Top 5 Online Poker Scores of 2024: A Game-Changing Year For Indian Poker; Tarun Goyal Leads the Charge

Indian poker had a year for the ages in 2024, both live and online. Forget milestones – this was a year for the history books! From navigating major hurdles like the hefty 28% GST on player deposits to setting new records for tournament prizes and player winnings, 2024 redefined the limits of Indian poker.

The online poker boom that ignited in India during the 2020 pandemic showed no signs of slowing down, even when faced with major challenges. Many worried that the 28% GST on online gaming introduced in October 2023 would put a damper on the action, especially for MTT players. But Indian players, platforms, and the community as a whole stepped up, adapting to the changes and finding innovative ways to not just survive but thrive. Sure, some things weren’t ideal (like increased rake), and sadly, some poker platforms couldn’t weather the storm.

While the domestic live poker scene saw fewer tournaments, with the Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT) remaining the only major draw, Indian players were making a splash on the international stage. They travelled to poker hotspots across South Asia, Europe, and the USA, raking in massive payouts and proving they could hold their own against the best in the world.

The GST reform definitely threw a curveball at online poker platforms. Some struggled to adapt, while others, like PokerBaazi and Natural8 India, not only survived but turned the challenge into an opportunity. They rolled out even bigger tournaments and prize pools, making 2024 a landmark year for Indian online poker.

PokerBaazi led the charge with record-breaking series like the National Poker Series India 2024, The MoneyMaker Mania, Indian Poker Masters 2024, and WPT India Online. They even hosted the biggest tournament in India’s poker history: the ₹25 Crores GTD G.O.A.T., held as part of their 10th Anniversary celebrations. And let’s not forget the first-ever ₹5 Crores GTD Baazi Millions tournament! PokerBaazi was at the forefront of the Indian poker revolution.

In 2023, only five players achieved eight-figure online scores. But in 2024, that number more than doubled to an incredible 11! This shows just how much the game has grown and the insane amounts of money now up for grabs.

If the live circuit belonged to Santhosh Suvarna, the virtual felts were ruled by Tarun Goyal. This former IT professional turned poker pro didn’t just win; he crushed the competition, racking up a mind-blowing five eight-figure scores on Natural8 India alone. He ended the year with a jaw-dropping ₹12.39 Crores in winnings and an unbelievable almost ₹10 Crores in profit – more than double the previous record! And just like Suvarna dominated the live scene, Goyal single-handedly grabbed five of the top ten online scores of 2024.

And get this: four players earned over ₹5 Crores in 2024 – another first! This made the 2024 Player of the Year race the most thrilling and competitive yet.

Here are the top five online poker scores that defined 2024. Three were on Natural8 India, and two were on PokerBaazi. Each one is a story of skill, determination, and a sprinkle of poker magic!

Top 10 Online Scores of 2024

1. Tarun Goyal – ₹5 Crores Mystery Bounty in Natural8 India’s Mystery Millions Online 2750

2024 was the year Tarun Goyal cemented his place as a legend in Indian poker. This former IT professional turned poker superstar was an unstoppable force on Natural8 India, racking up an incredible five eight-figure scores (that’s over ₹1 Crore each!). But his crowning achievement came on December 15 when he shattered every record in Indian online poker history.

Goyal’s historic moment happened during the Mystery Millions Online 2750 on Natural8 India. With a ₹2.75 Lakhs buy-in, the event attracted a stacked field of 2,185 entries, including some of the biggest names in the game. Goyal’s run initially seemed modest; he finished 93rd, a respectable result but nothing too crazy. But then came the moment that changed everything. During the mystery bounty reveal, Goyal unlocked an unprecedented ₹5 Crores bounty prize – the biggest online poker score ever by an Indian player!

This incredible feat brought Goyal’s total winnings for the event to ₹5.05 Crores, leaving the entire Indian poker community in awe.

Goyal’s staggering bounty haul was the cherry on top of an already insane year. He finished 2024 with an unprecedented ₹12.39 Crores in winnings, including ~₹10 Crores in profit. This made him the undisputed 2024 Player of the Year by a landslide – more than double the previous record! His dominance on Natural8 India was particularly mind-blowing, where he amassed ₹11.74 Crores of his total winnings, becoming the first Indian player to break both the ₹10 Crore and ₹12 Crore earnings barriers in a single year.

And for those who might think it was all just luck, think again. Goyal’s track record speaks for itself. The Mystery Millions Online 2750 score was his fifth eight-figure win on Natural8 India. Earlier in the year, he also snagged his first WSOP bracelet in Natural8 India’s WSOP Online Event #4: $840 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha, adding another ₹1.10 Crores and the gold bracelet to his trophy cabinet. To put it into perspective, Goyal achieved five of the top ten online scores recorded by Indians in 2024.

Goyal’s dominance was absolute in 2024, and with his hot streak continuing into the new year, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him making a run for the POY crown once again.

Read the report here

2. Sanjay Chaudhary – Runner-up in PokerBaazi’s ₹25 Crores GTD G.O.A.T. For ₹4.14 Crores

The 2024 edition of PokerBaazi’s G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Tournaments) was an absolute spectacle, a record-breaking extravaganza that will be talked about for years to come. Held as part of PokerBaazi’s epic 10th Anniversary celebrations, this tournament boasted an unprecedented ₹25 Crores guaranteed prize pool and attracted a mind-boggling 15,172 entries. While the ₹11.81 Crores overlay translated to a net loss of ₹9.83 Crores for PokerBaazi (including rake!), it created an unforgettable experience for the players. After two weeks of intense qualifiers, 1,118 hopefuls advanced to the grand finale on October 14.

And it was in this final battle that Sanjay Chaudhary, a relatively unknown player from Chandauli, made his mark. He delivered a phenomenal performance, finishing as the runner-up in a dramatic nine-hour showdown. While ‘Ksc7‘ emerged as the champion, claiming a monstrous ₹3.11 Crores, Chaudharystole the spotlight. Thanks to a strategic heads-up deal, he walked away with a jaw-dropping ₹4.14 Crores, setting the record for the second-largest online payout in Indian poker history at the time and the biggest ever on PokerBaazi.

To put Chaudhary’s achievement into perspective, his previous best score was a modest ₹3.76 Lakhs in PokerBaazi’s WTF the previous year. His G.O.A.T. score, over 110 times larger, catapulted him from relative obscurity to a household name in Indian poker.

The G.O.A.T. runner-up finish was a game-changer for Chaudhary’s career. With total annual winnings of ₹4.29 Crores and yearly profits of ₹4.03 Crores, he skyrocketed into the upper echelons of the poker community. His remarkable run also earned him the #7 spot in the 2024 Player of the Year rankings.

Read the report here

3. ‘Ksc7’ – Winner of PokerBaazi’s ₹25 Crores GTD G.O.A.T. For ₹3.11 Crores

Indian poker history was rewritten in PokerBaazi’s ₹25 Crores GTD G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Tournaments), the biggest online poker spectacle ever hosted in India. This epic tournament, held as part of PokerBaazi’s grand 10th Anniversary celebrations, attracted a mind-blowing 15,172 entries, making it a truly historic event. The final table was a nine-hour marathon of intense poker action, but when the dust settled, Delhi’s ‘Ksc7‘ (anonymity requested) emerged as the champion. They took home the coveted G.O.A.T. trophy and a mind-blowing ₹3.11 Crores from a heads-up deal.

‘Ksc7’s victory is even more impressive when you consider their previous best score was ₹10 Lakhs, which they won in PokerBaazi’s The Summit earlier in the year. Their G.O.A.T. win, over 31 times larger, launched them into the elite ranks of Indian poker players. With previous final table appearances in prestigious tournaments like The MoneyMaker 86.0 and EndBoss 7.0, ‘Ksc7’ has consistently proven their skill in flagship tournaments, but this win was on a whole other level.

Read the report here

4. Nishaanth Shanmughasundaram – Winner of Natural8 India’s Beijing Mystery Bounty Millions For ₹1.97 Crores

Nishaanth Shanmughasundaram, a working professional and a self-confessed recreational player, had a year that most poker pros can only dream of! He joined the exclusive club of players who earned over ₹5 Crores in a single year, making him one of the biggest names in Indian online poker. His breakout moment came on June 30th when he took down Natural8 India’s Beijing Mystery Bounty Millions for a colossal ₹1.97 Crores. Outlasting a fierce field of 628 participants, he not only achieved a career-defining victory but also joined the exclusive club of Indian players who have earned ₹1 Crore or more in a single online poker tournament.

Shanmughasundaram’s 2024 run was nothing short of spectacular. With a jaw-dropping ₹5.73 Crores in total earnings, including ₹4.53 Crores in profit, he reached new heights of success, finishing fourth in the 2024 Player of the Year race. His performance on Natural8 India was particularly impressive, where he racked up an insane ₹4.59 Crores in total winnings. This recreational player is clearly a force to be reckoned with, and his success has many wondering if he’ll soon make the leap to full-time poker pro.

Read the report here

5. Aayush Arya – 14th in Natural8 India’s WSOP Online Main Event 5000 For ₹1.55 Crores

Young Gun Aayush Arya, one of the top poker pros in the country and the record holder for the biggest online score of 2023, had a phenomenal 2024. While he made waves in the Asian live poker circuit, even capturing a WPT trophy early in the year, his true dominance was on the virtual felt.

His biggest score of the year came in Natural8 India’s high-stakes WSOP Online Main Event 5000, a tournament with a steep ₹5 Lakhs buy-in and an even more massive prize pool. Facing off against a colossal field of 6,146 competitors, this WSOP bracelet winner delivered a masterclass, finishing in 14th place and taking home a whopping ₹1.55 Crores!

With his annual earnings reaching a jaw-dropping ₹4.26 Crores and almost half of that in pure profit, he finished at #9 in the fiercely competitive POY race, capping off another incredible year!

Read the report here

Other Notable Scores of 2024

2024 was a year of incredible achievements in Indian online poker, with a total of eleven eight-figure scores recorded. Here are some of the other standout performances:

• Shreyansh Sharma – Won Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR Main Event 525 for ₹1.54 Crores
• Tarun Goyal – 10th in Natural8 India’s GGMillion$ Main Event 10300 for ₹1.23 Crores
• Tarun Goyal – Won Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR Deepstack 525 for ₹1.11 Crores
• Tarun Goyal – Won Natural8 India’s Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha 840 for ₹1.10 Crores
• Tarun Goyal – Runner-up in Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR Main Event 525 for ₹1.04 Crores
• Mohammad Azhar – 3rd in PokerBaazi’s ₹25 Crores GTD G.O.A.T for ₹1 Crore

Looking Ahead

If 2024 was the year Indian poker made a statement, 2025 promises to be even bigger and better. With the momentum built, the player base expanding, and platforms pushing the boundaries, the stage is set for a year that could eclipse even the unprecedented heights of 2024. Whispers of even larger tournaments, innovative formats, and unprecedented prize pools are already circulating. The top players are honing their skills, new talents are emerging, and the entire ecosystem is buzzing with anticipation. If you thought 2024 was exciting, just wait until you see what 2025 has in store.

We will continue to bring you many more year-end features highlighting the exciting progress of India’s real-money gaming sector in 2024. Stay tuned!