Poker Writer
The Arizona State Poker Championship drew massive numbers this past weekend, and its rapid growth has made it one of the largest poker events in the nation.
Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., hosts the tournament. It was held over seven days from Aug. 14-20 and drew a staggering 3,546 entries who paid the $1,130 entry fee. That made the top prize, won by Brandon Mitchell, a massive $525,700.
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Arizona State Championship Has Doubled In Size Since 2022
The 3,546 entries made for a massive increase from the 2,860 in 2024. In a three-year span, the event has more than doubled in size.
| Year | Entries | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,546 | TBD |
| 2024 | 2,860 | $2,845,763 |
| 2023 | 2,066 | $2,066,000 |
| 2022 | 1,580 | $1,580,000 |
That type of growth is rarely seen in poker tournaments. While many events grow from year to year, the days of numbers rocketing upward at a pace like that are largely gone.
The 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship had a few changes that may have contributed to some of the growth.
- Larger starting stack given to players
- Registration open for longer in each of the four Day 1 flights
- Level time increased to 60 minutes on Day 2, which was Monday, Aug. 18
The tournament has a large population pool to draw from. The Greater Phoenix Area boasts north of 5 million. It is also located far away from other major poker centers, about five hours to Las Vegas and even farther to Los Angeles. For anyone in the area with poker interest, there isn’t anything that compares.
The branding as the Arizona State Poker Championship also makes it feel more like a big annual event for people in the Grand Canyon State rather than just another poker tournament.
Comparisons With Other Large $1K Tournaments
The more than 3,500 entries makes the Arizona State Poker Championship one of the largest $1K buy-in events in the nation.
Major Series of Poker the Tour (MSPT) Firekeepers in Michigan, drew 3,040 entries for a May 2025 tournament, making it a pretty close comparable.
The Arizona State Poker Championship’s entry numbers are within range of all but the biggest World Series of Poker events at that level. At the 2025 WSOP there were 17 events with a $1,000 buy-in, and only four of those drew more entries than the 3,546 at Talking Stick.
Last year’s World Poker Tour Prime Championship at the Wynn in Las Vegas also produced one of the biggest crowds at the price point. That one drew 9,670 for a hefty $9,379,900 prize pool.
Hayley Hanna Makes Run
Despite being as large as it is, the Arizona State Poker Championship flies somewhat under the radar in the poker world since it doesn’t receive live reporting from any major poker sites. But this year, it got some notice from the poker media thanks to Hayley Hanna making a run to the final table.
Wife of high-roller David Peters and colorful character on social media, Hanna documented her journey through the massive field:
Also sorry for blowing up everyone’s feed but as poker players I’m sure you guys understand these runs don’t happen often for this amount of money and this many people so I’m really just taking it all in and riding the wave baby!!!
She would eventually finish in fourth place for $157,900.
When husband is a high stakes poker pro, but YOU’RE the one bringing home the bacon today 🤑 @VegasHayls pic.twitter.com/DW5tuvcrEa
— Talking Stick Resort (@TS_Resort) August 21, 2025
