The player pool blew away the guarantee, allowing it to almost double
Travis Macmillan from Halifax, Nova Scotia, achieved a career-high win by taking down the World Poker Tour (WPT) 500 Playground event held in Montreal. The CAD590 (US$425) buy-in tournament, which guaranteed CAD400,000 (US$288,000), nearly doubled expectations with a prize pool reaching CAD799,000 (US$575,280), thanks to 1,598 participants spread across six starting flights.
The event saw intense action on Day 3, where Macmillan and his final two competitors, Dan Kashvin and Vadym Sienichkin, struck an ICM (Independent Chip Model) deal. This arrangement secured CAD72,315 (US$52,067) for Kashvin and Sienichkin, while Macmillan, the chip leader, locked in the largest payout and went on to compete for the prestigious WPT 500 trophy and a seat at the upcoming WPT World Championship in Las Vegas.
This victory represents a significant achievement for Macmillan. Prior to this, his highest tournament cash was CAD65,000 (US$46,800) from the 2023 Playground March Million, where he finished as a runner-up in the CAD2,200 (US$1,584) No-Limit Hold ’em High Roller. This new win not only boosts his career earnings but also gives him a shot at the prestigious WPT World Championship, slated to take place at Wynn Las Vegas this December.
The Playground Championship, with a CAD3,500 (US$2,520) buy-in and a CAD1.5 million (US$1.08 million) guarantee, is one of the top highlights of the WPT festival in Montreal. The event attracts both local talent and poker enthusiasts from around the globe to Montreal’s premier poker venue. Macmillan’s victory and secured seat in Las Vegas mark an exciting step forward in his poker career, as he prepares to face top players from around the world in the grand finale of the WPT season.
