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Vol. 18, No. 11, Wednesday, February 8, 2023 www.LamontLeader.com
Lamont Poker Star wins over $60,000
In-person tourney was chance of a lifetime daughter and her boyfriend for supBY JANA SEMENIUK This summer a Lamont resident got port. He did well in the tournament, the opportunity of a lifetime, to put his and quickly became a PokerStars campoker skills to the test after winning his era crew favorite. One member of the television crew, way into a million-dollar in-person poker tournament sponsored by upon finishing an interview with Craigen, said ‘That’s my favorite one of PokerStars. Glen Craigen, 44, was at work in July them all.’ Other announcers, giving when he won the coveted spot, joining commentary during the games, enthuhundreds of others from around the siastically rooted for Craigen by saying ‘time to release the Craigen!’. world, by playing online poker. He was finally defeatHe explained that his ed at the end of day job as a steam roller three, placing 111th out operator comes with a lot of down time while wait- My foreman came of 1,014 players, winning ing for the asphalt to running over $45,000 US, the equivalent of just over $60,000 cool, which gives him the opportunity to play on- because he thought CDN. there was someThe PSPC first-place line poker. When he took first place thing wrong with me! winner was Aliaksandr Shylko from Belarus, in the huge on-line tourwho took home just over nament, winning the $3 million. The secondPSPC (PokerStars Players Championship) tournament place winner, Max Menzel from package worth $30 000, he said he Germany, took home $2.8 million after couldn’t contain his excitement and winning his way into the tournament just like Craigen had six months earlier. exploded with joy. Meanwhile, Craigen said he was “My foreman came running over because he thought there was some- ecstatic about his 111th place win and thing wrong with me!,” he said, laugh- grateful for the support of his family, friends and complete strangers. ing. “What an amazing run,” he posted The package he won included the $25,000 entry into the PSPC tourna- on his social media. “The support from ment, airfare, and six nights’ accommo- back home as well as from people from dation in a five-star hotel in the all over the world that just happened to Bahamas in addition to $1,900 expense follow my story. Everyone's positive energy and attitude was such a help. I money. “It was unbelievable. I’ve only left literally had people coming up to me Canada once in my life, so this was nonstop with positive words and my truly a once-in-a-lifetime amazing social media was going off like it never opportunity,” he said. Craigen added has. “I even had a stranger come up to that 2022 was a tough year for him as a month before winning his pass, he lost me and ask if they could get a picture with me. I was shocked and honoured. his mother to cancer. Meanwhile, Craigen arrived in the I never thought people would ask me Bahamas on Jan. 29 with his sister, his for a picture.”
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Lamont resident Glen Craigen, 44, pumps a fist in the air after making it to one of the money spots on day three of the five-day PSPC poker tournament last week in the Bahamas. Craigen won his way into the PSPC by playing an online poker tournament this summer and finished in the 111th spot, out of 1,014, taking home just over $60,000. The first-place winner was awarded just over $3 million.