Canadian doctor wins $366,660 in Main Event after qualifying in a $30 online satellite

Robert Notkin earned a healthy return on investment at the PokerStars Canada Cup in an electrifying final hand that knocked out three remaining players.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EXCITING FINAL HAND

TORONTO, June 5, 2014 /CNW/ - Toronto doctor Robert Notkin is the PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event winner. Notkin, who was born and raised in Montreal, won his seat in the Canada Cup in a $30 online satellite tournament, and then beat out 578 other players over five-days of poker to claim the championship, collecting $366,660 for his efforts.

Notkin's wife and children made the trip to Montreal to support him when he reached the final table of the tournament, which took place at Playground Poker Club on Montreal's south shore. Friends from Montreal joined his family in the poker room to watch him take first prize.

"I want to thank the people of Playground Poker Club and PokerStars for putting together such a great tournament, all the fans who were rooting for me and finally and most importantly, my wife and children for all their love and support," said Notkin.  "I also want to mention my training ground - growing up watching my father's poker game and the guys that make up my Wednesday night game."

The 57 year old psychiatrist whose philosophy in life is characterized by Steve Martin who said "Be so good they can't ignore you!" outlasted some stiff competition to win the championship. Notable players who competed in the tournament included Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, who was the 2010 World Series of Poker Champion, and Marc Andre Ladouceur, a member of Team PokerStars Online.

"There are not many sports where professional and amateur players compete on the same field. I think that is one of the great things about poker," said Duhamel who finished 25^th at the Canada Cup. "Of course I wanted to win myself, but it was nice to see a family man like Notkin, who plays poker as a hobby, win his seat to the tournament online then come out here and win!"

Notkin won the tournament in very exciting fashion. After more than four days of poker, the field had been whittled down to four players. Notkin was able to knock out the other three remaining players in a single hand. Commentators described it as one of the most exciting hands of poker they had ever witnessed. Video footage of the hand can be viewed at http://youtu.be/gY-dwyQF0FA.

PokerStars will host another tournament series at the Playground Poker Club at the end of the summer. The PokerStars Montreal Festival will run from August 22-September 3 and features a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. Online qualifying tournaments for the PokerStars Montreal Festival tournament is running now at PokerStars.net.

"I'm looking forward to playing in the online qualifiers for the PokerStars Montreal Festival. I'd love to return to my home town at the end of the summer to see if I can pull off another win!" said Notkin.

About PokerStars.NET
PokerStars operates the world's most popular online poker sites, serving a global poker community of more than 64 million registered members. Since it launched in 2001, PokerStars has become the first choice of players all over the world, with more daily tournaments than anywhere else and with the best security online.

PokerStars is a member of The Rational Group, which operates gaming-related businesses and brands, including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and the European Poker Tour. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, Rational Group companies in the UK and Isle of Man won recognition as one of the best workplaces in the UK being awarded a top 25 position by the Great Place to Work Institute's Best Workplaces – Large category rankings. Rational Group entities in Costa Rica and Dublin also achieved the same accolade in their respective local rankings in 2014.

Image with caption: "Robert Notkin is the PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event winner. Notkin won his seat to play in the event through a $30 online satellite tournament. He then out-lasted 578 other players over five-days of poker to claim the championship title and $366,660 first place prize money. (CNW Group/PokerStars.net)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140606_C1593_PHOTO_EN_2536.jpg

SOURCE: PokerStars.net

For further information: Sinead Brown, [e-mail], 416-413-5193