22 Apr
Sponsorships of pro players by major poker sites lessened by one as PokerStars and Jonathan Duhamel have apparently parted ways.
Duhamel is no longer listed on the site’s roster of team pros, ending a relationship that began in 2011 following his victory in the 2010 WSOP Main Event. Duhamel will now be appearing patchless at live tournaments as he did recently at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown where a 7th place finish in a NLHE $2,200 buy-in 6-Max event was good for $9,775.
The 27-year-old Duhamel became the first Canadian to win the WSOP Main Event when he bested runner-up John Racener and 7,317 other players to claim the $8,944,310 first place prize. The Hendon Mob reports Duhamel’s career earnings at $12,786,360 – 9th best all-time and second-best among Canadians behind PokerStars Team Pro Daniel Negreanu, who leads Canada and the world in that category with live tournament winnings of $29,973,907.
PokerStars, for the most part, has been severing ties with pros as of late. The contracts of George Danzer, Humberto Brenes, David Williams and 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada were not renewed last year. One exception to the rule is Jason Somerville, whose poker prowess and likeability on Twitch broadcasts resulted in the signing of a sponsorship deal last month with the industry giant.
Duhamel’s exit leaves Chris Moneymaker as the lone WSOP Main Event champ on PokerStars Team Pro. The current pro roster lists 25 Team Pros and 23 Team Online Pros.
