GGMasters vs Sunday Million: Who Owns Sunday in Online Poker?

Sunday has always been the most important day in the world of online MTTs. And today, two giants dominate the fight for players' attention: GGPoker with its GGMasters, and PokerStars with the legendary Sunday Million. Both offer a $1 million guaranteed prize pool — but the similarities end there. Let’s take a closer look at how these flagship tournaments are performing in the spring of 2025.

For years, GGMasters maintained a $500K guaranteed prize pool. But in March 2025, GGPoker doubled it to a full $1 million — all without changing the buy-in. The entry fee remains $150, with $138 going to the prize pool and $12 as rake. As a freezeout tournament, players only get one shot per week.

To hit the new guarantee, at least 7,247 entries are required each week. In its first edition after the increase, GGMasters delivered impressive numbers: 8,352 players generated a $1,152,576 prize pool — the largest field in the tournament’s history outside of WSOP Online special editions.

In response to the success, GGPoker turned GGMasters into a two-day event, with the final table played on Monday. Week two also impressed with 8,278 entries. However, in the following weeks, participation steadily declined. On March 30, the field dropped to 7,139 entries, resulting in a $14,818 overlay. The April 13 edition marked a new low: just 6,984 players and a $36,208 shortfall.

PokerStars' Sunday Million has been running every week since 2006 and has paid out over $1.4 billion in prize money. While the $1 million guarantee remains constant, the format changes regularly: PKO (Progressive Knockout), Mystery Bounty, and occasionally phased (multi-day) versions are common. The buy-in is $109, and up to five re-entries are allowed — a significant advantage for pros with larger bankrolls.

In recent weeks, the Sunday Million has consistently outperformed GGMasters in terms of entries. However, the flexible structure and occasional anniversary editions (like the $6 million guaranteed version) make direct comparisons more complicated. For example, the Mystery Bounty edition on March 16 missed its guarantee with a $34,600 overlay. The highest turnout came on April 6 during the anniversary event, which attracted 28,444 entries — but even that edition overlaid.

Despite the recent prize pool boost, GGPoker hasn’t confirmed whether the $1 million guarantee will stay permanently. Currently, the Bounty Hunters Series is running, and the GG World Festival is about to launch — the same series that hit $250 million in guarantees last year. During such promotional periods, GGMasters is likely safe from cuts due to increased traffic.

PokerStars, however, faces a more challenging situation. The operator has exited several markets in recent years, most recently Poland — a move estimated to reduce Sunday Million traffic by around 5%. Although the phased format has helped boost numbers, further changes might be necessary if traffic continues to decline.

We believe GGPoker will likely maintain the $1M guarantee, at least for now — possibly scaling it down during the summer slowdown. On the other hand, with PokerStars’ shrinking player pool, there are more serious doubts about the long-term sustainability of the Sunday Million in its current form.

While GGMasters and Sunday Million offer the same guaranteed prize pool, they represent two very different tournament philosophies. GGMasters caters to players who prefer a classic, single-shot freezeout format. Sunday Million, with re-entries and flexible structures, leans toward more experienced, deep-pocketed players.

One thing’s for sure: the fiercest battle on Sundays isn’t at the final tables — it’s for the players themselves.