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Why this poker player gave away almost $1 million in winnings

A poker player won almost a million dollars but donated his profit to charity due to his Buddhist beliefs.

Canadian poker player Scott Wellenbach won $936,549, coming third in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event in the Bahamas.

The 67-year-old plans to give his earnings to charity as a way to reconcile his poker playing with his Buddhist beliefs.

He works as a translator for a non-profit organisation and works on Buddhist texts.

Poker player donates winnings: Canadian poker player Scott Wellenbach won $936,549 at a competition in the Bahamas.
Canadian poker player Scott Wellenbach won $936,549 at a competition in the Bahamas. Source: Twitter/PokerStarsBlog (left)/Getty (right)

“For many, many years now, I’ve been giving all my net profit out of my winnings…to charity for a number of reasons,” Mr Wellenbach told the Poker Stars Blog.

“I’ve been very fortunate investing in the last couple of decades, so I’m financially comfortable.”

“Being a practitioner of Buddhism, we sit around and meditate a lot – and that’s free,” Mr Wellenbach told the BBC.

“I suppose I rationalise it by giving my winnings to charity.”

Mr Wellenbach donates to several Buddhist charities, Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders, the BBC reported.