Updated on 22 Feb 26 by
Barry carter
Poker Expert

Super High Roller Bowl increases player cap

After selling out early, more players will be able to play in the six-figure event this May.

Rainer Kempe wins the Super High Roller Bowl
2016 champion Rainer Kempe

Earlier this month we reported, for the second year in a row, that the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl sold out right away, with months to go, with at least 19 extra players wanting, but unable, to play. 

Just like last year, and also like when One Drop hosts a seven-figure buy-in event, this led the poker community to ask why Super High Roller events have player caps?

In the case of this event the cap was 35 for professional players plus a further 15 seats.

$6 million to the winner

Super High Roller Bowl
Expect a full house

In response to such demand the Aria has announced that they are increasing the player cap from 50 to 56 this year, meaning that the winner will walk away with $6 million.

This also allows the Aria to balance the tables and start the event seven handed. 

“These additions will give more players a chance to play in the best event of the year and also play for an even bigger prize pool. Bigger is always better and the increase in prize pool and first place payout, along with the enormous prestige of the Super High Roller Bowl, will be welcomed by the players,” said Sean McCormack, the director of poker operations at the Aria.

The Aria will be revealing next week who is likely to make up the remaining 21 entries, but players who tried to enter, but could not, include Daniel Negreanu, Jason Mercier, Daniel Colman, Dan Smith and Justin Bonomo.

Should the cap be higher? Share your thoughts in the comments:

Poker Expert

Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2, Poker Satellite Strategy, PKO Poker Strategy, Endgame Poker Strategy, GTO Poker Simplified, Mystery Bounty Poker Strategy and Beyond GTO. In 2025, he won the Global Poker Awards for Best Book and Twitter Personality of the Year.