The Most Expensive Poker Game in History: Andy Beal vs. Pros

In May 2004, Andy Beal called Doyle Brunson to propose a high-stakes poker game. Beal's bank earned $282,000,000 in 2004, and his dividends as a shareholder were $148,000,000. Beal won $1.3 million in a poker game on the evening of May 10, 2004. Each member of the poker group contributed at least $500,000 to the common pool.

Beal wanted to play poker with stakes of $100,000/$200,000. He was confident in his skills and believed that the high stakes would unsettle his opponents. The conditions for the game included playing for at least two days, with each day consisting of five-hour sessions. Additionally, each side had to commit at least $10,000,000, and the professionals could only field one player per day.

On May 12, 2004, at 15:40, Andy Beal and Todd Brunson started the most expensive poker game in history. Beal sent a transfer of $15 million to Bellagio that morning and joined other players trying to qualify for the main World Series of Poker tournament at Binion's Horseshoe.