Seat 5: Jamil Wakil (Canada) - 755,000

Christian Zetzsche

Until August of last year, Jamil Wakil was still a recreational poker player, even though he had already won online titles in SCOOP, the Winter Series and Blowout Series on PokerStars, and had another six-figure score in a WCOOP Sunday Warm-Up. He plays online as ��Jamil11�� and is a crusher.

Having started working in a car wash at 14, he had progressed through roles at marquee firms such as Mercedes Benz and Johnson & Johnson to work in mutual funds for a major Canadian bank. The prestigious job made him financially secure but allowed him to play poker only in what little spare time he had. And last August, tired of watching his opponents get better through study and more time at the tables, he took the plunge and went pro.

After decent showings at EPT London last November, and Prague the following month, this run to the PCA Main Event final table has further underlined the wisdom of his decision. ��It��s a dream come true,�� he said. ��It��s been an amazing run.��

Wakil is in the Bahamas with his girlfriend, Lisandra, but is being supported by friends and family back home in Toronto. He��s a huge sports fan, following the Toronto teams in the NBA, NHL and MLB and the Buffalo Bills in the NFL.