Bodog Beat

Poker pro Gavin Smith was on hand for the first event of the inaugural WPT Canada season. (Bodog Beat Image)

The contradictorily-named World Poker Tour Canada (Why wouldn't a stop in Canada not be part of the normal "World" Poker Tour? Is Canada not part of the world?) kicked of its inaugural season last week at the Coast to Coast Poker Championships at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Colombia, which may or may not be part of Canada and/or the world.

Beating out a field of 302 players, which included poker pros Gavin Smith, Kenna James, Brad Booth, Bodog Beat favorite Lacey Jones, WPT Champion Scott Clements, Lee Markholt and WPT-Made Millionaire Antonio Esfandiari, local hero Keith Winterman took down the $224,100 first-place prize.

The Coast to Coast Poker Championships were filmed for broadcast in Canada with James making his TV commentator debut alongside host and well-known Canadian sports announcer, Jim Van Horne. The episodes will debut in Canada later this summer.

Wish there was more to tell you, like when and where the next WPT Canada event will take place, but apparently the WPT Canada does not extend outside of the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Colombia, and therefore also not outside of Canada and/or the world. Maybe.