Warren Lush at [email protected].
For more information regarding this and all World Poker Tour® events, visit WPT.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
WPT:
Eric Lusch
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
One Drop Foundation:
Warren Lush
Media Relations Advisor
[email protected]
About the World Poker Tour®
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About the One Drop Foundation
The One Drop™ Foundation is an international philanthropic organization created by Cirque du Soleil and Lune Rouge founder Guy Laliberté with the vision of a better world, where all have access to living conditions that allow empowerment and development. Its mission is to ensure sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for communities facing extreme barriers through innovative partnerships, creativity, and the power of art. Together with its partners, the One Drop Foundation deploys its unique Social Art for Behaviour Change™ approach designed to promote the adoption of healthy water, sanitation and hygiene-related behaviours and empower communities. For this to be possible, the One Drop Foundation creates novel fundraising initiatives supported by a visionary community of partners and donors. The One Drop Foundation is celebrating 16 years of turning water into action, with projects that will soon have improved the living conditions of more than 2.7 million people around the world. Interact with the One Drop Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn and X, or on Instagram.