The 2023 World Series of Poker was certainly one for the record books. As a “thank you” to the 10,043 players who stepped to the tables for the WSOP Championship Event, Caesars Entertainment and the WSOP decided to do a couple of things out of the ordinary. First, everyone who participated in the tournament received a commemorative dealer button to remember the momentous occasion. More important, however, was the reward that only one person would receive.
Caesars Entertainment and the WSOP decided to give one of the 10,043 players an extremely special reward. That reward? A $10,000 seat to the next THIRTY WSOP Championship Event festivities. Who was the lucky recipient? It went to a Canadian poker player, Jason Clarke, who was obviously overjoyed at his good fortune. Poker News Daily had the chance to talk with Clarke, who revealed that he has some special plans with his opportunity at the next 30 WSOP Championship Events sealed.
Poker News Daily: First off, congratulations on your fortune in winning a prize that literally 10,042 other people would have killed for! How did it sound to you when your name was announced as the winner of Main Event buy-ins for the next thirty years?
Jason Clarke: After the Main, I actually flew back to Toronto after a long five weeks in Vegas grinding various tournaments. I received a phone call from Jack Effel (the WSOP Executive Tournament Director), which I missed. Then I received a text message from him a few seconds afterward, telling me to call him. So, I made the call and found out the amazing news. I was asked to fly back out to receive the award prior to the start of the Main Event final table. It was truly an honour…I’m so grateful and look forward to making some deep runs and making the most of this opportunity.
PND: How was the rest of your summer of action at the WSOP?
JC: I have never played in the Main Event before and it was always a goal of mine. The night prior to the final day of the Main Event, I had made a two-way chop in the daily deepstack for approximately $19,500.
Other than that, I had an OK summer aside from this big win. I had 10-11 cashes and various events. The $250 daily deepstack was the smallest buy-in I played. I played it 3 times total with the first being a six-way chop for $6300 the second being the two-way chop for $19,500 and the 3rd finishing 5th for 3 straight final tables.
PND: How much poker do you play in Canada?
JC: I do play a lot of poker in the Toronto area usually grinding at the 5-5 cash games. In addition, I travel to various circuit events around the world.
PND: Do you play online at all? How have the recent changes in Ontario’s online gaming laws affected your ability to play?
JC: I have stopped completely ever since the new laws made it so we can only play with players in Ontario. I find that the fields have become so small that it became hard for me to get excited about any of the tournaments that were running.
PND: This is a pretty big deal, being able to play in the WSOP Championship Event for such a long time. Are you going to do anything different to try to maximize the value of what you won? Getting any coaching?
JC: I do plan to get some coaching…I had a high-profile player reach out to me offering some free training. Furthermore, I plan to play a lot more than normal and work on certain aspects of my game.
PND: Do you see yourself selling pieces of your action in future WSOP Main Events?
JC: As far as selling action in the future I’m not sure what I will be doing yet. I might sell small pieces but would want to keep most of the percentage for myself. I have decided to donate five percent of my winnings in the Main Event for the next thirty years to the Brain Institute Foundation in honour of my younger brother who passed in 2014.
We here at Poker News Daily would like to extend our congratulations to Jason Clarke and we are looking forward to the impact that he will have on the WSOP Championship Event…for the next THIRTY years!