Canada's largest legal poker pot awarded in BC

By: Lianne Elias

The British Columbia (BC) Poker Championships awarded a Salt Spring Island man the largest legal poker prize in Canada this month for his first place finish.

After four days of intense poker playing, James Hawkins beat out 1,100 other players (both American and Canadian) to take home the grand prize of $382,000 CDN at Richmond, BC's River Rock Casino. After his win, Hawkins admitted to having only played in one other tournament in his relatively short poker career.

The B.C. Poker Championships was comprised of three separate Texas Hold'em events. Its success has prompted organizers to hope it becomes an annual event.