Jonathan Duhamel is a 26-year-old college dropout with a gambling jones. He’s also the world’s newest millionaire. Last night, with friends and family waiting on the state of the Penn & Teller Theatre at the Rio Las Vegas, the native of Montreal, Canada, defeated American John Racener, 23, to claim the top spot at the World Series of Poker. Duhamel won the WSOP bracelet and a staggering $8.9 million dollar winner’s jackpot for claiming the top prize in professional poker.
The event itself started in July, with 7319 entrants either gaining entry by winning smaller satellite tournaments or by ponying up a $10,000 entry fee. The final nine competitors played a 14-hour final game of No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em to decide on the winner of the richest prize in cards. Racener’s second-place finish earns him an impressive $5.5 million-dollar prize.
Duhamel is the first Canadian to win the World Series of Poker. He and second-place Racener got their start playing poker online.
Tags: WSOP, World Series of Poker, Montreal, Canada, Jonathan Duhamel, John Racener, Penn & Teller Theatre, Rio Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, Canadian wins World Series of Poker jackpot, World Series of Poker winner, Canadian wins .9 million at the World Series of Poker