The poker tournament series found 15 new champs
The latest WSOP Circuit Playground festival has officially wrapped up, with 15 new champions crowned and almost $5 million in prize money awarded. This highly anticipated event saw poker players from all over come together for various tournaments, making it one of the most exciting stops on the WSOP Circuit calendar.
James Pillon emerged as the Main Event winner, taking home CAD$333,240 (US$244,000). His victory was just one highlight of the festival, which featured a range of other events, including the popular Progressive Knockout and Mystery Bounty tournaments.
Huge congrats to Francis Denis, who took down Event #12! But the excitement isn’t over yet—5 more champions will be crowned, including the Main Event, High Roller, and Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty winners! The next 72+ hrs at the WSOP-C Playground are going to be intense! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hRr0U8gplA
— Playground Poker (@PlaygroundPoker) September 2, 2024
One of the standout events was Event #12, a $600 No-Limit Hold’em 8-Max tournament that attracted 290 entries. The prize pool for this event more than doubled its initial guarantee of $60,000, with the final table consisting entirely of Canadian players. Francis Denis claimed the top prize of CAD26,570 (US$19,500) after defeating Laetitia Jeancolas in a heads-up battle.
Event #13, the $600 Mega Stack, also saw a significant turnout with 272 entries. The final four players agreed to an ICM chop, with $7,300 and the coveted WSOP Circuit ring reserved for the eventual champion.
Another thrilling event was Event #14, the $1,000 Progressive Knockout, which featured 168 players and a total prize pool of $80,640, with $67,200 handed out in bounties. Victor Bovet claimed victory, defeating Johnson Phanyaseng heads-up and denying Dustin Melanson another WSOP Circuit ring after Melanson’s Main Event win earlier in April 2024.
The final event, Event #15: $400 Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty, added more excitement to the festival. Ian Monahoyios secured the win, adding a WSOP Circuit ring to his achievements. Giovanni Massa also made headlines by winning the $5,000 Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty to the 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party.
With so many winners and high-stakes action, the WSOP Circuit Playground festival has once again left a mark in the poker world, setting the stage for more thrilling events in the future.
