2017 World Series of Poker Update: Moriz Grabs a Million-Dollar Payday

Every poker player dreams of winning a million dollars in a World Series of Poker event. We've already had one poker-made millionaire at this year's WSOP after Thomas Pomponio pocketed a million for winning the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop. Earlier this week, Pablo Moriz also joined the million-dollar club.

Moriz ponied up the $1,500 buy-in to challenge a 7,761-player field in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Millionaire Maker. After the final card was turned over and Moriz was the last man standing he collected his first WSOP bracelet and cashed $1,221,407. Since he's from Canada Moriz is even richer back home where his $1.2 million converts into $1.6 million CAD.

While Moriz was grinding it out on the way to his first million, a new WSOP event was also hitting the tables at the Rio. The Giant, a $365 No-Limit Hold'em event, began Day 1 on June 9. That's actually Day 1A, and B, C, D, and E will follow every Friday for the next four weeks. Players that survive one of the five Day 1s won't get to return for Day 2 until July 8.

We can't give you the prize pool and payouts for the tournament as they won't be known until the beginning of Day 1E when a final tally of tournament entries becomes available. What we can tell you is that 1,629 players were at the tables when Day 1A began. When the chips were being bagged only 124 remained. We'll continue to provide updates on The Giant as they slowly proceed through Day 1 all the way up to the final table.

A lot of World Series of Poker bracelets will be handed out over the next month, with 22 having already been awarded. From those 22, four of them were the third World Series of Poker wins for their new owners. David "The Dragon" Pham, Frank Kassela, Adrian Mateos and John Monnette have all collected their third career WSOP bracelets this year.

They all still have a long way to go to catch Phil Hellmuth's record of 14, but it's still an impressive achievement nonetheless.