A 25-year-old Montreal player won the Poker World Championship in Las Vegas, winning a whopping $4.1 million just days before Christmas.
Eliot Hudon would have started playing poker in earnest less than four years ago, but thanks to his passion he will be able to spoil his loved ones.
Hudon led a field of 2,960 participants and emerged victorious from the inaugural World Poker Tour 2022 Championship. The total prize pool was $30 million.
“It wasn’t even about the money at that point… If I want to go far, my main goal was to win the trophy. I play poker more to win than for the money,” Hudon said in a statement released by the organization shortly after his historic win.
“I don’t deserve any more than these guys. It’s just that we all know how to do it. Some people are luckier in some places,” he added with a touch of modesty.
Fans say millions of poker players have honed their craft online over the past few years before striving for fame in a real tournament situation.
to the top
According to the WPT website, Hudon started his career with just under $2,000 before investing $500 in an online training course. His early tournament stakes ranged from 50 cents to $5.
The tournament, which required an entry of $10,400, attracted enough players to nearly double the $15 million guarantee.
The sum was distributed to the top 371 players, and each of the six finalists received at least $1 million.
England’s Benny Glaser was second with a profit of $2.8 million, followed by Jean-Claude Moussa in third place with just over $2 million.
“We tried to create a real festival atmosphere and we are very grateful for the warm welcome we received,” said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour.
“Shocked”
In addition to the first cash prize, Hudon received a $15,000 travel package. The 2.5 hour final table was filmed for television at Wynn Las Vegas and will air on Bally Sports in early 2023.
“I’m still shocked. It’s going to take me a few days to realize what just happened,” Hudon finished, surrounded by a few friends in Vegas.
The circuit’s 2023 season continues on April 1 with the WPT Rolling Thunder. The WPT World Championship will be held again next December.
On November 9, 2010, another Quebecer, Jonathan Duhamel, won what was then the biggest poker tournament of the year, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and pocketed nearly $9 million. Duhamel donated $100,000 to the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation.
In his career, Jonathan Duhamel has won more than $17 million.