Over the past few years, the weekly $10,000-entry GGMillion$ event has become the go-to high roller online. Playing down to a final table of nine players from Sunday nights, Tuesday’s live-streamed showdown for the title is broadcast as-live on the GGPoker YouTube channel to poker fans who can claim free prizes, bet on their favorite players and even qualify for the action via low price satellites on GGPoker itself.

To say that GGMillion$ has grown in recent months would be to master the art of the understatement. We caught up with the presenter behind bumper viewing figures and regular glory in the online streets, Jeff Gross, as he prepares to host another weekly classic.

Integrity and Action

Last week’s GGMillion$ action featured a unique situation, as the overnight chip leader heading into the final was removed from play without seeing a hole card. ‘Hinaru’ was found to be guilty of illegal activity and was removed from the tournament as chip leader.

“That was something I’ve never seen before,” Jeff says. “There have been players that they go back and find out something and they take the money, but I’ve never actually seen a player blinded out and to have it [done] between Sunday and Tuesday.”

In an age where online poker security is under detailed scrutiny like never before, Jeff saw this as the perfect way to act as an operator.

“I think it’s a credit to the GG Integrity team, security for acting promptly and swiftly,” he says. “For them to make that stand instead of letting it play out and then retroactively sorting it is very interesting with the blind out and how that impacted players and the dynamics. It was something I’d never seen before but was very, very well done by the GG team.”

A Recent Legacy

Jeff has been working with the GGMillion$ team since April of 2022 and jumping into the footsteps of Randy ‘Nanonoko’ Lew and Kevin van der Kooi was initially a tough act to follow. It’s now impossible to imagine anyone other than Jeff commentating on the action and bringing it to life.

“I’m super happy about the relationship, the partnership, how it’s gone. I think it’s a really symbiotic thing for the GG Millions and for myself as well, living in the U.S. and not being able to stream and play online as much as I like. Having two kids and a steady weekly show where I get to be immersed in poker and be able to provide commentary, analysis, and also get to take part in the game I love? It’s amazing. I’ve done Twitch, I’ve done commentary, and other spots. I have my YouTube channel, social media stuff that I do, but out of them all, I actually get recognized most by people that come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I love GGMillion$’.

Jeff will have been the show’s permanent host for four years in April and to date has completed 155 shows. He’s met friends on the stream as well as commentating on the achievements of amateur qualifiers and seasoned pros alike.

“I’ve had some awesome friends on there and guests that I got to meet and it’s just amazing. You get to talk with the top players in the game. And then also I get to catch up with friends – it’s just fun. You get to chat for two and a half, three hours with them, not only just poker but you get to know them too and see the best players in the world playing.”

Who Are Jeff’s Favorite Guests?

Over the years, Jeff has welcomed some of poker’s biggest names onto the mic to share commentating duties with him as a special guest co-commentator. With so many greats having taken to the GGMillion$ co-commentary seat, who has lit up the drama like no-one else to Jeff?

“Obviously, Negreanu and Hellmuth were pretty amazing. On Hellmuth’s show – the WSOP Online Main Event – Benjamin Rolle, who I do business with and is a good friend, won, which was awesome. So that was an amazing show, very memorable, with $3.9 million for first. Daniel Negreanu is the face of GG and a guy at the top of his game still over such a long period. He’s a friend of mine as well and someone that I respect and look up to.”

It’s a testament to Jeff’s charisma that those sorts of guests regularly make it onto the show. It is, as Jeff himself says ‘a treat’ to have them give up their time and come on the show.

“They’re super busy and I really do appreciate that. Antonio Esfandiari – one of my best friends – coming on was one of the more fun ones I’ve had because he’s one of the pillars of poker and hasn’t really been as visible lately. He’s a little more to himself and doesn’t just go around playing tournaments – he’s got three kids now! It’s fun when it’s one of your best friends in the world who people respect and want to hear from – he would probably be my standout.”

The standard is huge, and Jeff eulogises on the stars he’s welcomed onto the show, players from poker’s boom era like Phil Laak and others from the GTO labs such as Jonathan Jaffe, Daniel Dvoress and Ben Heath, multiple-time GGMillion$ legends like Eric Wasserman.

Backing GGMillion$ Players

A recent development in poker is now one of the GGMillion$ biggest selling point – the ability for fans to stake players before the final table takes place. In the GGPoker client, real-time betting odds give anyone a chance to enjoy a sweat on the action, while PokerStake buyers can invest in their favorite online wizards before the tournament kicks off on Sundays. Jeff believes this to be a superb innovation.

“If you’re able to bet on players, that’s really fun,” he smiles. “You get to pick a few players, maybe hedge yourself, and then go for it, right? Maybe you take a longer shot, then take a couple of favorites, would be how I would suggest doing it. “If you stake $100, let’s use that, you know, break it up. Maybe put like $20 or $30 on long shots, pick two and put $40 on ones that pay really well, and then take a couple of the favorites to kind of hedge yourself – it’s fun!”

Jeff admits to having some real success in betting on GGPoker players, ‘Partly because I’m so immersed in the show’ – but does qualify that advice by saying that there’s a lot of luck to it too and not to risk too much, keeping it fun and affordable.

“It’s a good way to have a good sweat, have a good time, and also kind of look at how they’re priced. It’s interesting, sometimes it’s not strictly off what order are they in, or the better price. Sometimes the players that are more experienced and have less chips are, might be a better bet, and you still get some good value on a long shot, so that would be my advice for that.”

You can back players in next week’s GGMillion$ by heading to our page on PokerStake right here. Who’ll win this week, and do you have a part of their action? Find out by tuning in this Tuesday and every week with Jeff Gross on the GGPoker YouTube channel.

One thing is guaranteed every week, that Jeff Gross – and friends – are going to give you one heck of a show.