For three consecutive years, the World Series of Poker’s main event winner will be a player in his early 20s.
Duhamel is a 23-year old from Boucherville, Quebec while Racener, 24, of Port Richey, Florida face off Monday starting at 11 p.m. ET and will play until there’s a winner. It will air Tuesday on ESPN at 10 p.m. ET. With Winner Poker Review Duhamel having more than a 6-to-1 lead in chips — 188.95 million over 30.75 million — it might not last long.
Neither will be the youngest victor in WSOP main event history. Peter Eastgate, who triumphs in 2008 at 22, was Winner Poker Mac outdone last year by Joe Cada, who won at 21. But Duhamel will be the first Canadian champion of the WSOP main event.
Before dropping out, Duhamel majored in finance of the University of Quebec in Montreal. He’s been a full-time poker pro — generally online — for about the last two years, earning $43,000 in WSOP events before today’s payday.